US, UK and Canada Top Countries to Which Jamaicans Migrated in 2025

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Jamaica’s population grew by a negligible 600 people in 2025 to 2,764,200, as outward migration continued, with the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom remaining the leading destinations for Jamaicans granted permanent residence or citizenship.

This is according to the 2025 edition of the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica, a publication of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).

Migration to the United States increased by 7.3 per cent in 2025, with 18,347 Jamaicans entering its borders.

Accoridng to the survey, based on the figures, the US remained the primary destination for Jamaican migrants followed by Canada (2 980) and the UK (2 396).

“A total of 2,980 migrants were granted permanent resident status in Canada in 2025, a 19.8 per cent decrease relative to 2024,” the survey said.

It [noted that similar to previous years, the majority, 74.7 per cent (2 225) of Jamaicans was in the working age population (15–64 years). The 30–34 age group had the largest proportion of admissions of permanent residents, accounting for 13.1 per cent of emigrants.

Jamaicans from the 0–4, 55–59 and 60–64 age groups comprised a smaller proportion of emigrants (2.3 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent, respectively).

The PIOJ said the largest proportion of permanent emigrants from Jamaica with a known occupation fell within the “professionals, senior officials and technicians” category at 7.0 per cent, followed by “service workers and shop and market sales workers” at 2.3 per cent.

The occupation of 85.8 per cent of permanent emigrants was classified as “unknown/other”. “In contrast, emigrants who obtained temporary work visas were predominantly employed in ‘elementary occupations’, accounting for 79.6 per cent,” said the PIOJ.

In 2025, a total of 2 396 Jamaicans were granted British citizenship by naturalisation or registration, representing a 16.7 per cent decline compared with 2024.