Photo: Rastapopulous · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 03 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Cuba: Work & Labour
Can people find work, and on what terms?
Cuba is placed joint 78th of 182 countries on work & labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Employment-to-Population Ratio 51.34 (2025); Labour Income Share 41.31 (2025).
Share
Work & Labour
joint78th
of 182 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Cuba on work & labour — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Employment-to-Population Ratio
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
51.34
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)
Higher is better
Cuba: 51.34. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 21.21 (São Tomé and Príncipe) to 86.9 (Qatar); the world median is 57.72.
- World median
- 57.72
- Best in Caribbean
- 67.28 Jamaica
Key 3 of 4
Unemployment Rate
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
1.746
Unemployment (% of labour force)
Lower is better
Cuba: 1.746. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.13 (Qatar) to 34.2 (Eswatini); the world median is 5.084.
- World median
- 5.084
- Best in Caribbean
- 1.746 Cuba
Key 4 of 4
Vulnerable Employment
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
19.32
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment)
Lower is better
Cuba: 19.32. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.456 (Qatar) to 90.22 (Chad); the world median is 28.67.
- World median
- 28.67
- Best in Caribbean
- 5.474 United States Virgin Islands
02Over time
Which way Cuba is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Employment-to-Population Ratio
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%) · higher is better
CubaWorld median
Cuba rose from 50.78 in 2000 to 51.34 in 2025; the world median went from 55.86 to 57.72.
Every year’s figures
Year Cuba World median 2025 51.34 57.720 2024 51.71 57.694 2023 52.25 58.158 2022 52.69 57.688 2021 51.67 56.066 2020 51.38 55.691 2019 54.33 57.871 2018 54.52 56.911 2017 54.61 56.738 2016 54.47 56.845 2015 54.22 56.788 2014 53.90 56.774 2013 53.44 56.229 2012 53.18 56.289 2011 53.20 56.297 2010 53.45 56.212 2009 54.55 56.255 2008 53.38 57.308 2007 53.19 56.933 2006 53.03 56.685 2005 52.88 56.129 2004 52.82 55.465 2003 52.55 55.630 2002 52.01 55.843 2001 51.59 56.018 2000 50.78 55.861 Labour Income Share
Labour income share of GDP (%) · higher is better
CubaWorld median
Cuba rose from 40.26 in 2004 to 41.31 in 2025; the world median went from 46.01 to 46.23.
Every year’s figures
Year Cuba World median 2025 41.31 46.230 2024 41.58 46.060 2023 41.74 45.900 2022 41.08 45.615 2021 41.20 45.433 2020 43.41 47.267 2019 41.71 46.277 2018 41.25 46.187 2017 41.34 46.467 2016 41.51 46.798 2015 40.71 46.876 2014 41.28 47.281 2013 40.88 46.887 2012 40.77 46.231 2011 40.70 45.679 2010 40.47 46.024 2009 40.62 47.071 2008 39.44 45.312 2007 38.27 45.246 2006 39.77 45.670 2005 42.22 46.265 2004 40.26 46.012 Unemployment Rate
Unemployment (% of labour force) · lower is better
CubaWorld median
Cuba fell from 5.45 in 2000 to 1.746 in 2025; the world median went from 6.918 to 5.084.
Every year’s figures
Year Cuba World median 2025 1.746 5.08 2024 1.755 5.15 2023 1.730 5.21 2022 1.829 5.34 2021 2.110 6.04 2020 2.233 6.38 2019 1.705 5.36 2018 1.700 5.35 2017 1.700 5.59 2016 2.000 5.90 2015 2.400 6.41 2014 2.700 6.58 2013 3.290 6.71 2012 3.460 6.79 2011 3.180 6.90 2010 2.500 7.04 2009 1.670 6.67 2008 1.583 5.79 2007 1.788 6.00 2006 1.913 6.50 2005 1.950 7.09 2004 1.854 6.80 2003 2.330 6.95 2002 3.310 6.91 2001 4.080 6.96 2000 5.450 6.92 Vulnerable Employment
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment) · lower is better
CubaWorld median
Cuba rose from 9.436 in 2000 to 19.32 in 2025; the world median went from 35.67 to 28.67.
