Haitian labor and precarious employment in the Dominican Republic, 2024-2025

Abstract

Haitian labor in the Dominican Republic is key to the development of agriculture, domestic work, tourism and construction, activities characterized by high job insecurity, as they offer these nationals low-skilled, informal jobs with precarious working conditions (long days, low wages, insufficient housing and services). This precarious employment situation for this foreign worker is linked to their irregular immigration status, low skill level, and the lack of effective government oversight mechanisms. Currently, Haitian workers in the Dominican Republic are being subjected to a policy of mass deportations by the country's immigration authorities, and this has been affecting the performance of sectors such as construction, agriculture, and tourism. Faced with this situation, the Dominican government has proposed mechanization and the nationalization of the workforce to businesses. However, to what extent is this possible in an environment of precarious employment characterized by informality, lack of social security, low wages, and the absence of other benefits? Only by promoting the formalization of the sector and better wages, and perhaps even implementing a short-term plan to document Haitian workers based on the labor demands of these sectors, can we partially contribute to restoring the growth momentum of these industries.