Malta’s unemployment rate edged up to 2.7% in May 2025, marking a marginal increase of 0.1% from the previous month, according to data published by the National Statistics Office (NSO). Despite this slight monthly uptick, the figure reflects a notable improvement over the past year, down from 3.2% in May 2024.
The number of unemployed persons reached 8,970, a 1.3% rise compared to April 2025. However, the year-on-year picture is more positive, with unemployment down by 14.5%, pointing to a longer-term trend of labour market recovery.
Gender-based data shows that male and female unemployment rates remained stable from the previous month, at 2.7% and 2.6% respectively, continuing a trend of relatively balanced employment outcomes across sexes.
Youth unemployment (ages 15–24) presented a more dynamic shift, dropping by 0.6% to 5.9%. While still over twice the overall rate, this decrease suggests improving opportunities for young jobseekers. By contrast, unemployment among those aged 25 to 74 rose slightly to 2.4%.
Notably, adults aged 25 to 74 comprised the majority of unemployed persons, accounting for over 81% of the total, while youth made up the remaining 18.9%. This distribution underscores the broad reach of unemployment, even as policy attention often gravitates toward younger cohorts.
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