World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
NotesAdvertise
World Report nowcountries in numbers
World Report now
  1. Home
  2. Countries
  3. Malawi
  4. Labour
Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Low income

Malawi: the labour market

Labour force is 8.3m (2025), 63rd of 187 in the world and 18th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 62.6% (2025), 86th of 187 in the world and 26th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 58.2% (2025), 60th of 187 in the world and 23rd of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force8.3m2025 · world 63/187 · region 18/47Participation rate62.6%2025 · world 86/187 · region 26/47Women's participation58.2%2025 · world 60/187 · region 23/47Employment rate59.4%2025 · world 79/187 · region 23/47
Labour force
Malawi
02.5m5.0m7.5m10.0m1995200020052010201520202025Malawi8.3m
Participation rate
MalawiSub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%90%1995200020052010201520202025Malawi62.6%Sub-Saharan AfricaLow incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Malawi in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total8.3m202563/18718/474.9m6.0m7.6m+33%since 2015527m267m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+62.6%202586/18726/4780.8%74.7%68.3%−4.4 ppsince 201570.3%64.4%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+58.2%202560/18723/4778.1%70.5%63.1%−4.0 ppsince 201565.2%54.7%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)59.4%202579/18723/4776.8%71.2%64.4%−4.2 ppsince 201566.3%61.2%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)5.1%202599/18726/475.0%4.8%5.7%+0.1 ppsince 20155.7%4.9%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)6.0%202592/18725/475.9%5.6%6.6%+0.2 ppsince 20156.3%4.7%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)6.9%2025145/18728/476.8%6.5%7.8%+0.2 ppsince 201510.1%10.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %39.4%202413/1707/44·18.1%201119.4%+20.0 ppsince 2013———
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment38.7%2025144/18717/4736.0%37.1%38.1%+0.9 ppsince 201522.3%21.1%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)59.9%202541/18731/4762.8%61.8%60.7%−1.1 ppsince 201571.0%76.1%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment65.0%20258/1877/4771.1%67.1%64.9%−0.4 ppsince 201549.3%59.4%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment7.3%2025179/18741/477.5%7.4%7.4%−0.1 ppsince 201512.2%10.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment27.7%2025178/18740/4721.4%25.5%27.7%+0.5 ppsince 201538.5%30.4%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

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Malawi and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Malawi. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorMalawiTanzaniaMozambiqueZambia
Labour force8.3m202534.1m202515.7m20258.0m2025
Participation rate62.6%202583.7%202578.7%202561.9%2025
Women's participation58.2%202580.3%202577.1%202556.4%2025
Employment rate59.4%202582.4%202573.5%202558.3%2025
Unemployment5.1%20251.6%20256.6%20255.9%2025
Female unemployment6.0%20252.2%20257.2%20256.2%2025
Youth unemployment6.9%20252.4%202511.6%202510.5%2025
Youth NEET rate39.4%202415.2%202519.2%202226.7%2024
Wage workers38.7%202514.7%202514.7%202528.3%2025
Tanzania: labourMozambique: labourZambia: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: low-income countries25 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesMalawi: all key statisticscountry profile