Unemployment rate in Brunei
Brunei: Unemployment rate was 5.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Brunei, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Brunei is 5.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Brunei peaked at 9.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1991.
Brunei ranks 91st of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 5.5% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 6.5% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.9% | 7.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brunei
More work & labour data for Brunei
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 74.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 26.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 42.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 34.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 54.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Brunei?
- Unemployment rate in Brunei was 5.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Brunei?
- The highest recorded value was 9.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Brunei?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1991.
- How does Brunei rank for unemployment rate?
- Brunei ranks 91st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Brunei?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brunei data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.