Overview

LABOUR FORCE IN MALAYSIA

Labour force participation rate 68.4 per cent and unemployment rate 3.3 per cent

Labour force in Malaysia increased 0.6 per cent to 15.28 million persons in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to 15.19 million persons in the previous quarter. These was contributed by the increase of 0.6 per cent or 83,600 employed persons to 14.77 million persons.

Labour force participation rate (LFPR) in the second quarter 2018 was 68.4 per cent, rose 0.2 percentage points as compared to the first quarter 2018. Hence, another 31.6 per cent of the working age population were outside the labour force. Meanwhile, unemployment rate remained at 3.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2018.

Year-on-year showed that the number of persons in labour force and employed persons grew 2.4 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed persons decreased 0.1 per cent. The unemployment rate in second quarter 2018 dropped 0.1 percentage points as compared to the same quarter previous year. The performance of labour force participation rate in the labour market also improved 0.7 percentage points. (Chart 1)

Female LFPR increased 0.2 percentage point to 55.3 per cent

Female LFPR in the second quarter of 2018 was 55.3 per cent, rose 0.2 percentage points as compared to previous quarter. Female LFPR in the labour market for prime age[1] 25-34 years (73.4%), 35-44 years (68.8%) and 45-54 years (57.8%) were higher as compared to female LFPR at the national level.

Male LFPR also increased by 0.2 percentage points to 80.5 per cent in the second 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 (96.8%), 35-44 years (97.6%) and 45-54 years (94.5%) (Chart 2).

Female represented 38.9 per cent of the labour force

In the second quarter of 2018, the labour force was represented by 61.1 per cent male (9.33 million) and 38.9 per cent female (5.95 million). The number of labour force for both male and female increased by 58,400 persons and 27,400 persons respectively as compared to the first quarter of 2018.

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 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
10 August 2018

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