BN
Labour · East Asia & Pacific · High income
Brunei: the labour market
Labour force is 237,763 (2025), 173rd of 187 in the world and 23rd of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Participation rate is 64.2% (2025), 75th of 187 in the world and 16th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Women's participation is 54.4% (2025), 87th of 187 in the world and 16th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific.
Labour force
Brunei
Participation rate
BruneiEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators
Labour: Brunei in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour forceLabour force, total | 237,7632025 | 173/187 | 23/29 | 155,602 | 194,946 | 224,330 | +12%since 2015 | 1.3bn | 734m | 3.7bn | |
| Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+ | 64.2%2025 | 75/187 | 16/29 | 68.4% | 66.6% | 64.0% | −1.4 ppsince 2015 | 65.2% | 61.0% | 61.0% | |
| Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+ | 54.4%2025 | 87/187 | 16/29 | 54.9% | 56.8% | 54.5% | −2.9 ppsince 2015 | 58.1% | 54.3% | 48.9% | |
| Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO) | 60.8%2025 | 66/187 | 17/29 | 64.6% | 62.2% | 59.2% | +0.2 ppsince 2015 | 62.7% | 58.3% | 58.1% | |
| UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO) | 5.3%2025 | 92/187 | 5/29 | 5.5% | 6.5% | 7.4% | −2.4 ppsince 2015 | 3.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% | |
| Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO) | 5.3%2025 | 104/187 | 8/29 | 7.1% | 7.7% | 8.9% | −3.3 ppsince 2015 | 3.4% | 4.6% | 4.9% | |
| Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO) | 18.2%2025 | 63/187 | 3/29 | 17.4% | 21.7% | 26.9% | −7.7 ppsince 2015 | 12.5% | 11.5% | 13.4% | |
| Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, % | 18.4%2025 | 84/170 | 14/28 | · | · | 21.4% | +1.3 ppsince 2014 | 15.3% | 10.6% | — | |
| Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment | 92.7%2025 | 12/187 | 2/29 | 91.4% | 91.2% | 90.4% | +1.7 ppsince 2015 | 61.0% | 88.9% | 53.6% | |
| Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO) | 4.5%2025 | 176/187 | 28/29 | 4.9% | 5.1% | 7.0% | −1.1 ppsince 2015 | 35.3% | 8.0% | 42.4% | |
| Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment | 1.2%2025 | 173/187 | 26/29 | 1.9% | 1.5% | 1.3% | −0.2 ppsince 2015 | 21.7% | 2.9% | 25.8% | |
| Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment | 20.4%2025 | 76/187 | 13/29 | 19.7% | 18.2% | 23.7% | +3.1 ppsince 2015 | 28.5% | 22.2% | 23.7% | |
| Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment | 78.4%2025 | 26/187 | 7/29 | 78.4% | 80.3% | 74.9% | −2.9 ppsince 2015 | 49.9% | 74.9% | 50.6% |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Employment rate+0.2 pp60.8% in 2025
- Unemployment−2.4 pp5.3% in 2025
- Female unemployment−3.3 pp5.3% in 2025
- Youth unemployment−7.7 pp18.2% in 2025
Worse than ten years ago
- Women's participation−2.9 pp54.4% in 2025
- Youth NEET rate+1.3 pp18.4% in 2025
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Brunei and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Brunei. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Brunei | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| Labour force | 237,7632025 | 18.7m2025 |
| Participation rate | 64.2%2025 | 66.1%2025 |
| Women's participation | 54.4%2025 | 51.6%2025 |
| Employment rate | 60.8%2025 | 63.6%2025 |
| Unemployment | 5.3%2025 | 3.8%2025 |
| Female unemployment | 5.3%2025 | 3.9%2025 |
| Youth unemployment | 18.2%2025 | 12.0%2025 |
| Youth NEET rate | 18.4%2025 | 10.2%2022 |
| Wage workers | 92.7%2025 | 74.6%2025 |