WILLEMSTAD – While Curaçao’s labour market has shown encouraging signs of recovery, persistent concerns about job quality mirror global trends highlighted in a recent report by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The United Nations agency’s Employment and Social Trends 2026 update warns that progress toward better, more secure work has stalled worldwide — a reality that resonates locally even amid improvements in employment numbers.
According to the ILO, global unemployment has remained relatively stable, but “decent work” — jobs with fair pay, rights at work, social protections and adequate conditions — is stagnating. The report highlights that hundreds of millions of workers continue to live in poverty despite being employed, and that youth and women remain particularly vulnerable in labour markets.
Curaçao itself has made notable strides in closing employment gaps. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of employed residents rose from about 66,700 to nearly 72,000, while the unemployment rate dropped sharply from 13.1% to 7.8%. 청 Youth unemployment also saw a steep decline, falling from nearly 30% to 16.3% during the same period.
Despite these gains, analysts warn that employment quantity and job quality are not always aligned. The ILO report stresses that stable unemployment figures alone can mask deeper issues in job quality — such as underemployment, precarious contracts, inadequate income and limited access to social protection — which resonate with ongoing concerns in Curaçao’s economy.
Local labour experts point out that Curaçao’s economy — heavily reliant on tourism, services and a recovering post-pandemic recovery — may still generate jobs that lack the stability and benefits associated with “decent work.” While official data show more people with jobs, there are limited statistics on wage growth, job security or informal employment, areas the ILO identifies as key indicators of job quality.
“Numbers matter, but they don’t tell the whole story,” said one local economist. “We are seeing more people employed, but we also need to ask: are these jobs sustainable? Do they pay enough to support families? Do they offer social protection and rights at work?”
The ILO’s emphasis on job quality comes at a time when the world grapples with technological disruption, demographic shifts and uncertain trade conditions that could further challenge decent work outcomes.
For Curaçao, the message is clear: while unemployment is decreasing, policymakers and business leaders should pay equal attention to improving the quality of jobs — not just the number of positions — to ensure long-term prosperity and fairness in the labour market.