Malaysia’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 3% in April 2026, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
This involved 511,800 unemployed persons, up from 509,000 in March 2026.
The unemployment rate in March stood at 2.9%, meaning April saw a small increase of 0.1 percentage point.
More people were working too
Despite the rise in unemployment, DOSM said the number of employed persons also increased in April.
The number of employed persons went up to 16.82 million, compared to 16.80 million in March.
Malaysia’s total labour force also rose slightly to 17.33 million people, while the labour force participation rate stayed unchanged at 70.9%.
Chief Statistician Malaysia Dato’ Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the labour market continued to show moderate growth, reflecting stable economic conditions during the month.
Most unemployed people were actively looking for jobs
DOSM said 79.5% of unemployed persons were actively looking for work.
This group increased to 407,100 people, compared to 405,800 in March.
Among active unemployed persons, 63.9% had been unemployed for less than three months, while 5% had been jobless for more than a year.
Meanwhile, inactive unemployed persons, referring to those who believed there were no jobs available, rose to 104,700 people.
Youth unemployment remained high
The unemployment rate among youths aged 15 to 24 stayed at 10.2% in April.
This involved 290,800 unemployed youths, slightly higher than 290,000 in March.
For youths aged 15 to 30, the unemployment rate rose from 6.2% to 6.3%, involving 394,700 people.
Services sector remained the main employer
The services sector continued to be the biggest contributor to employment in Malaysia.
Many workers were involved in wholesale and retail trade, accommodation and food and beverage services, as well as information and communication.
Other sectors such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and mining and quarrying also recorded positive growth in employment.
DOSM said Malaysia’s economic and labour market outlook is expected to remain positive in the near term.
However, global energy issues, geopolitical developments, and external demand may continue to affect the country’s economic and labour market performance.
