Chinese nationals once again received the largest share of work permits issued to foreign workers in Jamaica during 2025, continuing a longstanding trend, according to the latest Economic and Social Survey Jamaica published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
The report shows that 2,441 work permits were issued to Chinese nationals during the year, far outpacing other nationalities. Indian nationals received the second-highest number of permits with 882, followed by Cubans with 307. The PIOJ noted that Chinese nationals have consistently topped the list of work permit recipients each year.
Under the Foreign Nationals and Commonwealth Citizens (Employment) Act, 1964, foreign nationals seeking employment in Jamaica must first obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS).
According to the PIOJ, the ministry received 5,701 work permit applications in 2025, representing a 0.9 per cent increase over 2024.
Of those applications, 2,972 were renewals, down 3.5 per cent from the previous year, while new applications rose 6.1 per cent to 2,729.
“The majority of work permit applications – 96.6 per cent or 5,509 – were approved, with 79.3 per cent issued to males,” the PIOJ said in the report.
The institute also found that work permit approvals remained heavily concentrated in a few sectors. Wholesale and retail trade, including the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, accounted for the largest number of approvals with 2,258 permits. Construction followed with 1,120 approvals, while the accommodation and food service sector received 607.
By region, nationals from Asia accounted for the largest share of approved work permits at 64.9 per cent, followed by Latin America with 13.5 per cent of the total.
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