Haiti lacks any coherent national employment strategy. This is the stark conclusion drawn by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and featured in the report “The Silent Metamorphosis,” co-authored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Group Croissance, and CEDEL Haïti, with financial backing from the Canadian government. According to the document, no entity within the Haitian state apparatus is clearly mandated to lead job creation and related policy-making—a gap that Xavier Michon, UNDP Resident Representative in Haiti, views as a major handicap for the country.
Compounding this institutional vacuum is the mismatch in vocational training, which has been awaiting an overhaul by the National Institute for Vocational Training (INFP). In a country where the informal economy represents over 80 percent of all economic activity, current mechanisms fail to align with labor market realities. the situation is further aggravated by the absence of functional tripartite systems bringing together the state, employers, and job seekers, alongside the lack of a national labor market information system.
Speaking on the waves of radio Magik 9 on May 19, 2026, Xavier Michon reframed the ongoing discussion. “Haiti does not suffer from a deficit of human potential when it comes to its youth. The country suffers above all from the accumulated cost of not having recognized them in time,” he stated. Michon explained that the core ambition of the report is to shift the perception of Haitian youth from a problem to be managed to a lever for development to be activated.
To achieve this, the report advocates for a mobilization extending beyond the public sector, directly calling upon the formal private sector. “It is in their interest to engage right now, because Haitian youth constitute their primary market, their customer base, and their talent pool,” Michon insisted. He outlined three concrete actions to foster this transition:
Partnerships between training centers and businesses to align curricula with actual market needs.
Apprenticeship and internship programs enabling young people to acquire formal experience before securing full-time positions.
Awareness initiatives to adapt financial products for youth—who possess a different risk aversion—using instruments like seed capital under more accessible conditions to reduce risk.
The electoral period: an opportunity for national debate
In light of a state operating without an employment compass, Xavier Michon views the upcoming electoral process as a unique opportunity to place youth and employment at the heart of public debate. For the UNDP representative, an election is more than casting a ballot; it is a vital moment to confront programs and country visions.
“I hope that employment will be at the center of the debates and stimulate reflection in every direction,” he declared, urging Haitian youth to not merely state demands but to actively engage in defining the policies shaping their future. “The Silent Metamorphosis” leaves the country with a fundamental question: Will Haiti seize this moment to finally build an employment policy worthy of its 5.5 million young people?
