Unemployment rate in Malaysia
Malaysia: Unemployment rate was 3.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Malaysia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Malaysia stood at 3.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Malaysia peaked at 4.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1997.
That places Malaysia 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 | 3.3% | 2.5% | 4.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1% | 3.8% | 4.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More work & labour data for Malaysia
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 66.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 79.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 70.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 83.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Malaysia?
- Unemployment rate in Malaysia was 3.8% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1997.
- How does Malaysia rank for unemployment rate?
- Malaysia ranks 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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.