MigrantoImmigrants in Malaysia
3.6M foreigners live in Malaysia — 10% of the country's population
Immigrants in Malaysia by country
The 3 largest groups make up 72% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Indonesia | 1761502 |
| Nepal | 502596 |
| Myanmar | 308095 |
| Bangladesh | 282437 |
| Philippines | 255520 |
| India | 139751 |
| Singapore | 79926 |
| Pakistan | 79288 |
| Thailand | 70718 |
| China | 30524 |
| Brunei | 16887 |
| Japan | 12388 |
| United Kingdom | 3522 |
| South Korea | 3410 |
| Sri Lanka | 3310 |
| Yemen | 3228 |
| Afghanistan | 2906 |
| Somalia | 2767 |
| Syria | 2759 |
| Australia | 2432 |
| Iraq | 674 |
| Palestine | 613 |
| New Zealand | 592 |
| Iran | 358 |
| Sudan | 301 |
| Vietnam | 5 |
By region of origin
100% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in Malaysia in numbers
Indonesians are the largest group by a wide margin
49% of all immigrants were born in Indonesia, while the next group accounts for just 14%.
47% of all emigrants from Indonesia live in Malaysia
No other country has more people born in Indonesia.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Myanmar, Pakistan, Yemen. Myanmar climbed from outside the top 20 to #3.
Immigration drives population growth
15% of the population growth of Malaysia since 1990 came from immigrants.
More immigrants come from a single country than in 1990
The largest group's share rose from 41% to 49%, and today that group is people born in Indonesia.
1 in 10 residents of Malaysia was born abroad
3.6M of 35.6M residents were born abroad — 10.0% of the population.
Immigrant population in Malaysia over time
Foreigners living in Malaysia, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 905259 |
| 1995 | 1184521 |
| 2000 | 1479565 |
| 2005 | 2039072 |
| 2010 | 2911847 |
| 2015 | 3353034 |
| 2020 | 3480596 |
| 2024 | 3566509 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Malaysia, by year
| Year | Indonesians | Nepalis | Burmese | Bangladeshis | Filipinos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 367801 | 0 | 0 | 95482 | 262278 |
| 1995 | 615621 | 291 | 6621 | 126817 | 253616 |
| 2000 | 863511 | 666 | 8582 | 158149 | 244953 |
| 2005 | 1128807 | 192332 | 109039 | 55364 | 213649 |
| 2010 | 1540665 | 251416 | 237677 | 319475 | 231590 |
| 2015 | 1607465 | 502596 | 286574 | 282437 | 241224 |
| 2020 | 1693459 | 502596 | 299559 | 282437 | 249159 |
| 2024 | 1761502 | 502596 | 308095 | 282437 | 255520 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Malaysia
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Malaysia
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Malaysia?
Around 3.6M immigrants live in Malaysia — the world's #17 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Malaysia are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 10% of the population of Malaysia — that's 3.6M out of a total population of 35.6M.
Where do most immigrants in Malaysia come from?
Most immigrants in Malaysia come from Indonesia, Nepal and Myanmar — these three countries account for about 72% of all immigrants.
How many Indonesians live in Malaysia?
Around 1.8M Indonesians live in Malaysia — about 49% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Malaysia growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Malaysia has grown from 3.4M to 3.6M, about 6%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Malaysia come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Malaysia. Their children born in Malaysia are not included.
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Living in Malaysia
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