← Barbados's unemployment rate
Unemployment Benefits in Barbados
Barbados's National Insurance Scheme pays unemployment benefit to insured people who lose their job, at 60% of average insurable earnings for up to 26 weeks.
✓ From official pages ✓ Each part says when we checked
At a glance
National Insurance Scheme (NIS)
National Insurance
The job market in Barbados
The International Labour Organization's estimates put Barbados 118th lowest of 183 countries for unemployment in 2025; the world's rate was 4.9%.
Barbados's unemployment rate over the years · every country, ranked
What to do first
- Apply for Unemployment Benefit: report to the Unemployment Section at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building with the employer's Form U-3; claim forms and an online declaration form are on the site. Official page
- Questions: call (246) 431-7400 (National Insurance).
Unemployment Benefit
Who can get it. Insured for at least 52 weeks, with 20 paid or credited contributions in the set three-quarter period and 7 in the relevant quarter.
How much. The daily rate is 60% of the insured person's average insurable weekly earnings, divided by 6.
For how long. A maximum of 26 weeks in any continuous period of unemployment; the first three days are waiting days unless unemployment lasts two weeks or more.
How to claim. Report to the Unemployment Section at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building with the employer's Form U-3; claim forms and an online declaration form are on the site.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Who to call
National Insurance: (246) 431-7400.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Questions
Is there unemployment benefit in Barbados?
Yes: Unemployment Benefit, paid by National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
How much is unemployment benefit in Barbados?
The daily rate is 60% of the insured person's average insurable weekly earnings, divided by 6.
How long does unemployment benefit last in Barbados?
A maximum of 26 weeks in any continuous period of unemployment; the first three days are waiting days unless unemployment lasts two weeks or more.
How do I claim unemployment benefit in Barbados?
Report to the Unemployment Section at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building with the employer's Form U-3; claim forms and an online declaration form are on the site.
Who do I call about unemployment in Barbados?
National Insurance: (246) 431-7400.
Nearby countries
Aruba
British Virgin Islands
Caribbean Netherlands
Cayman Islands
Cuba
Curaçao
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Jamaica
Martinique
Montserrat
Puerto Rico
St. Barthélemy
St. Kitts & Nevis
St. Martin
St. Vincent & Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks & Caicos Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
Where this comes from
Every part of this page was read on an official website, and each links the page it came from and the day we checked it. Rules and amounts change, so check that page before you rely on a figure. Jobareer is not part of any government and cannot see or change a claim.
See also: unemployment rate by country · Barbados's unemployment rate · unemployment in the US, state by state.