Ghanaian nurses and teachers will soon gain access to employment opportunities in Jamaica under a newly established bilateral agreement.
This is a significant development for skilled labour mobility after a successful programme by Ghana and Barbados, with hundreds of nurses deployed to the Caribbean Islands since 2020.
The pact was finalised during high-level discussions between Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, at the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) summit in Brussels.
“Jamaica is ready to receive nurses and teachers from Ghana under a special bilateral partnership.
“Ghana and Jamaica have also agreed to hold high-level political consultations to deepen our cooperation in trade, education, agribusiness, tourism, and cultural and sports exchange,” Mr Ablakwa posted on his Facebook page on Saturday, May 24.
The agreement establishes a structured framework for the recruitment of qualified Ghanaian healthcare and education professionals to address Jamaica’s growing demand for skilled workers in these sectors. Minister Ablakwa characterised the arrangement as “a mutually beneficial partnership that honours our shared heritage while addressing contemporary labour needs.”
This provides specialised visa pathways for Ghanaian medical and education professionals and a recognition of Ghanaian professional qualifications under streamlined accreditation processes.
This agreement is expected to provide competitive remuneration packages benchmarked against international standards.
The initiative comes as Ghana continues to grapple with the paradox of surplus skilled professionals and limited public sector absorption capacity
In 2024, former Minister of Health Bernard Okoe Boye stated that Ghana produces approximately 55,000 nurses annually.
This is a significantly larger number than the domestic health system can absorb, leading to the export of nurses to other countries.
For example, in 2024, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) reported that over 4,000 nurses emigrated, and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) estimated that over 10,000 nurses and midwives had left the country.
Again, teacher training colleges produce over 20,000 graduates each year, but current public sector employment captures less than 40% of these graduates.
It is projected that the agreement could generate $50-75 million annually in remittances and reduce Ghana’s healthcare and education sector unemployment while establishing Jamaica as an alternative to traditional migration destinations like the UK and the US.
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