Malta — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Malta, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Malta was 63.98% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 64.28% in 2023. The lowest was 48.32% in 2004 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.71% per year.
Malta ranks 76 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 41%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 44.99%, so Malta sits above it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 0% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 15%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 8 of 23 economies; Pakistan (52.34%) is just below it. That is 5% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 97 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 160th of 187 in 1990 → 162nd of 187 in 2000 → 155th of 187 in 2010 → 82nd of 187 in 2020 → 75th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63.98% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 64.16% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 64.28% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 64% | +1.6 pp |
| 2021 | 62.41% | +0.9 pp |
| 2020 | 61.48% | +1.2 pp |
| 2019 | 60.28% | +1.0 pp |
| 2018 | 59.26% | +1.6 pp |
| 2017 | 57.66% | +1.1 pp |
| 2016 | 56.58% | +0.9 pp |
| 2015 | 55.63% | +0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 55.17% | +1.1 pp |
| 2013 | 54.08% | +1.4 pp |
| 2012 | 52.66% | +1.3 pp |
| 2011 | 51.38% | +0.8 pp |
| 2010 | 50.63% | +0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 50.01% | +0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 49.72% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 49.59% | +0.7 pp |
| 2006 | 48.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 48.72% | +0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 48.32% | -1.4 pp |
| 2003 | 49.75% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 50.04% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 50.22% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 49.69% | -0.6 pp |
| 1999 | 50.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 50.29% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 50.22% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 50.09% | +0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 49.87% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 49.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 49.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 49.89% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 49.83% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 49.87% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malta’s Labor participation in 1991?
49.83% (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 Malta’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +28.3% in total — about 0.7% 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: 63.98%; 2024: 64.16%; 2023: 64.28%; 2022: 64%; 2021: 62.41%. 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.