Selangor leads Malaysia in job applications with 38% share
PETALING JAYA: For many Malaysians hunting for work, the search still leads to the same destinations: the Klang Valley, Johor and Penang. Despite growing economic activity elsewhere, the country’s largest urban and industrial hubs continue to dominate both job opportunities and jobseeker interest, according to Jobstreet by Seek.
Its marketing communications managing director Nicholas Lam (pic) said Selangor accounted for 38% of all job applications, followed by Kuala Lumpur (20%), Penang (8%) and Johor (7%), with the four locations collectively attracting about 73% of applications nationwide.
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“This reflects the concentration of economic activity, population density and employment opportunities within Malaysia’s urban and industrial hubs.
“The distribution also aligns with broader labour market data showing that job vacancies remain heavily focused in developed and urbanised regions.”
While opportunities remain concentrated in key economic centres, most applicants are seeking salaries between RM2,000 and RM5,000, with the strongest demand clustered around the RM2,500 to RM3,500 range for entry-level and support roles.
Lam said administrative, customer service and retail candidates typically expect between RM2,000 and RM3,500, while those applying for accounting, marketing, human resources and other specialised positions generally seek between RM3,000 and RM5,000, depending on experience and technical skills.
He said the expectations broadly reflect Malaysia’s wage landscape, adding that the national median monthly wage rose to RM2,864 in June 2025, up 4.3% year-on-year.
“Wage growth was recorded across all age groups, sectors and states, reflecting continued upward movement in salary expectations as workers respond to rising living costs and evolving career priorities.”
Salary expectations also vary significantly by industry, seniority and location.
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang recorded median wages above the national average, while higherpaying sectors such as mining and quarrying continued to outpace agriculture and lower-skilled industries.
Beyond pay, Lam said jobseekers are increasingly weighing factors such as flexibility, career progression, upskilling opportunities and long-term stability when evaluating employers.
“As workforce expectations continue evolving, employers may need to strengthen their overall employee value proposition rather than relying solely on salary competitiveness.
“Organisations that combine fair compensation with clear career growth pathways, learning opportunities and a positive workplace culture are likely to remain more competitive in attracting and retaining talent.”
He said hiring challenges remain particularly pronounced in frontline service, retail, digital, engineering and technology-related roles, in which employers are competing for talent in an increasingly specialised labour market.
As Malaysia pushes ahead with digitalisation and artificial intelligence adoption, demand for skilled workers in ICT, engineering, STEM and emerging digital fields is expected to remain strong.
Based on Jobstreet by Seek’s application trends from mid-2025 to early 2026, logistics, administrative and accounting positions were the three most popular job categories among Malaysian jobseekers.
