Overview

LABOUR FORCE IN MALAYSIA

Labour force participation rate 68.2 per cent and unemployment rate 3.3 per cent

Labour force in Malaysia increased 0.7 per cent to 15.19 million persons in the first quarter 2018 as compared to 15.09 million persons in the previous quarter. These was contributed by the increase of 0.7 per cent or 103,100 employed persons to 14.68 million persons.

Labour force participation rate (LFPR) in the first quarter 2018 was 68.2 per cent, rose 0.2 percentage points as compared to the fourth quarter 2017. Hence, another 31.8 per cent of the working age population were outside the labour force. Meanwhile, unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage point to 3.3 per cent in first quarter 2018.

Year-on-year, the number of persons in labour force and employed persons grew 2.2 and 2.3 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed persons decreased 1.0 per cent. The unemployment rate in first quarter 2018 dropped 0.2 percentage points as compared to the same quarter previous year. The performance of labour force participation rate in the labour market also improved 0.5 percentage points. (Chart 1)

Female LFPR increased 0.3 percentage point to 55.1 per cent

Female LFPR rose 0.3 percentage points to 55.1 per cent in the first quarter 2018. Female LFPR in the labour market for  prime age¹ 25-34 years (74.4%), 35-44 years (66.3%) and 45-54 years (58.3%) were higher as compared female LFPR at the national level. (Chart 2)

Male LFPR also increased to 80.3 per cent in the first quarter 2018. Male LFPR in the labour market for age group 35-44 and 45-54 years recorded an increase of 0.4 percentage points to 97.6 and 93.8 per cent respectively. Overall, male LFPR remained consistently higher than female for all age groups.

Year-on-year,  the increase of labour force participation rate in Malaysia (0.5 percentage points) was contributed by the increase in female labour force participation rate by 0.9 percentage points.

Female represented 39.0 per cent of the labour force

In the first quarter 2018, there was 39.0 per cent females in the labour market, an increase of 0.5 percentage points or 110,000 persons to 5.92 million persons as compared to the previous quarter.

The detailed information and technical notes are published in the Labour Force Survey Report, Malaysia, First Quarter 2018. This report is accessible and downloadable free of charge through the eStatisik application in DOSM web page, www.dosm.gov.my.

Note:

[1]  International Labour Organization (ILO) defines prime age as population aged 25–54 years.

Released By:

DATO' SRI DR. MOHD UZIR MAHIDIN
CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
10 May 2018

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