Malaysia Jobless Rate Steady at 2.9%

2026-04-10 04:30 By Kyrie Dichosa 1 min. read

Malaysia’s unemployment rate stood at 2.9% in February 2026, remaining unchanged for the fourth consecutive month and holding at its lowest level since November 2014.

The number of unemployed persons declined by 0.6% from the previous month to 506.8 thousand.

Meanwhile, employment rose by 0.1% to 16.79 million, keeping the employment-to-population ratio at 68.8%.

Job growth was mainly driven by the services sector, particularly wholesale and retail trade, followed by accommodation and food & beverage services and information and communication activities.

By employment status, employees accounted for 75.0% of total employment, increasing slightly to 12.59 million, while own-account workers also rose to 3.13 million.

The labor force expanded by 0.1% to 17.30 million, with the labor force participation rate steady at 70.9%.

Meanwhile, the number of persons outside the labor force edged down to 7.10 million, mainly due to housework or family responsibilities and schooling or training.



News Stream
Malaysia Jobless Rate Steady for 4th Month
Malaysia’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.0% in July 2026, unchanged from the previous three months and remaining at its highest level since October 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased to 520.3 thousand from 517.8 thousand in the previous month, while total employment was little changed at 16.85 million, indicating continued softness in the labor market. The services sector remained the primary contributor to total employment during the month, particularly in arts, entertainment and recreation, accommodation and food & beverage service activities, as well as financial and insurance activities. Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 years remained at 10.2%, with 292.5 thousand unemployed persons. The labor force was little changed at 17.37 million, with the labor force participation rate remaining stable at 70.9%. The number of people outside the labor force stayed at 7.11 million.
2026-09-11
Malaysia Jobless Rate Holds Steady at 3%
Malaysia’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.0% in June 2026, unchanged from the previous two months and remaining at its highest level since October 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased to 517.8 thousand from 513.4 thousand in the previous month, indicating continued softness in the labor market. Meanwhile, total employment was little changed at 16.83 million. The services sector remained the primary contributor to total employment during the month, particularly in transportation & storage, accommodation and food & beverage service activities, and wholesale & retail trade activities. The labor force was unchanged at 17.34 million, with the labor force participation rate remaining stable at 70.9%. The number of people outside the labor force was little changed at 7.11 million. Looking ahead, Malaysia’s labor market is expected to remain resilient, supported by relatively stable domestic conditions and continued investment activity.
2026-08-11
Malaysia Jobless Rate Unchanged at Eight-Month High
Malaysia’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.0% in May 2026, unchanged from the previous month and staying at its highest level since October 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased to 513.4 thousand from 511.8 thousand in April, indicating continued softness in the labor market. Meanwhile, total employment was little changed at 16.82 million. The labor force rose marginally to 17.34 million from 17.33 million in April, with the labor force participation rate remaining stable at 70.9%. The number of people outside the labor force was steady at 7.10 million. Looking ahead, Malaysia’s labor market is expected to remain resilient, supported by favourable economic conditions, sustained investment activity and ongoing structural transformation.
2026-07-10