Dominican Republic employment reaches 5.27 million

The Dominican Republic's labor market saw significant growth in the second quarter of 2026. According to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD), the number of employed persons reached 5,271,005, marking a 2.9% year-on-year increase. This growth included 147,456 net new jobs. Notably, women drove much of this expansion, accounting for 86.6% of the new positions.

In a structural shift, formal employment accounted for 50.7% of the new jobs, while informal employment made up 49.3%. This resulted in the total informality rate dropping to 53.8%, the lowest level recorded since 2014. Despite these gains, the open unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.3%.

Parallel to economic developments, various environmental cleanup initiatives were reported across the region. In La Vega, over 7,500 pounds of waste were removed from the Camú River banks to protect water sources. In Puerto Plata, the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC) led a coastal cleanup collecting over 3,400 pounds of debris. Other local efforts included cleaning efforts in San Gil beach and the Mijo River.