Employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Employers, total (% of total employment) was 3.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia is 3.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia peaked at 3.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 1991.
Malaysia ranks 89th 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.
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.1% | — |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 3.2% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 86 United Arab Emirates 3.6% compare
- 87 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.6% compare
- 88 Belgium 3.6% compare
- 90 Macau, China 3.4% compare
- 91 French Polynesia 3.4% compare
- 92 Iran, Islamic Republic of 3.4% compare
More work & labour data for Malaysia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2772 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2563 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6933 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,440 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,289 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,832 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 22,194 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 44,026 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia was 3.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 2019.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 1991.
- How does Malaysia rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- Malaysia ranks 89th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. 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 Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).