Unemployment reaches 12,146 in June, up by more than 3,500 over the past year

As of June 2026, the number of unemployed people in Malta reached 12,146, marking an increase of 0.9 per cent compared with the previous month.

According to statistics published on Wednesday by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the unemployment rate in June stood at 3.6 per cent for males and 3.4 per cent for females. Compared with May 2026, the male unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points, while the female unemployment rate remained unchanged.

The statistics show that individuals aged 25 to 74 accounted for the largest share of unemployed persons, totalling 9,336. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed youths aged between 15 and 24 stood at 2,810.

Looking at the broader trend, the figures reveal that the number of unemployed people has increased by more than 3,600 over the past year, representing a 36.2 per cent rise.

An analysis of NSO data over the past 12 months shows that unemployment stood at 8,507 in June 2025. The first big increase in the rate of unemployment occurred between July and August of last year as the number of unemployed individuals went from 8,664 to 9,788.

Then, the number rose steadily month after month, reaching 12,400 in April 2026. This was followed by a slight decline in May before unemployment increased again in June.

The last major spike in unemployment occurred during the second half of 2020, from July to December, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the third quarter of 2020, the number of unemployed people climbed to nearly 15,000 before falling to 13,844 in the fourth quarter. The increase in unemployment during that period was widely expected, as many businesses were forced to downsize or reduce operations due to the economic impact of the pandemic.