Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Malta
Malta: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ was 67.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malta, 1967–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malta is 67.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 7.4% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malta peaked at 72.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.5%, in 1967.
Malta ranks 53rd of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Malta, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 32.5% | — |
| 1979 | 37.6% | +15.6% |
| 1980 | 38.9% | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 38.1% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 36.7% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 40.1% | +9.3% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | -8.8% |
| 1987 | 36.9% | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 37.3% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 37.2% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 37.2% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 36.1% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 47.0% | +30.2% |
| 1995 | 48.8% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 48.0% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 47.8% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 47.7% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 38.4% | -19.5% |
| 2000 | 49.7% | +29.3% |
| 2001 | 50.3% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 50.4% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 50.3% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 49.0% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 49.9% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 50.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 53.7% | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 54.3% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 55.2% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 56.6% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 58.3% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 59.6% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 60.2% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 61.3% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 62.5% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 64.4% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 65.6% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 66.8% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 68.1% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 70.5% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 71.8% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 72.9% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 67.5% | -7.4% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 67.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 63.0%, 1.1× the median. (80 countries reporting)
- Malta's 67.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 48.9%, 1.4× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labor force participation rate, total (% of total) … national 15+ in Malta changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +30.2% | 36.1% | 47.0% |
| 2000 | +29.3% | 38.4% | 49.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 32.5% | 32.5% | 32.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 37.6% | 37.6% | 37.6% | 1 |
| 1980s | 37.7% | 36.6% | 40.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 43.9% | 36.1% | 48.8% | 8 |
| 2000s | 50.1% | 49.0% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.8% | 54.3% | 65.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.6% | 66.8% | 72.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 50 Burkina Faso 68.1% compare
- 51 Singapore 67.9% compare
- 52 Sweden 67.5% compare
- 54 Saudi Arabia 67.4% compare
- 55 Indonesia 67.3% compare
- 56 Switzerland 67.3% compare
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 labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malta?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Malta was 67.5% in 2025, 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 72.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.5% in 1967.
- How does Malta rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Malta ranks 53rd out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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.