Jamaica: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Jamaica's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum fell 5 on 2021 (from 5 to 0).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2021), the average change was +0.42 and a typical year strayed about 6.65 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 13 in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 16 in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 3% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 15 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in nearby economies

• Argentina — 3,941 (2025)
• Aruba — 0 (2025)
• Bahamas, The — 0 (2025)
• Belize — 1,836 (2025)
• Bolivia — 0 (2025)
• Brazil — 119,651 (2025)
• Cayman Islands — 15 (2025)
• Chile — 9,561 (2025)
• Colombia — 17,421 (2025)
• Costa Rica

More social protection & labor data for Jamaica

• Net migration — -11,053 (2025)
• Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) — 3.02% (2023)
• Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) — 3.92% (2023)
• Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) — 2.24% (2023)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 60.58% (2023)
• Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) — 83.7% (2023)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate) — 72.38% (2023)
• Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Jamaica's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?

0 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum unusual for Jamaica?

In 2022, Jamaica's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum fell 5 on 2021 (from 5 to 0). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2021), the average change was +0.42 and a typical year strayed about 6.65 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EA, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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