The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE national unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in the first quarter of 2026, but the number of underemployed people rose by 11 percent, according to the Bahamas National Statistical Institute.

The rate was down 0.6 percentage points from 8.7 percent in the final quarter of last year, with rates falling for both men and women. The number of unemployed people dropped by 5.7 percent, from 21,465 to 20,240. BNSI said the decline was driven largely by people of prime working age, 25 to 54, whose unemployment fell by 760 to 10,450.

Underemployment, however, climbed by 2,890 to 29,085. Underemployed people are those whose work does not meet their desired pay, hours or use of their skills.

The number of discouraged workers fell by 19.2 percent to 2,135.

Youth unemployment dropped sharply, from 18.2 percent to 14.2 percent. Some 28,850 young people aged 15 to 24 were employed, up 895, or 3.2 percent, from 27,955 in the previous quarter.

The labour force grew by 1,535 to 249,025. Men made up 125,040, or 50.2 percent, and women 123,985.

Women had a higher unemployment rate than men both nationally and regionally. Abaco was the only island where the female rate was lower than the male rate, which stood at 9.3 percent. Women also lagged in participation. Some 74.9 percent of women were in the labour force, compared with 81.2 percent of men, against an overall rate of 79.4 percent, even as the number of women working rose. That is despite women continuing to outpace men in education. Twenty-nine percent of women in the labour force held a degree, compared with 15 percent of men, while men had a slightly higher share of technical or vocational certifications. Overall, 27 percent of the labour force had no qualifications, and the figure was higher among men, at 34 percent.

Across the labour force, 58 percent had completed secondary school, 22 percent had completed university and seven percent had completed another tertiary institution.

Fifty-eight percent of employed people, or 133,490, worked in the private sector, while 21 percent, or 48,170, worked for the government or quasi-government bodies.

Community, social and personal services remained the largest industry. The hotel and restaurant sector grew fastest, adding 2,020 jobs to reach 43,765. Mining, quarrying, electricity, gas and water recorded the second-largest increase, with employment rising by 1,365 to 5,130.