Overview

• The improvement in the number of employed persons continued in October 2023 with a month-on-month increase of 0.2 per cent (+28.1 thousand persons) to register 16.40 million persons (September 2023: 16.38 million persons). In October 2023, the employment-topopulation ratio which indicates the ability of an economy to create employment, was unchanged at 67.7 per cent as in the preceding month.
  

• In the economic sector, there is a consistent increase in the number of employed persons in the Services sector, notably in Wholesale & retail trade; Food & beverage services; and Transportation & storage activities. On the same note, the Manufacturing, Construction, Mining & quarrying sectors, as well as the Agriculture sector also posted rises in the number of employed persons in October 2023. 
  

• During the month, the employees’ category which was the largest composition of the total employed persons with a share of 75.3 per cent, posted a rise of 0.1 per cent or equivalent to 15.0 thousand persons to record 12.35 million persons (September 2023: 12.33 million persons). Likewise, the own-account workers category continued to increase, with an addition of 0.4 per cent (+10.8 thousand persons) to 2.99 million persons (September 2023: 2.97 million persons).
  

• In October 2023, the number of unemployed persons continued to trend down, with a reduction of 0.5 per cent or equivalent to 2.8 thousand persons to record 570.9 thousand persons (September 2023: 573.7 thousand persons). The unemployment rate during the month remained at 3.4 per cent, as registered last month. 
  

• In October 2023, the number of labour force was in an upward trend, with an addition of 0.1 per cent or 25.3 thousand persons to 16.97 million persons (September 2023: 16.95 million persons). October’s labour force participation rate (LFPR) stood at 70.1 per cent as of September 2023.
  

• The number of outside labour force during the month declined marginally by 0.02 per cent (-1.3 thousand persons) to 7.24 million persons (September 2023: 7.24 million persons). The largest composition of the outside labour force was due to housework/ family responsibilities (42.6%) and the schooling/ training category (40.9%).
  

The full publication of the Labour Force Report, October 2023 can be downloaded through eStatistik Portal.

Released by:

DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS MALAYSIA
08 DECEMBER 2023

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Baharudin Mohamad

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