KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Around 1.949 million Malaysians were employed in low-skilled roles in Q3 2024, an increase of about 100,000 from the previous quarter, the Department of Statistics Malaysia reported.

The percentage of skill-related underemployment has remained steady at 36.8 per cent over recent quarters, highlighting a persistent issue in the Malaysian job market where highly educated individuals are unable to secure roles that align with their expertise.

This underemployment now affects 36.8 per cent of the country’s tertiary-educated workforce.

This issue, known as skill-related underemployment, occurs when individuals with higher qualifications work in roles that do not require such skills, limiting their earning potential and personal growth while undeserving the economy’s needs for skilled labour.

Malaysia’s unemployment rate declined slightly to 3.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2024, down from 3.3 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting a 1.8 per cent decrease in the number of unemployed individuals, which now stands at 547,900.

Meanwhile, the overall labour force grew by 0.7 per cent, reaching 17.26 million people. The labour force participation rate also saw a minor increase, holding at 70.5 per cent compared to the previous quarter.