Dionne Rose, Business Reporter

Robert Miller, head of the Caricom Single Market and Economy unit, says the movement of labour is serving to plug gaps in the job market. - File

The number of skills certificates issued to Jamaicans seeking work in the region has almost doubled in 2007, according to Robert Miller, head of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

The unit processed about 1,000 applications, some 600 of which were from Caricom nationals seeking jobs here, while 400 were from Jamaicans hunting work elsewhere in the region.

In 2006, in the first year when the Caricom Single Market went into effect freeing the movement of labour across island borders, the certificates issued to Jamaicans numbered 211.

Miller was unable to say, however, how many Jamaicans actually secured employment in neighbouring islands.

"The certificates issued to Jamaicans are to facilitate the application for entrance work in other member states," he told Wednesday Business. "Statistics do not currently indicate the number of Jamaicans who have secured employment in the rest of Caricom."

Certificates were granted mainly in managerial, accounting, educational, information technology, health and science fields to applicants aged 31 to 41 years old.

"Many Jamaicans who have applied for the certificates have not expressed any intention to move immediately to another member state but simply want to be prepared for any opportunities that may arise," said Miller.

Movement of labour

Of the near 600 certificates issued to Caricom nations, the majority of 201 were to Trinidadians, another 110 went to Guyanese and 80 to Barbadians.

Miller noted that most of the movement of labour in the region was between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Miller suggested that the skills were migrating where needed, and that the result was mostly a balancing effect.

"For example, more Jamaican accountants are applying for certificates to work in other member states," he said, noting that"While more accountants are applying to work in other member states, more doctors and teachers are applying for certificates to work in Jamaica."

The CSM became effective January 1, 2006, launching off with Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, with other countries signing on later in the year.

To exercise the right of movement, Caricom nationals must acquire a skills certificate under the free movement clause of the CSME, by applying in their home or host state.

The holders of associate degrees and artisans were recently added to the groupings allowed to move freely in the region.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com