Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 12.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia stood at 12.0%.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia peaked at 12.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1997.
That places Malaysia 99th out of 187 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.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.8% | — |
| 1992 | 11.0% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 12.4% | +12.4% |
| 1994 | 11.1% | -10.2% |
| 1995 | 9.8% | -12.1% |
| 1996 | 7.8% | -19.6% |
| 1997 | 7.8% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 10.1% | +29.6% |
| 1999 | 10.9% | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 9.6% | -11.6% |
| 2001 | 11.4% | +18.7% |
| 2002 | 11.2% | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 11.5% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 11.4% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 11.3% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 10.7% | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 10.8% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 10.6% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 11.2% | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 10.9% | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | -9.7% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 10.1% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 9.8% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 11.0% | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 10.8% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 11.3% | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 11.4% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 11.2% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 12.4% | +10.3% |
| 2021 | 11.6% | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | +5.0% |
| 2023 | 12.1% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 12.2% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 12.0% | -2.4% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 12.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.8%, 76% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 12.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.0%, 1.3× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.2% | 7.8% | 12.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.0% | 9.6% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 9.8% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.1% | 11.6% | 12.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More work & labour data for Malaysia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2772 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2563 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6933 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 36,440 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,289 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,832 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 22,194 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 44,026 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Malaysia was 12.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 12.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1997.
- How does Malaysia rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Malaysia ranks 99th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.