Malaysia — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Malaysia, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Malaysia was 66.12% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 66.22% in 2022. The lowest was 56.28% in 1990 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.46% per year.
Malaysia ranks 52 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 28%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 64.35%, so Malaysia sits above it. It peaked in 2022 and has fallen 0% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 12 of 29 economies; Lao PDR (66.09%) is just below it.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 151 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 132nd of 187 in 1990 → 109th of 187 in 2000 → 87th of 187 in 2010 → 51st of 187 in 2020 → 51st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 66.11% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 66.18% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 66.22% | +0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 65.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 65.47% | -0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 65.87% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 65.57% | +0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 65.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 65.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 65.19% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 64.96% | +1.0 pp |
| 2013 | 63.96% | +1.0 pp |
| 2012 | 62.95% | +1.0 pp |
| 2011 | 61.94% | +0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 61.6% | +0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 61.27% | +0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 60.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 60.69% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 60.46% | +0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 60.27% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 60.11% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 59.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 59.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 59.72% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 59.54% | +0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 59.26% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 58.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 58.53% | +0.4 pp |
| 1996 | 58.15% | +0.4 pp |
| 1995 | 57.77% | +0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 57.4% | +0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 57.04% | +0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 56.68% | +0.4 pp |
| 1991 | 56.32% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 56.28% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malaysia’s Labor participation in 1991?
56.32% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Malaysia’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +17.5% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 66.12%; 2024: 66.11%; 2023: 66.18%; 2022: 66.22%; 2021: 65.62%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.