Every year’s figures
Year Cuba World median 2025 19.322 28.67 2024 19.381 29.04 2023 19.412 29.33 2022 20.236 29.67 2021 20.513 30.01 2020 21.058 30.54 2019 21.396 29.98 2018 21.266 30.15 2017 21.314 29.93 2016 20.347 29.91 2015 19.409 30.26 2014 18.368 30.47 2013 17.228 31.14 2012 16.360 31.00 2011 14.826 31.41 2010 9.475 32.37 2009 9.363 32.59 2008 9.792 31.76 2007 9.596 33.47 2006 10.169 34.27 2005 11.236 34.66 2004 11.501 35.51 2003 11.276 35.90 2002 10.441 35.96 2001 10.412 35.27 2000 9.436 35.67
03In context
Cuba beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 182 countries on work & labour, never a place within the region.
Cuba and Caribbean
Cuba has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 182; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Employment-to-Population RatioEmployed share of the population aged 15+ (%) | Labour Income ShareLabour income share of GDP (%) | Unemployment RateUnemployment (% of labour force) | Vulnerable EmploymentVulnerable employment (% of total employment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jamaica | 25th | 67.28 | 53.45 | 3.286 | 31.56 |
 Barbados | =54th | 60.47 | 55.58 | 6.524 | 18.8 |
 Trinidad and Tobago | 68th | 55.83 | 45.2 | 3.329 | 21.25 |
 Puerto Rico | =72nd | 40.22 | 59 | 5.991 | 10.31 |
| Cuba | =78th | 51.34 | 41.31 | 1.746 | 19.32 |
 Dominican Republic | =83rd | 61.54 | 48.4 | 5.092 | 37.99 |
 United States Virgin Islands | 89th | 48.14 | 55.98 | 11.44 | 5.474 |
 Saint Lucia | 91st | 61.81 | 47.41 | 9.452 | 21.99 |
 Bahamas | 108th | 66.98 | 34.41 | 9.207 | 15.94 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 131st | 55.68 | 46.79 | 18 | 21.96 |
 Haiti | 155th | 54.38 | 52.18 | 14.94 | 76.04 |
 Anguilla | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Antigua and Barbuda | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Aruba | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 British Virgin Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Cayman Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Curaçao | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Dominica | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Grenada | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Montserrat | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Saint Martin | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Sint Maarten | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Turks and Caicos Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 182.
- Jamaica25th
- Barbados=54th
- Trinidad and Tobago68th
- Puerto Rico=72nd
- Cuba=78th
- Dominican Republic=83rd
- United States Virgin Islands89th
- Saint Lucia91st
- Bahamas108th
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines131st
- Haiti155th
- Anguillanot placed
- Antigua and Barbudanot placed
- Arubanot placed
- British Virgin Islandsnot placed
- Cayman Islandsnot placed
- Curaçaonot placed
- Dominicanot placed
- Grenadanot placed
- Montserratnot placed
- Saint Kitts and Nevisnot placed
- Saint Martinnot placed
- Sint Maartennot placed
- Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed
Placed either side on work & labour
The countries immediately above and below Cuba in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Cuba is ahead of the world, and behind
14 more statistics filed under work & labour, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median5
Statistics on which Cuba does better than the middle country measured.
Trade Union DensityILO · 2020 · world median 16.6881.4116.68No earlier reading
Cuba: 81.41 · world median 16.68 · Employees who are trade union members (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.2 to 91.42; higher is better.
Position 2nd of 139 · derived.
Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.910045.9No earlier reading
Cuba: 100 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Youth Unemployment RateILO · 2025 · world median 12.834.27712.83▲ Improved since 2015
Cuba: 4.277 · world median 12.83 · Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.457 to 76.77; lower is better.
Position 160th of 182 · derived, 1st = worst.
Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed PersonsILO · 2024 · world median 0.5750.760.575No earlier reading
Cuba: 0.76 · world median 0.575 · Labour inspectors per 10,000 employed persons. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 3.89; higher is better.
Labour Productivity per Hour WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 22.1622.5822.16▼ Worsened since 2015
Cuba: 22.58 · world median 22.16 · Output per hour worked (constant 2021 international $ at PPP). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.92 to 164.65; higher is better.
Position 90th of 182 · derived.
Behind the world median3
Statistics on which Cuba does worse than the middle country measured.
Compliance with Labour RightsILO · 2024 · world median 1.611.751.61▲ Improved since 2015
Cuba: 1.75 · world median 1.61 · Compliance with freedom of association and collective bargaining rights (0 = best, 10 = worst). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 10; lower is better.
Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 61.6652.2561.66▼ Worsened since 2015
Cuba: 52.25 · world median 61.66 · Population aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.34 to 87.01; higher is better.
