MigrantoJamaican Diaspora
1.2M Jamaicans live abroad — the #59 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 96% of all emigrants
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 910748 |
| United Kingdom | 146646 |
| Canada | 144301 |
| Cayman Islands | 12602 |
| Bahamas | 8510 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 4328 |
| Sint Maarten | 2609 |
| British Virgin Islands | 2436 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2390 |
| Curaçao | 2120 |
| Bermuda | 1694 |
| Australia | 1335 |
| Panama | 1266 |
| Aruba | 1142 |
| Barbados | 1013 |
| Belize | 621 |
| China | 572 |
| Anguilla | 500 |
| Mexico | 381 |
| US Virgin Islands | 372 |
| Saint Lucia | 361 |
| Costa Rica | 314 |
| Guyana | 302 |
| Chile | 222 |
| Norway | 203 |
| Denmark | 183 |
| Brazil | 176 |
| Dominican Republic | 148 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 148 |
| Dominica | 132 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 127 |
| Grenada | 119 |
| Finland | 101 |
| Venezuela | 85 |
| Hungary | 38 |
| Luxembourg | 35 |
| Iceland | 32 |
| Portugal | 31 |
| Cuba | 27 |
| Honduras | 27 |
| Nicaragua | 20 |
| Slovakia | 16 |
| Puerto Rico | 16 |
| Cyprus | 14 |
| Greece | 11 |
| El Salvador | 10 |
| Bolivia | 8 |
| Bulgaria | 7 |
| Slovenia | 7 |
| Estonia | 3 |
| Latvia | 2 |
| Liechtenstein | 1 |
| Lithuania | 0 |
By destination region
North America is the leading destination region at 85%
1.1M
147.3K
42.5K
1.3K
572
14
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Jamaica.
USA is the primary destination for emigrants
USA attracts 73% of all emigrants from Jamaica, while the second-largest destination receives just 12%.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 2 residents of Jamaica has emigrated — 1.2M out of 2.8M, representing 44.0% of the population.
Emigration has become more concentrated over time
The top destination's share rose from 57% to 73%, with USA increasingly the primary choice.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
3 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Aruba, China, Mexico — Aruba rose from outside the top 20 to rank #14.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 611422 |
| 1995 | 811937 |
| 2000 | 833377 |
| 2005 | 895828 |
| 2010 | 1005109 |
| 2015 | 1084528 |
| 2020 | 1175941 |
| 2024 | 1248512 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | USA | United Kingdom | Canada | Cayman Islands | Bahamas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 350867 | 142246 | 100377 | 3767 | 2792 |
| 1995 | 532040 | 144149 | 114487 | 4987 | 3282 |
| 2000 | 541069 | 146062 | 119493 | 7468 | 3773 |
| 2005 | 591724 | 152301 | 123052 | 8110 | 5349 |
| 2010 | 681674 | 159856 | 128171 | 9472 | 6925 |
| 2015 | 748216 | 156146 | 141703 | 10354 | 7503 |
| 2020 | 837746 | 150892 | 145144 | 11540 | 8042 |
| 2024 | 910748 | 146646 | 144301 | 12602 | 8510 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Jamaica as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Jamaica
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Jamaicans move to?
Most Jamaicans have moved to USA, United Kingdom and Canada — these three countries account for about 96% of all Jamaicans living abroad.
How many Jamaicans live abroad?
Around 1.2M Jamaicans live abroad, making it the #59-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Jamaica lives abroad?
About 44% of the population of Jamaica lives abroad — that's 1.2M out of a total population of 2.8M.
How has emigration from Jamaica changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Jamaica has grown from 1.1M to 1.2M people, a growth of about 15%.
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