Abstract

The Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE), Prime Minister's Office, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conducted the Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2014 for Brunei Darussalam starting from 29 September to 26 October 2014.

The survey covered all persons living in private households, excluding the institutional population permanently residing in houses such as hostels; health resorts; correctional establishments etc., as well as persons living in seasonal dwellings and at work-sites. The effective sample size was composed of 3,462 households covering 17,199 individuals households members. Households were selected with probability proportional to size (PPS).

The main objective of LFS 2014 was to collect the latest information on the size, structure, distribution and characteristics of the labour force, employment, unemployment and other economic characteristics of the population. Data collection was done through paper assisted personal interviews (PAPI) with the use of trained interviewers.

Geographic coverage

National coverage (whole country).

Analysis unit

• Households
• Individuals in the households

Universe

Population aged 15 and over (working age population).

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

• Initial design sample size: 5,016 households
• Sample drawn with probability proportional to size
• Stratification: by local and non-local, and by four districts of the country
• Stages of sample selection: two stages, stage one with enumeration areas, and stage two households
• Omissions: institutional housholds were omitted

The survey has a two-stage stratified sample design. At the first stage of sampling a sample of segments is drawn within each stratum with probabilities proportional to size where size is measured in terms of number of households according to the Population and Housing Census 2011. At the second stage of sampling, a fixed number of sample households are drawn in each sample segment with equal probabilities by systematic random sampling.

The effective sample size was composed of 3,462 households covering 17,199 individual household members.

Sampling deviation

The discrepancy between the design sample size and the effective final sample size is due to various factors, in particular, non-coverage and non-response, but also loss of 14 households in three sample segments in which the number of listed households was less than the sample-take of 18 households.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

One single questionnaire was used, in both English and the local language, adapted to collect selected forms of work as in line with the 19th ICLS. The questionnaire was designed to measure employment, unemployment and other components of labour underutilization according to the international standards on the topic. The questionnaire contains 11 parts: A. Household composition B. Education and Training C. Identification of the employed person D. Employment characteristics E. Working time F. Employment-related income G. Job search and availability for employment H. Past employment experience I. Production of goods for household and family use J. Own-use provision of services K. Survey response.

Cleaning operations

• Missing data checks at field level
• Office editing by office supervisors
• Logical editing during data processing.

Response rate

Response rate: 75.4%

Data appraisal

• Comparison with the 2011 population census.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households/individuals

Kind of data

survey

Frequency of data collection

Yearly

Sampling procedure

Sample size:

Brunei Labour Force data was reported at 233.800 Person th in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 228.598 Person th for 2023. Brunei Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 221.466 Person th from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2024, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 233.800 Person th in 2024 and a record low of 111.955 Person th in 1991. Brunei Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Economic Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Finance and Economy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.G: Labour Force. Department of Economic Planning and Development, Prime Minister's Office provides the number of labour force Working Age Population between 15-64 Years

Brunei BN: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: Male: % of Male Population Aged 15+ data was reported at 72.289 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 71.598 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: Male: % of Male Population Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 74.831 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 86.130 % in 1960 and a record low of 68.893 % in 2017. Brunei BN: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: Male: % of Male Population Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Brunei BN: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: % of Total Population Aged 15+ data was reported at 63.868 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 62.788 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: % of Total Population Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 63.809 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.950 % in 2001 and a record low of 53.140 % in 1971. Brunei BN: Labour Force Participation Rate: National Estimate: % of Total Population Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

In 2017, approximately **** percent of the labor force aged 15 to 24 years in Brunei were unemployed. This was a dramatic increase from the previous year, in which *** percent of the labor force aged 15 to 24 years old were unemployed in Brunei.

Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth: % of Total Labour Force Aged 15-24 data was reported at 17.808 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.344 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth: % of Total Labour Force Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 22.820 % from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2023, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.869 % in 2018 and a record low of 16.335 % in 2021. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth: % of Total Labour Force Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Male: % of Male Labour Force data was reported at 5.281 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.699 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Male: % of Male Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 4.360 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2023, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.795 % in 2017 and a record low of 1.917 % in 1982. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Male: % of Male Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Female: % of Female Labour Force data was reported at 5.320 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.941 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Female: % of Female Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 9.435 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2023, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32.631 % in 1979 and a record low of 5.320 % in 2023. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Female: % of Female Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

As of 2022, there were approximately *** Indonesian nationals working in Brunei. This shows an increase compared to the previous year when there were only around **** migrant workers from Indonesia in Brunei.

Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data was reported at 21.181 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22.053 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 26.364 % from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2023, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32.528 % in 2018 and a record low of 21.181 % in 2023. Brunei BN: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Key information about Brunei Labour Productivity Growth

• Brunei Labour Productivity improved by 1.40 % YoY in Dec 2024, compared with a drop of 1.76 % in the previous year
• Brunei Labour Productivity Growth data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1992 to Dec 2024, averaging at -2.05 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 4.31 % in Dec 2020 and a record low of -9.58 % in Dec 1998

CEIC calculates annual Labour Productivity Growth from annual Real GDP and annual Employment. Department of Economic Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Finance and Economy provides Real GDP in local currency based on SNA 2008, at 2010 prices. Department of Economic Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Finance and Economy provides Employment data. Labour Productivity Growth prior to 2018 is based on World Bank's GDP per person employed, 2021 PPP

Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data was reported at 37.999 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 37.710 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 58.596 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.055 % in 1964 and a record low of 37.387 % in 2020. Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.

Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 29.013 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 29.170 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 54.502 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.316 % in 1964 and a record low of 29.013 % in 2023. Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 8.985 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 8.540 % for 2022. Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 4.784 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.985 % in 2023 and a record low of 4.046 % in 1994. Brunei BN: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

Brunei Employment: Government: Division IV Clerical & Operators data was reported at 11,151.000 Person in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,910.000 Person for 2022. Brunei Employment: Government: Division IV Clerical & Operators data is updated yearly, averaging 11,617.000 Person from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2023, with 35 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12,574.000 Person in 2014 and a record low of 9,285.000 Person in 1989. Brunei Employment: Government: Division IV Clerical & Operators data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Economic Planning and Statistics, Ministry of Finance and Economy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brunei – Table BN.G004: Employment by Division: Government Employees.