Jerome Reynolds, Gleaner Writer

The 2011 Population and Housing Census has revealed that Jamaica's migration rate remains high.

It highlighted that 168,700 persons migrated over the review period.

The Census data indicates that this reduced the natural increment in the population by 65 percent.

A recent migration profile of Jamaica highlighted, among other things, that between 2001 and 2010 an estimated 216,200 Jamaicans were living abroad.

The migration profile highlighted that the vast majority of Jamaican migrants were able-bodied and skilled persons, between ages 15 and 64.

The Government is now working to develop a national policy and plan of action on Migration and Development which will be used to measure, monitor and manage migration in a way that it can influence Jamaica’s development needs.

radio@gleanerjm.com