Unemployment rate in Malta
Malta: Unemployment rate was 2.9 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.9
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
150th
of 186 countries
All-time high
7.49
in 2003
All-time low
2.9
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Malta, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malta recorded 2.9 for unemployment rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.6% on the previous year and down 46.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Malta peaked at 7.49 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 2.9, in 2025.
That places Malta 150th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Malta, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.33 | — |
| 1992 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 6.33 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 6.32 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 7.11 | +12.4% |
| 2002 | 6.9 | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 7.49 | +8.5% |
| 2004 | 7.32 | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 6.92 | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 6.8 | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 6.47 | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 5.98 | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 6.9 | +15.4% |
| 2010 | 6.86 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 6.39 | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 6.2 | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 6.12 | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 5.74 | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 5.39 | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 4.69 | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 4.01 | -14.6% |
| 2018 | 3.96 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 4.08 | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 4.86 | +19.0% |
| 2021 | 3.75 | -22.7% |
| 2022 | 3.47 | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 3.48 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.1 | -10.9% |
| 2025 | 2.9 | -6.6% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 2.9 is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.04, 57% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Malta's 2.9 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9, 32% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.33 | 6.33 | 6.33 | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.82 | 5.98 | 7.49 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.34 | 3.96 | 6.86 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.59 | 2.9 | 4.86 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
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 unemployment rate in Malta?
- Unemployment rate in Malta was 2.9 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 7.49 in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9 in 2025.
- How does Malta rank for unemployment rate?
- Malta ranks 150th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malta data come from?
- The figures come from 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).