PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's labour demand rose 1.4% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 9.06 million jobs compared to 8.94 million in the same period last year, according to the Employment Statistics released on Thursday (May 15) by the Statistics Department (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth is in line with Malaysia's improving economic performance, projected to continue, supported by resilient domestic demand.
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Of the total jobs recorded, 97.9% were filled, while the remaining 2.1% were vacant.
He said the number of filled jobs rose 1.4% year-on-year to 8.87 million in Q1 2025, compared to 8.75 million in the same quarter last year.
All sectors contributed to the growth, with the services sector leading at 1.8%, followed by manufacturing (1.5%) and construction (0.5%).
In terms of economic activity, the services sector accounted for the largest share of filled jobs at 52.8% or 4.69 million, followed by manufacturing at 26.9% (2.38 million), and construction at 14.1% (1.25 million), he added.
Commenting on the distribution by skills category, Mohd Uzir said the majority were in the semi-skilled category, accounting for 5.55 million or 62.5% of total filled jobs. This was followed by 2.23 million jobs in the skilled category and 1.09 million in the low-skilled category.
On current labour demand, he noted that job vacancies rose 1.2% year-on-year to 194,100 in Q1 2025, up from 191,900 in the same quarter last year.
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He said the manufacturing sector remained the main contributor to job vacancies, making up 57.3% of total vacancies, with the electrical, electronic and optical products sub-sector recording 33,900 vacancies, followed by 20,200 vacancies in the petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products sub-sector.
The agriculture and construction sectors reported 31,800 and 25,400 vacancies, respectively.
By skills category, semi-skilled roles accounted for the largest share of vacancies at 56.3% (109,200), while skilled and low-skilled roles made up 24.4% (47,400) and 19.3% (37,500), respectively.
On job creation, Mohd Uzir reported that a total of 33,200 new jobs were created in Q1 2025, an increase of 3.4% from 32,100 jobs recorded in the same quarter last year.
"The rise in jobs created, especially in skilled and semi-skilled categories, may encourage individuals to pursue higher education and specialised training, building a workforce with expertise and innovation," he noted.
He stated that Malaysia's labour demand is set for continued growth, reflecting the nation's commitment to strengthening its economic foundation and achieving sustainable development.
The manufacturing sector remained a key driver, with the Monthly Manufacturing Statistics reporting a 1.1% year-on-year increase in employment within the sector during the quarter, he explained.
"This trend aligns with the objectives of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), which aims to drive employment growth and enhance workforce capabilities within the manufacturing sector," he said. - Bernama
