INTERACTIVE: Record high jobs, but decline in low-skilled jobs
Malaysia has reached a record high of 9.25 million jobs, though the creation of new low-skilled positions has declined by 17%. Employers are increasingly prioritizing automation and multi-skilled workers to manage rising operational costs.
Why it matters
The shift highlights a structural change in the labor market where traditional low-skilled roles are being phased out in favor of technology-integrated positions.
PETALING JAYA: The number of jobs in Malaysia - both filled and available - has reached a record high of 9.25 million, but bosses have created fewer new positions, particularly in low-skilled jobs.
Experts said the decline reflected employers' growing caution over rising labour and operating costs, as well as a shift towards automation and technology that is reshaping work towards higher-skilled and multi-skilled roles.
The number of new jobs created fell 1.2% to 31,550 in the second quarter of this year from 31,920 in the same period last year, according to the Department of Statistics (DOSM) Q2 2026 employment statistics.
Newly created low-skilled positions dropped 17%, even as overall labour demand continued to grow.
Economic activities that recorded declines in new jobs created included information and communication (-33%), transportation and storage (-31%), textile, clothing and leather products (-20%) and construction (-11%).
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