Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malaysia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 3.8% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.1% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malaysia peaked at 4.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1997.
That places Malaysia 124th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.7% | — |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 4.1% | +10.8% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | -11.4% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -13.5% |
| 1996 | 2.5% | -20.0% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +30.6% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | -12.5% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | +17.7% |
| 2002 | 3.5% | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +8.4% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 2.9% | -8.3% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | +7.6% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +11.0% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 4.5% | +36.3% |
| 2021 | 4.6% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 3.9% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 3.8% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.3% | 2.5% | 4.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1% | 3.8% | 4.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malaysia?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Malaysia was 3.8% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1997.
- How does Malaysia rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Malaysia ranks 124th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.