Kiribati: jobs and pay

What is the unemployment rate in Kiribati?

Kiribati's unemployment rate was 3.1% in 2023–24, with 1,265 people unemployed out of a labour force of 40,794, according to the Kiribati Labour Market Monograph 2023–24 from the Kiribati National Statistics Office. The rate was 2.5% for men and 3.8% for women, and 8.4% for young people aged 15 to 24.

The figures come from the 2023–24 household income and expenditure survey, which used the international labour force standard. Many people in Kiribati work outside paid jobs, so the narrow unemployment rate tells only part of the story: the same report puts the broader labour underutilisation rate at 42.6%, the informal employment rate at 59.9% and the labour force participation rate at 52.4%.

Official sources: KNSO: Kiribati Labour Market Monograph 2023–24 (PDF)

What is the average wage in Kiribati?

The average monthly wage in Kiribati was A$538 in 2023–24, A$529 for men and A$552 for women, according to the Kiribati Labour Market Monograph 2023–24 from the Kiribati National Statistics Office. Wage employment accounted for 54.2% of jobs, with most of the rest self-employment.

The figure is an average for employees reported in the 2023–24 household income and expenditure survey, not a legal minimum. Because averages can be pulled up by a small number of high earners, they can sit above what a typical worker earns. Pay is in Australian dollars, the currency Kiribati uses.

Official sources: KNSO: Kiribati Labour Market Monograph 2023–24 (PDF)

What is the minimum wage in Kiribati?

The latest figure from the ILO, for 2024, is 270 AUD a month (about $178). The figure has been the same every year since 2016.

What is the average monthly salary in Kiribati?

The ILO puts average monthly earnings of employees in Kiribati at $358 a month in 2023. It is 5th highest of 9 in East Asia & Pacific, where the median is $358 a month. World rank, highest first: 61st of 80.