VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s youth unemployment rate stood at 9.2% in 2024, well below the EU average of 14.9%, according to new figures released by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
Data covering 2019–2024 shows steady progress in employment and education. The share of young people aged 15–24 not in employment, education or training (NEET) dropped to a record low of 7.6%, 1.6 percentage points below the EU-27 average.
Overall, Malta’s employment rate for those aged 15–64 climbed to 79%, while the activity rate rose from 74.8% in 2019 to 81.8%, outpacing the EU average of 75.3%.
Female participation has driven much of this growth, with women’s activity rising by 10.2 percentage points in five years. Male activity increased by 3.6 points, though the gender gap remains 4.1 points wider than in the EU, particularly among older workers.
The overall unemployment rate fell to 3.2%, with male and female rates both below European levels. Long-term unemployment also remained low at 0.7%.
Malta’s service sector continues to expand, accounting for 64.3% of all jobs, while education indicators improved markedly. The early school-leaver rate dropped to 9.5%, and tertiary attainment among young adults reached 47.1%, surpassing the EU average.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
