KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia’s unemployment rate fell to 2.9% in November 2025, the lowest in 11 years, as the number of unemployed people declined to 518,400, the Statistics Department said. 

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the last time the jobless rate was below 3% was in November 2014, reflecting steady labour market improvements.

“The total number of employed persons increased by 0.2% to 17.09 million from 17.06 million in October 2025

“Meanwhile, the number of unemployed persons declined marginally by 0.1% to 518,400 from 518,900 a month earlier,” Mohd Uzir said in a statement.

He noted that the number of employees rose to 12.78 million, while self-employed account workers grew to 3.26 million. 

Out of the total unemployed, 79.8% were actively seeking work, down slightly to 413,500 from 413,800 in October.

He also said favourable economic conditions in November continued to support steady growth in the labour market.

Of those actively seeking work, 64.4% had been unemployed for less than three months, while 5.0% had been without work for more than a year. 

The inactively unemployed those who believed no jobs were available fell slightly to 104,900 from 105,100 in the previous month.

Mohd Uzir said the labour market is expected to remain stable and grow positively in the coming months.

Key growth areas included human health, social work, wholesale and retail trade, and accommodation and food services.

Growth was also recorded in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and mining and quarrying.

He added that ongoing reskilling and upskilling efforts are helping Malaysians access more and better jobs.

“Therefore, Malaysia’s labour market is forecast to remain competitive, inclusive and resilient in addressing global challenges,” he added.

Despite improving employment figures at home, Malaysia has long faced a trend of citizens leaving the country to work abroad, with about 1.86 million Malaysians or roughly 5.6% of the population having worked overseas over the past 50 years, underscoring ongoing brain drain challenges.

Youth unemployment remained steady, with those aged 15 to 24 at about 10.1%, reflecting continued challenges for younger workers.

Experts say the drop in joblessness shows strengthening labour demand, but efforts to raise wages and create quality roles remain central to keeping skilled workers in the country.

Malaysia’s labour participation rate held stable at 70.9%, showing continued confidence in the job market among the working-age population.