WILLEMSTAD – Youth unemployment, skills mismatches, and the size of the informal sector will be key areas of labor market research for the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) between 2026 and 2028. The bank describes labor market dynamics as a critical factor in long-term economic stability.
According to the CBCS, structural issues in the labor market continue to limit productivity and economic resilience. Persistent youth unemployment, combined with a mismatch between education outcomes and labor market needs, has reduced the economy’s adaptive capacity.
The research agenda aims to move beyond traditional debates on labor flexibility, focusing instead on the balance between formal and informal employment. The CBCS notes that poorly regulated labor arrangements risk pushing workers into informality, eroding the tax base and weakening social protection systems.
For Curaçao, upcoming research is expected to inform policy in education, workforce development, and migration, with the broader goal of strengthening human capital and supporting sustainable growth.
