Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 21.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia stood at 21.9%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia peaked at 29.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 2025.
Malaysia ranks 114th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 29.1% | — |
| 1992 | 28.7% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 28.3% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 27.9% | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 27.5% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 27.1% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 26.7% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 26.6% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 26.5% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 26.2% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 26.0% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 25.8% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 25.5% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 25.2% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 24.9% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 24.6% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 24.3% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 24.0% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 23.9% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 23.8% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 23.6% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.4% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 23.3% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 23.1% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 22.9% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 22.7% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 22.6% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 22.4% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 22.5% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 22.4% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 22.2% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 22.1% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 22.0% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 21.9% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.6% | 26.5% | 29.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 25.0% | 23.9% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 22.4% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.2% | 21.9% | 22.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 111 Argentina 22.3% compare
- 112 Saint Lucia 22.0% compare
- 113 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22.0% compare
- 115 Libya 21.6% compare
- 116 Trinidad and Tobago 21.2% compare
- 117 Chile 20.9% compare
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 vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Malaysia was 21.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 2025.
- How does Malaysia rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- Malaysia ranks 114th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.