Overview

LABOUR FORCE IN MALAYSIA

Labour force participation rate 68.6 per cent and unemployment rate 3.3 per cent

Labour force in Malaysia increased 2.4 per cent as compared to the fourth quarter of 2017 to 15.45 million persons. The employed persons also recorded an increased of 2.4 per cent in the same period to 14.93 million persons.

Quarter on quarter comparison showed that both labour force and employed persons increased 0.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively as compared to the previous quarter. Labour force participation rate (LFPR) in this quarter rose 0.1 percentage point as compared to the third quarter of 2018 to 68.6 per cent. Hence, another 31.4 per cent of the working age population were outside the labour force.

The unemployment rate in this quarter decreased 0.1 percentage point as compared to the third quarter of 2018 to 3.3 per cent. The number of unemployed persons recorded a total of 516.5 thousand persons, increased 1.7 per cent as compared to the same quarter of previous year. (Chart 2)

Female LFPR increased 0.1 percentage point to 55.6 per cent

Female LFPR in the fourth quarter of 2018 was 55.6 per cent, rose 0.1 percentage points as compared to previous quarter. Female LFPR in the labour market for prime age[1] 25-34 years (74.4%), 35-44 years (66.7%) and 45-54 years (58.3%) were higher as compared to the female LFPR at the national level.

Male LFPR also increased by 0.1 percentage point to 80.7 per cent in the fourth quarter 2018. Overall, male LFPR remained consistently higher than female for all age groups. The age group that recorded more than 90 per cent of LFPR were 25-34 years (96.7%), 35-44 years (97.4%) and 45-54 years (94.5%) (Chart 3).

Female represented 39 per cent of the labour force

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the labour force was represented by 61.0 per cent male (9.42 million) and 39.0 per cent female (6.03 million). The number of labour force for both male and female increased by 44,200 persons and 24,900 persons respectively as compared to the thirf quarter of 2018.

The detailed information and technical notes are published in the Labour Force Survey Report, Malaysia, Fourth Quarter 2018. This report is accessible and downloadable free of charge through the eStatistik 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
11 February 2019

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