Female labor force participation rate in Malta
Malta: Female labor force participation rate was 55.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Malta, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate in Malta is 55.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Malta peaked at 55.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26.8%, in 1990.
Malta ranks 77th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate in Malta, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 26.8% | — |
| 1991 | 27.0% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 27.9% | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 28.2% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 28.4% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 28.9% | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 29.5% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 29.7% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 30.1% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 29.8% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 29.4% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 30.6% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 30.1% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 27.8% | -7.8% |
| 2005 | 29.9% | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 30.2% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 32.1% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 33.1% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 33.6% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 34.3% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 35.6% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 38.7% | +8.8% |
| 2013 | 40.7% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 42.3% | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 43.0% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 44.7% | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 46.2% | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 49.3% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 51.2% | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 52.2% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 55.3% | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 55.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 55.9% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 55.8% | -0.2% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 55.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 55.1%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Malta's 55.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 22.2%, 2.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 28.4% | 26.8% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.6% | 27.8% | 33.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.3% | 34.3% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.3% | 51.2% | 55.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More work & labour data for Malta
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.8118 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7863 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.8415 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.79 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.2041 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 404.95 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14.3 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 168.51 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 191.42 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 359.93 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Malta?
- Female labor force participation rate in Malta was 55.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 55.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.8% in 1990.
- How does Malta rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Malta ranks 77th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).