The labour market is on a steady path to recovery with the unemployment rate in the country showing a downward trend with only 600,900 (persons) in November 2022, compared to 602,000 in October 2022, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
The unemployment rate remained at 3.6 per cent, claiming the positive outlook was because of the development of current economic activities in the country, stated DOSM’s Key Statistics of Labour Force in Malaysia, November 2022, released today (Jan 10).
“In November 2022, the labour market further strengthened in line with the development of current economic activities. Thus, the labour force situation continued to expand during the month with an increase in the number of employed persons while the number of unemployed persons dropped,” it read.
In November 2022, the number of employed persons persistently increased since August 2021, with an addition of 0.2 per cent (+27.1 thousand persons) month-on-month to 16.11 million persons (October 2022: 16.08 million persons). The employment-to-population ratio which indicates the ability of an economy to create employment, increased slightly during the month by 0.1 percentage points to 67.3 per cent as against 67.2 per cent in October 2022.
In terms of economic sector, the Services sector continued to register positive growth in the number of employed persons, particularly in Wholesale & retail trade; Food & beverage services and Information & communication activities. In the meantime, the Manufacturing, Construction and Agriculture sectors also posted increases in the number of employed persons, while employment in the Mining & quarrying sector recorded a rise for the first time since July 2020.
The employees’ category, which covers 75.8 per cent of the total employed persons, continued to record an increase of 0.1 per cent (+14.2 thousand persons) to 12.21 million persons in November 2022 (October 2022: 12.20 million persons). Likewise, own-account workers were also on an increasing trend, with an addition of 14.5 thousand persons (+0.5%) to 2.85 million persons (October 2022: 2.83 million persons).
In November 2022, the number of unemployed persons continued to be on a declining trend with a reduction of 0.2 per cent or equivalent to 1.1 thousand persons to 600.9 thousand persons (October 2022: 602.0 thousand persons), recording November’s unemployment rate at 3.6 per cent.
The number of labour force continued to rise in November 2022, with an increase of 0.2 per cent (+25.9 thousand persons) month-on-month to 16.71 million persons (October 2022: 16.68 million persons). Thus, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) during the month rose by 0.1 percentage points to register 69.8 per cent (October 2022: 69.7%).
In November 2022, the number of persons outside labour force continued to decline with a reduction of 1.6 thousand persons (-0.02%) to 7.24 million persons (October 2022: 7.24 million persons). Housework/ family responsibilities were the main reasons for the outside labour force with 43.1 per cent, followed by schooling/ training with 41.3 per cent.
