Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and housing a population of 937,700 people. It is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas and the fourth most populous country in the Caribbean.

Jamaica is a small developing country that is seeking to promote human rights, safeguard the rule of law and protect refugees facing persecution. Here are 10 quick facts about Jamaican refugees:

10 Facts About Jamaican Refugees

1. Jamaica has a comprehensive refugee policy that addresses many factors for refugees.
2. An asylum seeker has to be classified as a political refugee in order to qualify for refugee status in Jamaica.
3. In 2015, a report released by the United Nations (U.N.) Refugee Agency showed that Jamaicans made 836 applications for asylum.
4. Jamaicans are seeking asylum in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.
5. Jamaicans are the top asylum seekers in the Caribbean.
6. There is no proper identity registration currently in place for Jamaican refugees.
7. Lack of documentation of Jamaican refugees makes it hard for these refugees to have social and economic rights.
8. Employers are not aware that Jamaican refugees do not need work permits to work in the country, which creates unnecessary unemployment.
9. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has recommended that asylum-seekers and refugees should be provided with recognized identification cards.
10. Currently, there are only 12 refugees from other countries in Jamaica.

Most Jamaican refugees are educated at the tertiary level in Jamaica, but have sought asylum for both economic and social opportunities. The loss of the country’s skill base of working professionals has had a tremendously negative impact on the productivity and education in the country, which are important factors that drive the Jamaican economy.

– Rochelle R. Dean

Photo: Flickr