Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Malta

Malta: Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 2.42 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
2.42
Change on year
up 12.2%
World rank
86th
of 88 countries
All-time high
4.91
in 2012
All-time low
1.72
in 2016
Years of data
16
2009–2024

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Malta, 2009–2024

0123452009201620242009: 22010: 2.42011: 4.32012: 4.92013: 3.92014: 2.82015: 2.62016: 1.72017: 1.72018: 2.42019: 3.32020: 4.32021: 22022: 1.92023: 2.22024: 2.4

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2024, potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Malta stood at 2.42.

The figure is up 12.2% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Malta peaked at 4.91 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 1.72, in 2016.

Malta ranks 86th of 88 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Malta, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Malta, 2009 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2009 2.02
2010 2.4 +18.7%
2011 4.25 +77.3%
2012 4.91 +15.4%
2013 3.87 -21.2%
2014 2.85 -26.4%
2015 2.61 -8.2%
2016 1.72 -34.1%
2017 1.73 +0.3%
2018 2.43 +40.5%
2019 3.25 +33.9%
2020 4.28 +31.7%
2021 2 -53.4%
2022 1.86 -6.7%
2023 2.16 +16.0%
2024 2.42 +12.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 2.02 2.02 2.02 1
2010s 3 1.72 4.91 10
2020s 2.54 1.86 4.28 5

Countries ranked near Malta

  1. 83 Brunei 6.47 compare
  2. 84 Belize 4.94 compare
  3. 85 Seychelles 4.29 compare
  4. 87 Saint Lucia 1.8 compare
  5. 88 Barbados 1.1 compare

See the full ranking of 88 places →

More work & labour data for Malta

All data for Malta →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Malta?
Potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Malta was 2.42 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Malta?
The highest recorded value was 4.91 in 2012.
What is the lowest potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Malta?
The lowest recorded value was 1.72 in 2016.
How does Malta rank for potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
Malta ranks 86th out of 88 countries with data for 2024.
Is potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Malta?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malta data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Malta. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/malta/

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About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
88 places, 1,493 data points, 1987–2025
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. This group is used to calculate alternative measures of labour underutilization. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.