Before reading this article, it is important to disconnect the emotional part and connect the rational part of the brain.
This analysis comes from the perspective of those of us directly and continuously involved in construction projects in the Dominican Republic, from families that have worked in the construction sector for generations. We speak from daily experience, from the reality of those who know a construction project inside and out, from the foundation to the final handover. Anyone who has developed, supervised, or built in this country—whether as an engineer, developer, contractor, or foreman—knows that what is presented here reflects what actually happens on the ground, beyond the narratives sometimes constructed from a distance or a lack of understanding.
In recent months, the construction sector has been the target of hasty judgments , unfair generalizations, and narratives driven more by emotion than by facts. Following the increase in migration tensions, many have attempted to delegitimize an industry that, year after year, sustains a significant portion of the country's economic growth.
Today we will debunk three key myths that have become entrenched in public discourse:
Myth 1: “Construction pays poorly, and that’s why Dominicans don’t want to work.”
Myth 2: “Workers are enslaved and have no rights”
Myth 3: “Construction depends exclusively on foreign labor”
And we will also talk about the reality of the migration issue: yes, it must be resolved, but without distorting the truth about a sector that generates social mobility, decent employment and real opportunities for thousands of Dominicans.
Myth 1: “Construction pays poorly, and that’s why Dominicans don’t want to work.”
According to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, the national average salary at the end of 2023 was RD$25,585 per month . This average includes employees in commerce, the public sector, free trade zones, services, and the informal sector.
Now, regarding construction:
An experienced bricklayer RD$2,000 and RD$3,500 daily , which represents RD$52,000 to RD$91,000 monthly , considering 26 days of work.
A plumber can earn between RD$60,000 and RD$85,000 per month, depending on their specialization.
A well-priced structural or finishing carpenter RD$2,500 and RD$3,200 per day, that is, from RD$65,000 to RD$83,000 per month.
And even more revealing: the lowest level of the work, that is, the assistant or laborer —who usually has no technical experience or specialized training— earns between RD$1,000 and RD$1,500 daily , that is, between RD$26,000 and RD$39,000 monthly , also exceeding the average of many formal jobs.
In addition to this, there are benefits such as:
Transport,
Daily lunch,
Tools supplied,
Performance bonds,
And, in organized works, registration in the Social Security Treasury (TSS).
, INFOTEP trained more than 38,000 people in construction-related trades , a 27% increase compared to the previous year.
The problem isn't the salary. The real challenge has been the lack of sustained investment in technical training and in campaigns that dignify manual labor.
Myth 2: “Workers are enslaved”
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In this sector, workers have a high level of job mobility. An experienced tradesperson decides where to work, changes projects if they don't like the environment or conditions, and often chooses their contractor, not the other way around.
Furthermore, construction workers have the full legal right to file claims with the Ministry of Labor, regardless of their immigration status. This is not just theory: any developer or contractor who has worked in this country has, at some point, received a summons or labor lawsuit from a foreigner who worked on a construction site, even if they were undocumented.
In other words, they not only have protection: they exercise it.
Formal works require:
Industrial safety,
Personal protective equipment,
Hygiene supervisors,
TSS registration,
Overtime and holiday pay.
According to the Ministry of Labor , 64% of the construction sites inspected in 2023 were partially or fully compliant with labor regulations. While there is still a long way to go, an entire industry cannot be reduced to caricatures of slavery or abuse.
Myth 3: “Construction depends exclusively on foreign labor”
This myth, repeated without evidence, has gained traction in public debate. But the numbers tell a different story.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD) , in 2023, 63% of the construction sector workforce was Dominican . Only between 25% and 37% of workers were foreign, depending on the region.
More and more young Dominicans are training in areas such as masonry, plumbing, electricity , and finishing. Institutions like INFOTEP, ITLA, and technical programs from the Ministry of Education have expanded their reach, providing tools for those who choose to advance through their trades.
And the result is evident: more Dominican crews, more local supervisors, and more micro-enterprises providing services linked to the sector.
One truth that cannot be ignored: the issue of migration must be resolved.
Irregular immigration has consequences:
Put pressure on public services,
It fuels informality,
And it creates distortions in the labor market.
We recognize the need to establish effective controls, with a humanistic but firm vision , that protect both the worker and the system.
But that does not justify spreading misinformation about a sector that has historically been one of the driving forces of Dominican development.
Construction: the sector that builds the country from the ground up
Construction accounts for more than 10.6% of GDP and generates more than 412,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the Central Bank and the Ministry of Labor.
80% of tourism and residential projects are carried out by Dominican companies and technicians, in coordination with local labor.
And it is a sector where, as we have said, even an assistant who enters without experience can in a few years become a master, form his own team and change his economic reality.
That's real social mobility. That's what should matter most.
Conclusion: Less prejudice, more truth
The simplistic argument that construction is exploitative, pays poorly, or depends exclusively on migration lacks support if we look at the data objectively.
This sector is not the problem: it is part of the solution.
Construction shapes, integrates, generates, dignifies, and transforms. And it does so every day, in every corner of the country, with workers and technicians who, although sometimes invisible in the headlines, are the true protagonists of national development.
