Accountability: Luis Abinader reveals that 53% of new formal jobs in the Dominican Republic are held by women

SANTO DOMINGO – President Luis Abinader reported this Friday that, according to the National Continuous Labor Force Survey (ENCFT), 133,915 new jobs were created last year, bringing the total number of employed people in the country to 5,139,951, while maintaining the open unemployment rate at a minimum of 5.0%.

These statements were made by the head of state during the commemoration of the 182nd anniversary of National Independence before the National Congress.

During his speech, the president stated that decent employment is the most transformative social policy of his administration, highlighting record figures for formal employment and female inclusion in 2025.

Strengthening employment

“If there is one social policy that truly transforms lives, it is decent employment. That is why we have made the creation of formal, well-paid jobs an absolute priority for this government,” the head of state emphasized before the National Assembly.

“Each job created represents much more than a statistic; it represents peace of mind for a home,” the president pointed out, after noting that the government’s strategy has focused on generating vacancies with guaranteed rights.

Progress in formalizing employment

One of the most significant findings of the report was the sustained decline in informality. For the first time on record, the informality rate stood at 54.2%, its lowest level to date.

Among the indicators of consolidation of the formal sector, the following stand out:

New contributors: Between January and December 2025, 74,000 new workers were registered in the Integrated Labor Registry System (SIRLA).

Social Security: At the end of November, the Social Security Treasury (TSS) recorded 2,426,350 active workers, a year-on-year growth of 3.15%.

Gender equity: 53% of new formal jobs were filled by women, indicating a more inclusive, participatory economic growth model.

Strategy and productive transformation

The president attributed these results to a strategy coordinated with the private sector and the commitment to key sectors such as nearshoring, the logistics platform, high-value-added free zones, the modernization of the agro-industry, and more territorial and sustainable tourism.

More than 140 inspection and formalization operations

To facilitate employment, the Government carried out more than 140 inspections and formalization operations. It also highlighted the success of the “RD-Trabaja” program and its “Tu Empleo Está Aquí” (Your Job Is Here) initiative, which registered 12,648 people, reaffirming its commitment to youth and women.

Finally, President Abinader asserted that this job growth has been accompanied by a sustained improvement in workers’ real income, consolidating a more robust economy with greater social justice.