PUTRAJAYA: The number of labour force in April 2024 edged up by 0.1%, registering 17.12 million persons from 17.10 million recorded in March, with the labour force participation rate stood at 70.3%, according to the latest Statistics of the Labour Force released today.
In a statement today, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the number of employed persons in April 2024 continued to record increases, with a month-on-month growth of 0.1% to 16.56 million persons compared to the previous month (March 2024: 16.53 million persons).
“In the meantime, the number of unemployed persons during the month posted a slight decrease of 0.04% to 566,400 persons, as against 566,600 persons in March.
“The unemployment rate in April remained at 3.3%, as recorded last month,” he said.
On the employment situation, Mohd Uzir elaborated that the employees’ category formed 75.1% of the total employed persons in April.
This group rose by 0.1% to 12.43 million persons in April (March: 12.42 million persons) and on the same note, the own-account workers’ category continued its upward trend, with a growth of 0.3% to 3.04 million persons (March 2024: 3.03 million persons).
On the unemployment situation during the month, Mohd Uzir stated that 79.7% of the total unemployed persons were actively unemployed or those who were available for work and were actively seeking jobs.
“This category declined marginally by 0.03% to 451,400 persons (March 2024: 451,500 persons).
“Among the actively unemployed, those who were unemployed for less than three months encompassed 61.7%, while those who were in long-term unemployment for more than a year were 6.7%. Likewise, those who believed that there were no jobs available or the inactively unemployed slightly decreased by 0.05% to record 115,000 persons,” he said.
As for the inactivity group, he said the number of persons outside the labour force in April 2024 registered a slight increase of 0.01% to 7.23 million persons (March 2024: 7.23 million persons).
The main reason for being outside the labour force was due to housework or family responsibilities with a share of 42.7%, followed by schooling or training at 41.4%, he added.
