Inter-American Development Bank (2016). Database of Labor Markets and Social Security Information System (SIMS). IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/w2vn3pvc

1. Spanish

Indicator-Country-Year

What is the SIMS database?

The SIMS database (Labor Markets and Social Security Information System) is a harmonized dataset created by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to provide comparable labor and social protection indicators for 25 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. It serves as a central source of sims data for analyzing jobs, income, pensions, and poverty across the region.

What kind of information does the SIMS data include?

The Sims data covers 72 key indicators across population, employment, unemployment, income, social security, and poverty. These indicators can be disaggregated by age group, gender, education level, and urban or rural location, allowing detailed analysis of labor and social dynamics.

What time period does the SIMS database cover?

The database includes information dating back to 1990. This long time span allows users to track trends in employment, social security coverage, and income inequality over nearly three decades.

How are the indicators in the SIMS database harmonized?

The IDB standardizes national data sources to ensure cross-country comparability. The harmonization process aligns definitions, methodologies, and classifications across all participating countries to create a consistent regional view of labor and social statistics.

Which countries are included in the SIMS data?

The SIMS database encompasses 25 Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. This broad coverage makes it one of the most comprehensive regional datasets on labor and social protection.

What are the main uses of the SIMS database?

The SIMS data is designed to support evidence-based policy design and evaluation. Researchers and policymakers use it to:
- Analyze employment trends and labor participation rates
- Study income distribution and social security coverage
- Evaluate progress toward poverty reduction and gender equality

How is the SIMS database updated?

The Inter-American Development Bank periodically updates the SIMS data using the latest household surveys and administrative records from national statistical offices and social security institutions.

Who can access the SIMS data?

The dataset is publicly available through the IDB’s data platform. Users can download, explore, and visualize indicators to gain a deeper understanding of labor and social protection patterns in the region.

Why is the SIMS database important for policy and research?

The SIMS database provides an evidence-based foundation for designing policies that promote decent work, social inclusion, and equitable growth. Ensuring comparability across countries and over time, it helps identify labor-market challenges and social-protection gaps in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Why is the SIMS database important for Latin America and the Caribbean?

It provides a unified evidence base for understanding employment and social protection trends. This comparability is crucial for regional cooperation, benchmarking progress, and ensuring that labor and pension policies are grounded in reliable data.