Results of the Labor Force Survey of 2023

The primary purpose of the LFS is to obtain a comprehensive and up-to-date view of Aruba's labor market. By collecting data, the survey can determine key figures of a country, such as the employment and unemployment rate, and identify other market trends. This information is essential for developing labor market policies.

After COVID-19, which required a change in the data collection method (for example, by telephone), the November 2023 LFS was conducted in person again, namely in the randomly selected households across Aruba from the CBS database. The survey included some basic questions for household members and only focused on labor market-related questions for individuals 15 years of age and older, as they are considered part of the country's labor force according to the International Labor Organization (ILO) guidelines.

The data collected during November 2023 showed an increase of 4.6% compared to November 2022. The relative number of employed persons compared to persons aged 15 and older was 60.2%. The number of employed persons in November 2023 was 54,523.

The number of unemployed persons in November 2023 decreased by 0.3% compared to November 2022. The unemployment rate in November 2023 was 4.0%. It is remarkable, as Aruba has not had an unemployment rate below 5% in the past two decades, as illustrated in the figure below. Furthermore, this decrease indicates a solid recovery from the negative impact that the pandemic had on the labor market.

The unemployment rate among women decreased from 5.2% in 2022 to 3.9% in November 2023. The unemployment rate among men slightly increased from 3.2% in 2022 to 4.0% in the same period. The unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 24 increased from 9.9% in 2022 to 11.1% in November 2023. The main reasons for this increase are: recently started job search (25%), inability to work full-time (13%), to find a job in the labor market (10%), and lack of required diplomas (6%).

The number of people not actively participating in the labor market decreased from 39.3% in 2022 to 37.2% in November 2023. People in this group mostly don't have a job, aren't actively looking for one, aren't actively seeking employment, and if they do, they can't start working for a company within two weeks. This group mainly consists of retirees and students not looking for a job. 

You can find more information on the survey results in the attached infographic. DAO, CBS, and CBA thank everyone who participated in the LFS survey of November 2023 and contributed to its success.