Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Brunei
Brunei: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 5.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Brunei, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Brunei is 5.3%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Brunei peaked at 9.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1991.
Brunei ranks 92nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Brunei, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.7% | — |
| 1992 | 4.8% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 4.9% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 5.0% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 5.1% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 5.2% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 5.2% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 5.4% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 5.4% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 5.5% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 5.7% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 5.8% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 6.0% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 6.1% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 6.3% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 6.5% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 6.6% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 6.7% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 7.7% | +12.3% |
| 2016 | 8.5% | +10.8% |
| 2017 | 9.3% | +9.1% |
| 2018 | 8.7% | -6.6% |
| 2019 | 6.6% | -24.1% |
| 2020 | 7.4% | +12.3% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | -33.8% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 5.3% | +1.9% |
Brunei compared with similar countries
- Brunei's 5.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.0%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Brunei's 5.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.0%, 1.7× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Brunei changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -33.8% | 7.4% | 4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 5.5% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 6.5% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.9% | 7.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brunei
More education data for Brunei
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,040 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 66 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,407 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6,068 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 40,924 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,751 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.21 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0816 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Brunei?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Brunei was 5.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Brunei?
- The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Brunei?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1991.
- How does Brunei rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Brunei ranks 92nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Brunei?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brunei data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.