Malaysia’s June unemployment rate stays at 3pc, 517,800 jobless, says Stats Dept

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 11 — Malaysia's unemployment rate remained steady at 3.0 per cent in June 2026, with 517,800 jobless individuals, according to the latest Labour Force Statistics. The Department of Statistics Malaysia reported a 0.01 per cent rise in employed persons to 16.83 million, while the unemployed increased by 0.9 per cent to 517,800.

The labour force saw a slight growth of 0.04 per cent to 17.34 million, keeping the labour force participation rate at 70.9 per cent. The services sector was the main driver of employment, with the unemployment rate among youths aged 15 to 24 years sitting at 10.2 per cent, and 400,800 unemployed individuals aged 15 to 30 years.

The five states with unemployment rates above the national average were Putrajaya, Melaka, Pahang, and Selangor, with rates of 1.3 per cent, 2.0 per cent, 2.1 per cent, and 2.1 per cent, respectively. Despite the stable economic outlook, global energy markets, geopolitical events, and external trade conditions could impact business costs and hiring decisions in the coming months.