The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic released labour market results from the Continuous National Labour Force Survey, showing that average employment increased by 133,915 net workers in 2025 versus the 2024 four-quarter average, taking average employment to 5,139,951 people. The gains were driven overwhelmingly by formal jobs, alongside an average open unemployment rate (SU1) of 5.0%. Formal employment accounted for 98.5% of net job creation (131,901), bringing the average informality rate to 54.1% in 2025, down from 55.5% in 2024. Average employment and participation reached series highs, with the employment rate at 62.9% and the overall participation rate at 66.2%. In October–December 2025, total employment reached 5,168,878, up 2.3% year on year (117,948 net new jobs), with 72.7% of the increase from formal workers (85,764) and 27.3% from informal workers (32,184), leaving informality at 54.2%; job growth was concentrated mainly among women. Over the same quarter, SU1 was 5.0% and the broader labour underutilisation rate (SU3) was 9.2%, while the inactive population totalled 2,786,496 and the inactivity rate was 33.9%.
Central Bank of the Dominican Republic 2026-02-22
Central Bank of the Dominican Republic reports 133,915 net new jobs in 2025 and a drop in informality to 54.1%
The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic reported a net increase of 133,915 workers in 2025, driven predominantly by formal employment, which constituted 98.5% of job creation. The average employment rate reached 62.9%, with a participation rate of 66.2%, while the informality rate decreased to 54.1%. In the last quarter of 2025, total employment rose by 2.3% year-on-year, with significant job growth among women and an unemployment rate of 5.0%.