Puerto Rico posts 6,488 net private-sector job gain in Q1
Puerto Rico’s private-sector labor market recorded a net gain of 6,488 jobs in the first quarter of 2025, reversing losses from the previous quarter, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Gross job gains totaled 47,009 between December 2024 and March 2025, exceeding 40,521 gross job losses from business closures and contractions during the same period. The result marked a shift from late 2024, when job losses outpaced gains by 8,387 positions.
Expanding establishments accounted for most of the improvement, adding 42,877 jobs during the quarter, a sharp increase from the prior period. New business openings contributed an additional 4,132 jobs.
On the other side of the ledger, contracting establishments shed 34,770 positions, while business closures resulted in the loss of 5,751 jobs, reflecting continued turnover within the private sector.
Overall, gross job gains represented 6.3% of private-sector employment in Puerto Rico during the quarter, above the U.S. average of 5.6%. Gross job losses accounted for 5.4% of private-sector employment, in line with the broader U.S. figure.
The figures are drawn from the Business Employment Dynamics data series, which measures quarterly changes in employment by tracking hiring and separations across private-sector establishments. Gross job gains include expansions at existing firms and employment created by new businesses, while gross job losses reflect reductions at contracting firms and closures.
The first-quarter data suggest that Puerto Rico’s private employment sector entered 2025 with improved momentum following a downturn at the end of the previous year, as more businesses added workers than eliminated positions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that the figures are preliminary and subject to revision as additional data are incorporated.
