Labor force participation rate in Malaysia
Malaysia: Labor force participation rate was 66.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
66.1%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
52nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
66.2%
in 2022
All-time low
56.3%
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Malaysia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Malaysia stood at 66.1%.
That represents a change of up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Malaysia peaked at 66.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 56.3%, in 1990.
Malaysia ranks 52nd 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.
Labor force participation rate in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 56.3% | — |
| 1991 | 56.3% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 56.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 57.0% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 57.4% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 57.8% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 58.1% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 58.5% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 58.9% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 59.5% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 59.7% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 59.9% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 60.0% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 60.1% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 60.3% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 60.5% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 60.7% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 61.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 61.3% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 61.6% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 61.9% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 63.0% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 64.0% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 65.0% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 65.2% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 65.1% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 65.2% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 65.6% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 65.9% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 65.5% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 65.6% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 66.2% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 66.2% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 66.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 66.1% | +0.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 66.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 66.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.6% | 56.3% | 59.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.3% | 59.5% | 61.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.2% | 61.6% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.0% | 65.5% | 66.2% | 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 labor force participation rate in Malaysia?
- Labor force participation rate in Malaysia was 66.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 66.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.3% in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for labor force participation rate?
- Malaysia ranks 52nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).