Position 148th of 182 · derived.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3639.9753.36▼ Worsened since 2015
Cuba: 39.97 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 149th of 182 · derived.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 000No earlier reading
Cuba: 0 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
No better end5
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Employment in ServicesILO · 2025 · world median 59.5167.5659.51Moved since 2015
Cuba: 67.56 · world median 59.51 · Employment in services (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.56 to 92.17.
Position 69th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8940.838.89Moved since 2015
Cuba: 40.8 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 73rd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.3815.5314.38No real change since 2015
Cuba: 15.53 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.
Position 89th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in IndustryILO · 2025 · world median 18.8816.9118.88No real change since 2015
Cuba: 16.91 · world median 18.88 · Employment in industry (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 3.103 to 39.44.
Position 116th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Self-Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 31.8424.931.84No real change since 2015
Cuba: 24.9 · world median 31.84 · Self-employed (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.832 to 91.56.
Position 116th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Cuba
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker (last 2024), Average Monthly Earnings of Employees, Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4), Fatal Occupational Injuries (last 2010), Female Share of Senior and Middle Management, Firms Competing Against Informal Firms, Firms Offering Formal Training, Firms with a Female Top Manager, GDP per Person Employed, Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Human Capital Wealth per Capita, Informal Employment Rate, Length of Paid Maternity Leave, Length of Paid Paternity Leave, Low Pay Rate, Public Sector Employment, Share of Temporary Employees, Statutory Minimum Wage, Working Poverty Rate and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Work & Labour among Cuba’s 13 topics
Work & Labour is Cuba’s 4th best-placed topic of 13. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Health & Wellbeing56th of 2003/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge69th of 1983/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital83rd of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 78th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 106th of 1983/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 95th of 1773/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience107th of 1933/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture120th of 1842/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 123rd of 1864/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions145th of 1943/4 keys
- Energy148th of 1652/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties179th of 1983/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade171st of 1773/4 keys
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Gender & Equality, Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on work & labour
The three countries placed highest of 182, and the leaders Cuba can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
South KoreaEastern Asia
3rd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
United States14th4/4 keysHighest in Caribbean
Jamaica25th4/4 keysThis page
Cuba=78th4/4 keys
Positions out of 182 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Cuba and work & labour
On work & labour
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Highest Average Salaries in 2024
The ten highest-paying countries of 2024, their bars coloured by continent, and six more added for comparison — from Australia in 13th place to India in 85th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Lowest Average Salaries in 2024
The bottom ten of 196 countries, and six more added for comparison. Niger, Madagascar and Liberia are all published at US$47 a month and still carry three different ranks.
08Questions
Cuba on work & labour: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Cuba rank on work & labour?
Cuba is placed joint 78th of 182 countries on Work & Labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Employment-to-Population Ratio, Labour Income Share, Unemployment Rate and Vulnerable Employment). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Employment-to-Population Ratio figure for Cuba?
51.34 in 2025 (employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 57.72.
What is the latest Labour Income Share figure for Cuba?
41.31 in 2025 (labour income share of GDP (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 46.23.
How have Cuba’s work & labour figures changed?
Employment-to-Population Ratio rose from 50.78 in 2000 to 51.34 in 2025; Labour Income Share rose from 40.26 in 2004 to 41.31 in 2025; Unemployment Rate fell from 5.45 in 2000 to 1.746 in 2025; Vulnerable Employment rose from 9.436 in 2000 to 19.32 in 2025.
Which work & labour statistics are missing for Cuba?
No current reading is published for Cuba on Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker, Average Monthly Earnings of Employees, Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management, Firms Competing Against Informal Firms, Firms Offering Formal Training, Firms with a Female Top Manager, GDP per Person Employed, Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Human Capital Wealth per Capita, Informal Employment Rate, Length of Paid Maternity Leave, Length of Paid Paternity Leave, Low Pay Rate, Public Sector Employment, Share of Temporary Employees, Statutory Minimum Wage, Working Poverty Rate and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Wages in money terms are not a key here, because pay figures are hard to compare fairly across countries with very different prices. Labour productivity, working hours, youth unemployment and the balance between farming, industry and services are published on this page as context. The size and growth of the wider economy belong to Economy & Innovation.
How the Work & Labour standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The work & labour method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Employment-to-Population Ratio — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Labour Income Share — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Unemployment Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Vulnerable Employment — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
The other 14 statistics on this page come from 1 publisher, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Cuba’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Cuba (banner) — Rastapopulous, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Cuba: Work & Labour — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/cuba/work