Brunei Darussalam · Recruitment Intelligence 2026
Brunei's Talent Market Turns the Corner: Unemployment Falls to 4.7%
105 data points reveal a private-sector-led labour market diversifying beyond oil and gas, yet still held back by youth joblessness and skills mismatches.
1
The Labour Market at a Glance (2024)
4.7%
Unemployment rate, down from 5.1% in 2023
222,700
Employed persons, up 2.8% year on year
233,800
Labour force, a record high
64%
Participation rate, ages 15 and above
2
The Private Sector Takes the Lead
Employment growth, 2024
Local workers: 58% private, 42% public.
70%
Private-sector share of total employment.
Local workers are 71.3% of the employed; foreign workers fill the remaining 28.7%.
Local workers are 71.3% of the employed; foreign workers fill the remaining 28.7%.
3
Where the Jobs Are Growing
Fastest-growing sectors, 2024 employment
Largest occupational groups, 2024
4
The Challenges: Youth & Participation Gaps
18.2%
Youth unemployment, 2025 (World Bank modelled)
53.2%
Female labour force participation, 2024
30.4%
Female participation, ages 15–24: a record low
10,900
Persons unemployed in 2024
Working-age employment gap
Skills mismatch signals
Nearly 60% of the unemployed are aged 25–64, and 54.1% of unemployed adults hold secondary education or below.
5
Wages & Compensation
BND 500
Monthly minimum wage (BND 2.62 per hour)
BND 2,500
Average monthly salary, 2025
60–120K
Annual BND pay for tech professionals
0%
Personal income tax on salaries
Working hours capped at 44 per week; overtime paid at 150% and limited to 72 hours per month.
6
Talent Demand & Diversification
High-demand sectors
ICTHealthcareEducationFinanceTourism
Top ICT roles: Data Analyst, Security Engineer, Solutions Architect.
Wawasan 2035 priority sectors
Downstream Oil & GasFoodTourismICTServices
70%
Non-oil and gas share of exports, 2024
4.2%
Real GDP growth, 2024
489.4M
BND contributed by ICT to GDP, 2024
3,299
Jobseekers matched by JobCentre Brunei
The takeaway for employers: competition for talent now goes beyond salary. Flexible work, career development and a strong graduate pipeline through UBD, Politeknik Brunei and IBTE will decide who wins skilled hires.
Sources: DEPS, MPEC, AITI, JobCentre Brunei, World Bank, ILO, AMRO and IMF, as compiled in "Top 105 Recruitment Statistics, Data & Trends in Brunei in 2026" (9cv9 Career Blog). Figures are 2024 unless stated.
9CV9 Research Team · blog.9cv9.com
9CV9 Research Team · blog.9cv9.com