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Malta’s seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate stood at 3.5% in March 2026, unchanged from the previous month. Compared with March 2025, however, the rate increased by 0.4 percentage points, pointing to a slight annual rise in unemployment levels in the Maltese labour market.

During March 2026, the number of unemployed persons stood at 12,248, marking a 0.6% decrease compared with February 2026 and a 15.8% increase compared with March 2025. The 25 to 74 age group accounted for the largest share of unemployment, with 9,372 persons, equivalent to 76.5% of the total. Unemployed youths aged 15 to 24 amounted to 2,875, representing 23.5% of all unemployed persons.

By sex, the unemployment rate for males stood at 3.6%, down by 0.1 percentage points from February. The female unemployment rate stood at 3.4%, increasing by 0.1 percentage points on a monthly basis.

Youth unemployment remained the highest rate among the main age groups. For persons aged 15 to 24, the unemployment rate stood at 9.6%, decreasing by 0.3 percentage points from the previous month. For those aged 25 to 74, the rate stood at 3.0%, showing a slight monthly increase of 0.1 percentage points.

Overall, the March figures indicate short-term stability, with the headline unemployment rate unchanged at 3.5%, while the annual comparison shows a higher number of unemployed persons and a continued concentration of unemployment among younger workers.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY NSO
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