Unemployment in St Vincent and the Grenadines is expected to be in the region of 17 percent and above in 2017.
The information was derived from a new report made public by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The ILO report notes that in several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries the percentage of those who are looking for work but unable to finds jobs in 2017, will range from four to six per cent in Trinidad and Tobago, to above 17 per cent in islands like St Vincent and St Lucia.
The report further stated that in Caribbean countries like Guyana, Haiti, Barbados and Suriname, the percentage of people looking for work is between 9 to 13 percent, the figure is between 13-17 per cent in the Bahamas.
Discontent with the social situation and lack of decent job opportunities are both factors that play a role in a person’s decision to migrate the report noted.
The International Labour Organization said the global unemployment rate is expected to rise modestly in 2017, to 5.8 per cent from 5.7 per cent in 2016.
The report said this would represent 3.4 million more unemployed people globally, bringing total unemployment to just over 201 million in 2017.”