The commerce sector consolidates as the largest engine of employment in the Dominican Republic
Commerce has reaffirmed itself during 2025 as the fundamental pillar of the labor market in the Dominican Republic. According to data analyzed by Alofoke Deportes, this sector reached the historic figure of 1,037,060 workers, which represents 20.2% of total employment nationwide.
The evolution of the sector over the last decade has been remarkable, recording an increase of 214,799 new jobs since 2015. With these numbers, commerce significantly outperforms key industries such as construction, education, transport, and public administration, consolidating itself as the country’s main employer.
Growth of formality and competitive salaries
One of the most notable points of the report is the progress in job quality. Between 2015 and 2025, formal jobs within the trade sector experienced a growth of 37.8%, outpacing the rate of expansion of informality and improving the sector’s formality rate.
Trade has a decisive weight in the Dominican labor market. We are talking about more than a million people who depend directly on this activity to generate their income, so any policy that impacts the sector must take into account its ability to continue creating jobs and contributing to the growth of the economy.
Jenniffer Troncoso, Executive Director of ONEC
Above-average salary compensation
The commerce sector not only leads in hiring volume, but also in salary competitiveness. The analysis reveals that formal workers in the area earn incomes above the national average:
- In 2024, the average salary in the formal commerce sector was RD$29,938.0, exceeding the national average by 12.4%.
- During 2025, this trend continued with a salary of RD$31,392.3, 8.6% above the general average of RD$28,905.0.
- When comparing salaries with the non-sectorized minimum wage, formal commerce paid 53.9% more in 2024 and 44.8% more in 2025, demonstrating that the sector offers remuneration higher than the established legal floor.
These figures reflect an upward trend in labor income in the sector, which has gone from RD$14,375 in 2015 to a projection of RD$27,452 for the first quarter of 2026, consolidating commerce as a key piece for the economic well-being of Dominican families.
