Malaysia Unemployment Rate

Malaysia’s unemployment rate held steady for the sixth consecutive month at 3.0% in October 2025, remaining its lowest level since April 2015. The number of unemployed persons inched up 0.1% month-on-month to 518.9 thousand, with 64.5% unemployed for less than three months and 5% jobless for over a year. Employment rose 0.2% to 17.06 million, led by steady gains in the services sector, followed by agriculture, manufacturing, and construction. The labor force also increased by 0.2% month-on-month to 17.58 million, while keeping the labor force participation rate at 70.9%. Meanwhile, the number of people outside the labor force edged up to 7.22 million from 7.21 million in the previous month. Housework or family responsibilities accounted for 43.6% of this group, while schooling and training made up 40.7%.