Ghana and Jamaica have signed a landmark bilateral agreement to facilitate the deployment of Ghanaian nurses and teachers to the Caribbean nation, addressing workforce shortages in Jamaica and easing youth unemployment in Ghana. Finalized during the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Summit in Brussels, the agreement during high-level discussions between Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, and Senator Kamina Johnson Smith establishes specialized visa pathways, internationally competitive salaries and mutual recognition of professional qualifications
Jamaica faces an acute shortage of healthcare and education professionals, while Ghana produces an annual surplus of over 55,000 nurses and 20,000 teachers, many of whom remain unemployed. In 2024 alone, over 10,000 Ghanaian nurses and midwives emigrated due to limited domestic opportunities.
The structured partnership builds on Ghana’s earlier labor export success with Barbados, and is expected to generate $50–75 million annually in remittances, while providing career advancement for Ghanaian professionals and reducing dependence on traditional migration hubs such as the UK and U.S.
Officials from both countries hailed the deal as a model for South-South cooperation, enabling skills exchange while supporting development goals in both nations.
