A TikTok video has sparked a heated discussion about employment, hunger, and reliance on remittances in Cuba, following a Cuban woman's assertion that many on the island prefer not to work despite ongoing economic hardships.
The video, shared on the @shark.jewelry.loc account, features a woman named Luisa who bluntly states, "People in Cuba are starving, but they don't want to work."
Her conversation partner quickly counters, "No Luisa, don't talk nonsense, it's just that there are no jobs."
The Job Market Debate
Luisa stands firm, arguing that there are job opportunities that many Cubans ignore. She supports her claim by citing her brother-in-law Lisandro, a café owner who, according to her, has posted multiple job openings on Facebook without any takers.
"I don't know how many times my brother-in-law Lisandro has posted on Facebook looking for someone serious to work at his café, and I see no one responding," she declares.
Luisa believes that one reason for this disinterest is the economic support from family members abroad.
"Yes, sometimes there are jobs, but they don't want to work because they're waiting for money to be sent over to live comfortably," she says.
The other woman dismisses her explanation, suggesting that the lack of opportunities and the struggle to get by are long-standing issues in Cuba.
Personal Experiences and Economic Constraints
Luisa recalls starting work as a teenager to support her family. She explains that at 16, she would leave Juan George Soto Cuesta high school at four in the afternoon and then head to work at a restaurant.
"There were three of us girls, and my mother raised us alone without any help," she reminisces.
She ends her message by urging those depending on family support to find work: "Get to work, get to work."
Understanding Cuba's Labor Shortage
This debate unfolds in a nation where formal employment has lost much of its appeal due to low wages and high living costs.
According to the National Employment Survey by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), released in July 2025, 50.1% of Cubans aged 15 and over were not part of the workforce, meaning they neither worked nor actively sought employment.
Out of the more than 8.4 million people in that age group, approximately 4.13 million were employed, and about 69,333 were officially unemployed.
These statistics reveal that the low official unemployment rate, around 1.7%, does not fully capture the extent of labor inactivity, which includes people not seeking work for various reasons.
The declining purchasing power is another major concern. Official data in a report by the Independent Union Association of Cuba, shared by Infobae, showed the average monthly salary in 2025 to be 6,930 Cuban pesos, roughly equivalent to 13 dollars at the informal exchange rate used in the study.
Remittances: A Controversial Lifeline
The insufficient income drives many families to seek alternative means of survival. A Cubadata survey conducted between February and March 2026 indicated that 86.6% of the 1,788 participants engaged in informal economic activities to obtain food.
Economic support from abroad is another contentious topic among the video's protagonists.
While remittances offer vital support for many Cuban families, not all households have this option. The same Cubadata survey found that only 5.4% of participants received money from abroad monthly, whereas 64.2% had not received any financial assistance from overseas in the previous 30 days.
The financial demands placed on emigrated family members have also sparked debates on social media. In September, Cuban Yeisla Colina publicly criticized her Cuban relatives for constantly asking for money while she worked as a delivery driver in the rain in the United States.
"Don't ask me for anything more," she expressed in a post highlighting the economic challenges faced by those who migrate and support their families from afar.
Additionally, the economic hardship on the island is reflected in a study by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, published in August 2026, estimating that 94% of Cubans lived in extreme poverty.
The ongoing discussion between those advocating for Cuban employment and those questioning the adequacy of wages to meet basic needs underscores two pressing concerns for many families: the lack of job opportunities and the difficulty of making ends meet with available income.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuba's Economic Challenges
Why do many Cubans rely on remittances?
Many Cubans depend on remittances due to the country's low wages and high cost of living, making it difficult for families to survive on local incomes alone.
What are the employment challenges in Cuba?
Cuba faces employment challenges due to insufficient job opportunities, low salaries, and a high cost of living, leading many to seek informal work or rely on remittances.
How does the Cuban economy affect daily life?
The economic conditions in Cuba, characterized by low wages and high living costs, significantly impact daily life, forcing many to rely on alternative means of income and international aid to meet basic needs.