Malaysia’s unemployment rate stood at 2.9% in February 2026, remaining unchanged for the fourth consecutive month and holding at its lowest level since November 2014. The number of unemployed persons declined by 0.6% from the previous month to 506.8 thousand. Meanwhile, employment rose by 0.1% to 16.79 million, keeping the employment-to-population ratio at 68.8%. Job growth was mainly driven by the services sector, particularly wholesale and retail trade, followed by accommodation and food & beverage services and information and communication activities. By employment status, employees accounted for 75.0% of total employment, increasing slightly to 12.59 million, while own-account workers also rose to 3.13 million. The labor force expanded by 0.1% to 17.30 million, with the labor force participation rate steady at 70.9%. Meanwhile, the number of persons outside the labor force edged down to 7.10 million, mainly due to housework or family responsibilities and schooling or training.