Malaysia — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Malaysia, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Malaysia was 3.76% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 4.64% in 2021. The lowest was 2.45% in 1997 (about 1.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.05% per year.
Malaysia ranks 124 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 66%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so Malaysia sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 19% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 21%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 12 of 29 economies; Korea, Dem. People's Rep. (3.54%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 36% in 2020.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 120th of 187 in 1991 → 156th of 187 in 2000 → 155th of 187 in 2010 → 132nd of 187 in 2020 → 119th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.76% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 3.85% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 3.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 3.93% | -0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 4.64% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 4.54% | +1.2 pp |
| 2019 | 3.33% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 3.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 3.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 3.44% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 3.1% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 2.88% | -0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 3.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 3.04% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 3.05% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 3.32% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 3.62% | +0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 3.34% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 3.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 3.32% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 3.53% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 3.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 3.61% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 3.48% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 3.53% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 3% | -0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 3.43% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +0.8 pp |
| 1997 | 2.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 2.52% | -0.6 pp |
| 1995 | 3.15% | -0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 3.64% | -0.5 pp |
| 1993 | 4.11% | +0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 3.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 3.7% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malaysia’s Unemployment in 1992?
3.71% (1992). 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 total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Malaysia’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +1.7% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.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: 3.76%; 2024: 3.85%; 2023: 3.86%; 2022: 3.93%; 2021: 4.64%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment 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.