Labor market in Grenada

The Central Statistical Office (CSO) publishes the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which has been issued quarterly since Q2 2018. Q2 2025 recorded 51,159 employed people and a labor force of 57,379 among 89,745 people aged 15 and over. Labor-force participation was 63.9%, and the employment-to-labor-force ratio was 89.2%. Men had a participation rate of 67.7% and women 60.0%. Among people aged 15 to 24, participation was 55.5% and unemployment was 26.3%; youth unemployment was 34.4% for women and 14.6% for men. These unemployment figures describe a related labor-market outcome but do not define the whole labor market. Grenada has six parishes and the dependencies of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. St. George accounted for 39,894 people, or 35.42% of the population, followed by St. Andrew with 28,201 and Carriacou and Petite Martinique with 6,010. About 67.5% of the population lived in rural areas and 32.5% in urban areas. Economic activity and infrastructure are concentrated around St. George, while travel distance and access to services can affect work and training options elsewhere. The current Q2 2025 survey does not provide reliable parish-specific employment rates, so older figures should not be transferred to current conditions. The largest employment sectors in Q2 2025 were wholesale and retail trade plus vehicle repair at 13.2%, construction at 10.6%, accommodation and food services at 10.3%, agriculture, forestry and fishing at 6.9%, manufacturing at 6.7%, education at 6.7%, public administration and defence at 5.7%, human health and social work at 5.0%, transport and storage at 4.9%, and administrative and support services at 4.6%. Services and tourism have a strong position, but agriculture remains relevant. Tourism, construction and agriculture are exposed to seasonal demand, climate events and natural disasters. The survey recorded “not stated” for 16.0% of industry responses and 16.8% of occupation responses, so sector and occupation percentages should be read as survey estimates rather than a complete register. Service and sales work represented 19.9% of occupations, crafts and trades 12.0%, elementary work 11.2%, technicians and associate professionals 8.8%, clerical work 6.8%, and skilled agriculture, forestry and fishery work 4.8%. Occupational patterns differ by gender: women were more concentrated in service and sales work at 28.8%, clerical work at 11.7%, education and health, while men were more concentrated in crafts and trades at 19.4% and construction- and agriculture-related work. These figures describe patterns in the labor market and do not determine an individual’s access to a particular occupation. Education and skills pathways include compulsory basic education from ages 5 to 16, upper secondary education, the School Leaving Certificate, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), post-secondary study and tertiary education. TVET uses levels 1 to 5 and can lead to Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) or National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) certification. The Grenada National Training Agency (GNTA), established in 2009, reports 195 competency standards, 16 accredited centers and at least 5,000 qualifications recorded by 2021. Training areas include construction, electrical work, plumbing, information and communication technology, hospitality, caregiving, agriculture, agro-food, repair and digital skills. The GNTA’s assessment of prior learning can recognize existing practical skills. The Skills for Life Certificate provides another skills-based pathway. The Technical and Allied Management College, NEWLO and the Grenada Industrial Development Corporation are among the institutions connected with post-secondary, training or enterprise pathways. Programs such as SAEP vocational skills training, apprenticeships and job placement target people aged 16 to 35. The Caribbean Regional Digital Transformation Project also supports digital-skills development. Employers have repeatedly reported skill mismatches, so a qualification should be compared with current vacancies, the occupation’s practical requirements and the portability of the certificate in the Caribbean region. Private-sector employees made up 57.0% of workers, central government employees 15.2%, self-employed people without employees 15.4%, self-employed people with employees 5.4%, statutory-board workers 4.3% and domestic workers 0.8%. The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) had 40,525 active contributors, approximately 48.78% of the working-age population aged 16 to 64. NIS coverage is not a complete measure of formal employment because it does not capture every employment relationship. An International Labour Organization estimate placed informal employment at about 30% of employment, so income, protections and documentation can differ between formal and informal work. The Minimum Wages Order 2023 took effect on 1 January 2024. Its general minimum is EC$1,200 per month or EC$60 per day, with occupation-specific rates including EC$9.25 per hour for security guards, EC$60 per day for agricultural workers, EC$60 per day for construction laborers and EC$65 per day for construction helpers, EC$1,200 per month for clerical, administrative, cashier and receptionist work, EC$1,400 per month for elderly caregivers, EC$9.50 per hour for cooks and bartenders, EC$9.25 per hour for waiters and EC$8.50 per hour for porters. Q2 2025 gross monthly salary data showed 24.3% of reported workers in the EC$1,200–1,999 range, 19.8% in EC$2,000–3,999, 11.6% in EC$800–1,199, 3.8% in EC$400–799, 4.0% in EC$4,000–5,999 and 2.3% at EC$6,000 or more. Gross salary was “not stated” for 33.2% of responses, and the current table does not establish a reliable mean, median or gender pay gap. In Q3 2023, 58.23% of workers usually worked 35 to 40 hours per week, 10.44% worked fewer than 35 hours, 21.26% worked 41 to 50 hours and 8.23% worked 60 hours or more. Men were more likely to report long working weeks, while women were more likely to work part time. Seasonal and temporary work is especially relevant in tourism, agriculture and construction. The Department of Labour carries out labor-market administration and inspections under the Employment Act 1999, Labour Relations Act 1999 and related rules. Employers and workers may also need to address National Insurance deductions and remittances, occupational safety and health, tax compliance and the conditions attached to work permits. Grenada’s job-matching system is still developing. The Department of Labour is intended to register employers and jobseekers and act as an employment agency. Vacancy notices are available, and a web-based employment agency is under development. Labour Market Information refers to the collection and distribution of information about vacancies, workers, skills and employment conditions. A fully developed public employment service and labour-market information system are not yet in place. Active labor-market measures remain fragmented and include job-search, placement, labor-mobility, direct-employment, training, entrepreneurship and target-group programs, with priority given to young people, women, rural communities and small and medium-sized enterprises. A non-Grenadian working in Grenada’s private sector generally needs a work permit before starting work. The permit identifies the employer, worker, industry and occupation, normally lasts one year and is not transferable; changing employers requires a new permit. Certain positions must be advertised locally for at least three weeks, and permit conditions can include local-training obligations. A complete application generally includes the form, passport, photographs, an employer’s letter, a police clearance certificate and notarized qualification evidence where required. The statutory maximum for a complete application is 12 working days, and renewal should be filed at least three months before expiry. The application fee is EC$100 and is non-refundable; annual permit fees are EC$1,000 for nationals of specified Caribbean countries, EC$3,000 for other Commonwealth, North American, United Kingdom and European Union nationals, and EC$5,000 for other nationals. OECS citizens and holders of a CARICOM Skills Certificate can qualify for fee exemptions under the applicable rules. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles the CARICOM Skills Certificate, while the Immigration and Passport Office and labor authorities handle related migration and employment matters. The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program provides a temporary Canadian agricultural pathway for eligible applicants aged 18 to 65 who meet health and police-record requirements. Grenada’s labor market has shifted from greater agricultural weight toward services and tourism, while maintaining agriculture and construction as significant sources of work. Gross domestic product fell by 13.8% in 2020 during the COVID-19 shock, followed by recovery supported by tourism and public measures. Hurricane Beryl in 2024 and continuing climate risks show how quickly employment can be affected by disasters. High turnover and non-permanent work add uncertainty. Reform discussions identify the blue economy, cultural industries, care work, manufacturing, information and communication technology, renewable energy and waste management as possible areas of future demand. A realistic assessment therefore combines current vacancies, verified pay and hours, location, skill requirements, contract status, legal protections and the possibility of seasonal disruption.