KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — The latest labour force data released by the Statistics Department (DoSM) today showed that the number of unemployed people in Malaysia fell from approximately 602,000 people in October 2022 to some 600,900 people in November 2022.

The latest figure put the unemployment rate at 3.6 per cent — the same rate shown in October.

Meanwhile, the labour force participation rate went up from 69.7 per cent to 69.8 per cent, corresponding to an increase in the number of employed people from approximately 16.68 million to 16.71 million.

"All employment categories recorded monthly increases except for the unpaid family workers,” said DoSM in its report.

Aside from unpaid family workers, the employment categories included were "employees”, "own-account workers” and "employers”.

In October 2022, some 7.24 million people were registered as "outside the labour force” — with 43.1 per cent of them engaged in housework or family responsibilities, and another 41.3 per cent undergoing schooling or training.

According to DoSM, the number of employed people has increased persistently since August 2021, at a rate of approximately 0.2 per cent every month.