Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Malta

Malta: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 3.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
3.1%
Change on year
down 3.1%
Rank
144th
of 185 regions
All-time high
8.5%
in 1983
All-time low
3.1%
in 2025
Years of data
42
1983–2025

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Malta, 1983–2025

024681983200420251983: 8.5 %1985: 8.1 %1986: 6.8 %1987: 4.4 %1988: 4 %1989: 3.7 %1990: 3.9 %1991: 3.6 %1992: 4 %1993: 4.5 %1994: 4.1 %1995: 3.7 %1996: 4.4 %1997: 5 %1998: 5.1 %1999: 5.3 %2000: 6.3 %2001: 7.1 %2002: 6.9 %2003: 7.5 %2004: 7.3 %2005: 6.9 %2006: 6.8 %2007: 6.5 %2008: 6 %2009: 6.9 %2010: 6.9 %2011: 6.4 %2012: 6.2 %2013: 6.1 %2014: 5.7 %2015: 5.4 %2016: 4.7 %2017: 4 %2018: 4 %2019: 4.1 %2020: 4.9 %2021: 3.8 %2022: 3.5 %2023: 3.5 %2024: 3.2 %2025: 3.1 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Malta is 3.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.

That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and down 42.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Malta peaked at 8.5% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2025.

Malta ranks 144th of 185 regions on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 5.9% 3.7% 8.5% 6
1990s 4.4% 3.6% 5.3% 10
2000s 6.8% 6.0% 7.5% 10
2010s 5.3% 4.0% 6.9% 10
2020s 3.6% 3.1% 4.9% 6

Countries ranked near Malta

  1. 141 Saudi Arabia 3.2% compare
  2. 142 Ecuador 3.2% compare
  3. 143 Madagascar 3.2% compare
  4. 145 Belarus 3.0% compare
  5. 146 Jamaica 3.0% compare
  6. 147 Poland 3.0% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Malta

All data for Malta →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Malta?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Malta was 3.1% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Malta?
The highest recorded value was 8.5% in 1983.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Malta?
The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2025.
How does Malta rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Malta ranks 144th out of 185 regions with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Malta?
Over the last ten years it is down 42.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malta data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.