More people in employment in Caribbean Netherlands in 2024

© CBS
In the Caribbean Netherlands, the employed labour force (aged 15 to 74) increased to 17.5 thousand in 2024. That was 12 percent higher than in 2022. In Bonaire, in particular, more people were in work. Saba also saw an increase, although it was relatively small. In St Eustatius, the number of people in work decreased. This is according to the most recent Caribbean Netherlands Labour Force Survey, conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

In Bonaire, the number of people in employment rose by 1.8 thousand (+14 percent) to 14.7 thousand in 2022. 73.8 percent of all those aged 15 to 74 were in employment. In 2022, the net labour participation rate in Bonaire was 72.5 percent. The net labour participation rate is the percentage of people aged 15 to 74 who are in work.

In St Eustatius, 1.8 thousand people were in employment, 3 percent less than in 2022. The net labour participation rate therefore fell from 72.9 percent to 71.4 percent.

In Saba, 67.2 percent of the population aged 15 to 74 years were in work. There were 1.1 thousand people in work, 90 more than in 2022.

More migrants and more local people in work

The number of local people in employment in the Caribbean Netherlands increased by 1.1 thousand to 9.3 thousand from 2022 to 2024. This group is defined as working people born on one of the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles - i.e. the islands of today’s Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba) plus Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten.

A further 8.3 thousand working people were not born on one of these islands [note employed persons born elsewhere]. That was an increase of 800 compared with 2022.

Relatively high growth in the number of working people born outside Bonaire

In 2024, 10.2 thousand people working in Bonaire were not born on the island, 1.5 thousand more than in 2022. Of these, 20 percent were born in Curaçao and 15 percent in the European Netherlands.

Three in ten working people in Bonaire were native Bonaireans. They were relatively likely to work in public administration and government services, health and social care, construction and trade. Compared to native-born Bonaireans, migrants were more likely to be working in construction and the hospitality sector (accommodation and food services).

St Eustatius has high number of workers from Dominican Republic

37 percent of working people in St Eustatius were native-born Statians last year. In 2022, that share was 40 percent. They worked mainly in public administration and government services, in education and in manufacturing.

In addition to those born on St Eustatius, there is a relatively large number of people born in the Dominican Republic (14 percent) working on the island. Migrants were more likely to work in construction than native-born Statians.

 

Share of working people in Saba who were born in Saba declines

Around 29 percent of the employed labour force in Saba were native-born Sabans. In 2022, that share was 31 percent. Nearly half of working Sabans (45 percent) worked in public administration and government services.

Of all those in work, 780 were not born on Saba. In 2022, the number was 700. Around 1 in 10 working people in Saba were born in Colombia, for instance. Migrants were more likely to work in the construction, trade, hospitality and education sectors than native-born Sabans.