Dominican Republic reports reduction in NEET population to 16.59% as of Q1 2026

The Dominican Republic's NEET population (youth neither studying nor working) dropped from 28.3% in 2020 to 16.59% in early 2026, according to Central Bank data. The government attributes this integration of over 200,000 individuals to targeted programs like Oportunidad 14-24, though the long-term sustainability of these labor market gains remains to be verified.