The number of jobs in Bermuda increased last year compared to 2017, but the number held by Bermudians dropped, Department of Statistics figures revealed.

The Job Market Employment Briefs report said there were 33,810 positions filled at the time of the survey in 2018, an increase of 151 or 0.4 per cent on the previous year.

It showed that posts held by Bermudians, who accounted for 70 per cent of the total number of jobs, dropped by 92 from 23,671 to 23,579. The figures also revealed that the gap between black and white median salaries increased over the period.

Wayne Furbert, the Cabinet Office minister, said: “The Employment Briefs provides a broad count of all jobs in the Bermuda labour market by selected demographics, industrial and occupational groups.”

He explained that the hotel sector recorded an increase of 186 filled posts.

Of the 2,383 workers in the category, which included guesthouses and other accommodation, 1,573 were Bermudian, 132 were non-Bermudian spouses of Bermudians, 630 were listed as “other non-Bermudian” and 48 were permanent resident certificate holders.

Mr Furbert said: “The median gross annual income for employees who worked in establishments with ten or more filled jobs climbed by $1,088 from $64,250 to $65,338.”

The report showed that the $1,088 increase was equivalent to 2 per cent.

It added: “In comparison to the moderate rise in median earnings, the annual inflation rate in August 2018 was 0.9 per cent.

“The profile of median income by race shows that white job holders earned $90,416 in 2018.

“On average, black job holders earned $59,006 while job holders of mixed and other races earned $54,979 per year.

“The pay disparity between the two major racial groups exceeded $31,000 in 2018.

“This gap was caused by disproportionate shares of white workers and black workers in higher paying roles such as senior officials and managers and in professional occupations together with uneven shares of blacks and whites in lower paying jobs such as service workers, skilled agricultural and fisheries workers and workers in elementary occupations.”

The report added that in 2017 the median annual income for black employees was $58,204 compared to $88,557 for white workers — a difference of $30,353.

The number of people employed as service workers and shop and market sales workers grew by 138 to 7,249. Posts in the construction industry increased by 6.4 per cent from 2,008 to 2,136, fuelled in part by 18 more women in the sector.

Women had 49 per cent of the overall employment market — the same as last year.

But they held 56 more positions in 2018 at 16,594, compared to the 17,216 jobs filled by men, which was up by 95.

The report’s introduction explained that it was based on information collected from the 2018 employment survey, which used August 26 to September 1 last year as its reference week.

It said: “The information collected from the survey is the primary source used for analysing employment trends in Bermuda for government, commerce and the general public.”

The report warned against making direct comparisons with the Labour Force Survey and census results, which it said were not comparable.

It added: “Other non-Bermudian employment increased by 223 filled jobs, from 7,340 to 7,563.

“The number of Bermudian job holders decreased by 92 filled jobs, while non-Bermudian spouses of Bermudians and permanent resident certificate holders gained a total of 11 and nine more filled positions, respectively.

“The share of filled jobs held by persons of mixed and other racial heritages grew by 236 positions, while whites recorded a decrease of 80 filled positions.”

• Copies of the Employment Briefs are available online at www.gov.bm/employment-statistics