malaysian labor market statistics

the labor market statistics reflect the state of both labor force and labor productivity in the country. oftentimes, these indicators are used to gauge the economic health of a country.

labor force participation rate, monthly

for the latest 24 months of data

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the labor force participation rate shows a steady increase from 70.1% in october 2023 to 70.9% by september 2025, with a notable rise to 70.8% in april 2025. no significant anomalies or relevant events were identified during this period.

unemployment rate, monthly

for the latest 24 months of data

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the unemployment rate in malaysia shows a steady decline from 3.4% in october 2023 to 3.0% by september 2025, with no significant anomalies or events influencing this trend.

labor force participation rate, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters of data

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the labor force participation rate in malaysia shows a steady increase from 68.7% in january 2019 to 70.1% by october 2023, with a notable dip in april 2020 likely influenced by the mco lockdowns.

unemployment rate, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters of data

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the unemployment rate in malaysia shows a gradual decline from a peak of 5.1% in april 2020, likely influenced by the mco lockdowns, stabilizing around 3.3% by october 2023.

latest labor force participation rate by state

as of the latest quarter of data, october 2024

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

selangor leads with a labor force participation rate of 76.4%, while terengganu has the lowest at 61.0%. the rates reflect ongoing economic recovery post-mco lockdowns in march 2020.

unemployment rate by state

as of the latest quarter of data, october 2024

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

sabah has the highest unemployment rate at 7.7%, while kedah and selangor report the lowest at 1.7%. the overall trend indicates regional disparities, with urban areas generally faring better than rural states.

monthly youth unemployment rate

for the latest 24 months

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the youth unemployment rate for those aged 15-24 shows a slight decline from 10.7% in october 2023 to 10.1% by september 2025, while the 15-30 age group decreases from 6.6% to 6.2% in the same period. no significant anomalies or events are noted.

skills-related underemployment rate by sex, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters of data

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the skills-related underemployment rate has shown a gradual increase from 32.9% in january 2019 to around 37.4% in mid-2023, with a slight dip to 37.1% in january 2024. notable stability was observed during the mco lockdowns in march 2020.

time-related underemployment rate by sex, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters of data

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the underemployment rate showed a gradual decline from 2.5% in january 2020, peaking during the mco lockdowns, to 1.1% by october 2023, indicating a recovery trend post-pandemic.

latest employment share by status

as of the latest month of data, september 2025

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the employment landscape shows a significant majority of 74.91% as employees, with self-employed individuals at 19.03% and employers at just 3.41%. this distribution reflects stable job structures in malaysia's post-pandemic recovery phase.

gdp growth rate by main economic sectors, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the construction sector shows significant recovery post-mco lockdowns in 2020, peaking at 20.7% in october 2024. agriculture and mining sectors exhibit volatility, with notable declines in early 2020 and fluctuations thereafter.

number of employees by main economic sectors, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the services sector shows a consistent upward trend, reaching over 10 million employees by october 2023. a notable dip in agriculture occurred in october 2022, likely influenced by seasonal factors.

gdp growth rate by manufacturing sectors, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the manufacturing sectors show a recovery trend post-covid-19, particularly in beverages and tobacco, which peaked at 54.9% in april 2021. notable downturns occurred during the mco lockdowns in april 2020, with significant fluctuations thereafter.

gdp growth rate by services sectors, quarterly

for the latest 24 quarters

source: department of statistics malaysia (dosm)

the gdp growth rate for the financial and insurance sector peaked at 23.0% in april 2021, while the food, beverages, and accommodation sector saw a significant drop of -41.1% in april 2020 due to mco lockdowns.