Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 63.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia stood at 63.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia peaked at 63.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 54.2%, in 1991.
That places Malaysia 46th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 54.2% | — |
| 1992 | 54.6% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 54.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 55.3% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 56.0% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 56.7% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 57.1% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 57.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 57.2% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 57.8% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 57.6% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 57.8% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 57.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 58.0% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 58.1% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 58.4% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 58.7% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 58.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 59.0% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 59.6% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 60.0% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 61.0% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 63.1% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 62.9% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 63.0% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 63.7% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 62.5% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 63.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 63.6% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 63.6% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 55.9% | 54.2% | 57.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 58.2% | 57.6% | 59.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.2% | 59.6% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.3% | 62.5% | 63.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
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 employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Malaysia was 63.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 63.7% in 2019.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.2% in 1991.
- How does Malaysia rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- Malaysia ranks 46th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. 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 Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.