Unemployment rate in Malta
Malta: Unemployment rate was 2.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Malta, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
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 7.5% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 2025.
That places Malta 150th out of 186 regions 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.8% | 6.0% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 4.0% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 2.9% | 4.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More work & labour data for Malta
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (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+) 64.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 55.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 81.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 87.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 74.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Malta?
- Unemployment rate in Malta was 2.9% 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 7.5% 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 regions 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 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.