Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 69.3% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malaysia, 1970–2022
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 69.3% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2022. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malaysia peaked at 69.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 55.6%, in 1991.
Malaysia ranks 40th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 57.0% | — |
| 1980 | 57.4% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 64.8% | +13.1% |
| 1983 | 65.6% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 65.3% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 65.7% | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 66.1% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 66.5% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 66.6% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 66.2% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 66.5% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 55.6% | -16.4% |
| 1992 | 65.9% | +18.5% |
| 1993 | 66.5% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 64.7% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 66.3% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 65.6% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 64.4% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 64.3% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 65.1% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 64.9% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 64.4% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 65.2% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 64.4% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 63.3% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 63.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 62.6% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 62.9% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 63.4% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 64.5% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 65.6% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 67.3% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 67.6% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 67.9% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 67.7% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 68.0% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 68.3% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 68.7% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 68.4% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 68.6% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 69.3% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.0% | 57.0% | 57.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 64.9% | 57.4% | 66.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 64.4% | 55.6% | 66.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 64.0% | 62.6% | 65.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 66.9% | 63.4% | 68.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.8% | 68.4% | 69.3% | 3 |
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 labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malaysia?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malaysia was 69.3% in 2022, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 69.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.6% in 1991.
- How does Malaysia rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Malaysia ranks 40th out of 199 countries with data for 2022.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.