25°C
Nearly 100,000 Dominicans Hold More Than One Formal Job
Almost 100,000 workers in the Dominican Republic are contributing to the social security system through multiple formal jobs, reflecting a steady rise in pluriemployment as many households seek additional income to keep pace with living costs.
Nearly 100,000 workers in the Dominican Republic held more than one formal job as of May 2026, according to the latest figures released by the Dominican Social Security Treasury (TSS). The growing number of employees with multiple sources of formal income highlights the financial pressure many households face as living expenses continue to outpace average wages.
The Dominican Social Security System (SDSS) recorded 2,461,811 contributing workers and a total of 2,561,722 social security contributions in May. The gap between those figures indicates that approximately 99,911 individuals were contributing through more than one formal employer, a practice commonly referred to as pluriemployment.
Multiple Jobholding Continues to Increase
The trend has strengthened throughout the past two years. In January 2026, the system registered 2,440,382 contributing workers and 2,536,666 contributions, suggesting that about 96,284 people held more than one formal job. One year earlier, in May 2024, the difference between contributors and contributions indicated roughly 92,192 workers were employed by multiple companies.
The steady increase comes as many Dominican families seek additional income to cope with higher household expenses. According to data from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, the average family basic consumer basket reached RD$49,268.36 in May 2026. During the same period, the average salary reported for social security contributions stood at RD$39,664.15, remaining below that benchmark.
Income and Workforce Demographics
TSS figures show that 52.1% of all social security contributions came from men, while 47.8% were made by women. Average contributory salaries were broadly similar, with men reporting an average of RD$39,892.00 compared with RD$39,416.66 for women.
Workers between the ages of 31 and 55 accounted for the largest share of contributors, representing 55.8% of all social security contributions. This age group also recorded the highest average contributory salary at RD$44,040.67.
Most Contributors Earn Below RD$30,000
Nearly half of all registered contributions—47.9%—came from workers earning between RD$15,000 and RD$30,000 per month. Another 22.4% corresponded to salaries ranging from RD$30,000 to RD$50,000, while 21.92% were linked to workers earning more than RD$50,000.
The data also show that formal employment remains concentrated in the country’s main economic centers. The National District accounted for 53.01% of all social security contributions, followed by Santo Domingo Province with 13.7% and Santiago with 10.9%.
Large Companies Dominate Formal Employment
Businesses employing more than 150 workers generated 62.51% of all SDSS contributions, underscoring the significant role of large employers in the country’s formal labor market. Companies with between 11 and 50 employees represented 15.5% of contributions, while firms with up to 10 workers accounted for 12.7%. Employers with workforces ranging from 51 to 150 employees contributed the remaining 9.2%.
The latest TSS figures suggest that while formal employment continues to expand, an increasing number of workers are relying on multiple jobs to supplement their earnings, reflecting the growing challenge of matching household income with the cost of living in the Dominican Republic.
