Unemployment Rate in Australia remained unchanged at 4.10 percent in May. This dataset provides - Australia Unemployment Rate at 5.8% in December - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in Australia was about 4.03 percent. Between 1980 and 2024, the figure dropped by approximately 2.10 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory. From 2024 to 2030, the rate will rise by around 0.42 percentage points, showing an overall upward trend with periodic ups and downs.This indicator describes the unemployment rate, which can be defined by either the national definition, the ILO harmonized definition, or the OECD harmonized definition. The latter defines it as the number of unemployed people divided by the total labor force.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Victoria data was reported at 4.590 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.995 % for Feb 2025. Australia Unemployment Rate: Victoria data is updated monthly, averaging 5.938 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.171 % in Feb 1994 and a record low of 3.101 % in Jul 2022. Australia Unemployment Rate: Victoria data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G040: Unemployment Rate. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Youth Unemployment Rate in Australia increased to 9.40 percent in May from 8.90 percent in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Australia Youth Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Total: From 25 to 54 Years for Australia (LRUN25TTAUM156S) from Feb 1978 to Apr 2025 about 25 to 54 years, Australia, unemployment, and rate.

Unemployment Rate: Western Australia data was reported at 3.775 % in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.612 % for Feb 2025. Unemployment Rate: Western Australia data is updated monthly, averaging 6.157 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.345 % in Jan 1992 and a record low of 2.191 % in Oct 2008. Unemployment Rate: Western Australia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G040: Unemployment Rate. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

In June 2023, the unemployment rate in Australia was 3.5 percent, lower than the pre-COVID-19 unemployment rate of around five percent. During 2020, the unemployment rate in Australia spiked to 7.6 percent amidst the country's second coronavirus wave.

Unemployment and underemployment rates around the country

In the middle of 2023, unemployment around the country hovered between 2.9 and 4.2 percent, with South Australia leading with the highest rate of people eligible to work jobs not currently employed. New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, reported the lowest rate of unemployment at the time. Underemployment, however, was highest in Tasmania, with the country reporting a national underemployment rate of over six percent in June 2023. Some of the leading difficulties people in Australia reported as barriers to finding a job or more hours included too many other applicants for available jobs, and a lack of necessary training, qualifications, or experience.

Leading industries for employment in Australia

Australia’s employment landscape is made up of a wide range of jobs; however, it is dominated by the services sector, which covers a range of industries, including healthcare, education, tourism, and professional services. Healthcare and social assistance remain the country’s leading employment industry, accounting for approximately 15 percent of employed persons. Employment industries varied between males and females , with the construction industry the most popular employment industry for males in 2022, while close to one-quarter of employed females worked in the healthcare and social assistance field.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Total: 15 Years or over for Australia (LRUNTTTTAUQ156S) from Q3 1966 to Q1 2025 about 15 years +, Australia, unemployment, and rate.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Females data was reported at 4.220 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.288 % for Feb 2025. Australia Unemployment Rate: Females data is updated monthly, averaging 6.434 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.779 % in Feb 1983 and a record low of 3.250 % in Nov 2022. Australia Unemployment Rate: Females data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G040: Unemployment Rate. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Australia Unemployment: Duration of Job Search: Median data was reported at 10.000 Week in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 10.000 Week for Feb 2025. Australia Unemployment: Duration of Job Search: Median data is updated monthly, averaging 14.000 Week from Jan 1991 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 411 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.000 Week in Nov 1993 and a record low of 6.000 Week in Jan 2009. Australia Unemployment: Duration of Job Search: Median data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G039: Unemployment: by Duration of Job Search and Sex.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Total: From 15 to 64 Years for Australia (LFUN64TTAUM647S) from Feb 1978 to Apr 2025 about 15 to 64 years, Australia, and unemployment.

The number of unemployed persons in Australia decreased to 618.28 Thousand in May of 2025 from 620.87 Thousand in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Australia Unemployed Persons - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In June 2023, South Australia had the highest unemployment rate among all states and territories in Australia with approximately 4.2 percent of those eligible to work jobs not in employment. The Australian Capital Territory had the second highest unemployment rate of 3.9 percent.

Unemployment Figures 

Australian unemployment figures had remained relatively stable, hovering between four to six percent for some time before recently dropping to 3.5 percent in June 2023. Unemployment levels and the economy have regularly been a priority of the Australian government and unemployment remains a key political platform for the major parties during elections. However, long-term unemployment remains a concern, with the rate almost doubling between 2009 and 2019.

Unemployment among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples 

The employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders in Australia remain a key indicator for the ongoing inequality experienced by this population group. The figures remain high, especially among Aboriginal youths aged 15 to 24 years old, with almost one-fifth who are out of regular employment as of 2015. This meant that more than 25 thousand Aboriginal youths were out of work and struggling to find employment in that year.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Trend data was reported at 4.048 % in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.043 % for Feb 2025. Australia Unemployment Rate: Trend data is updated monthly, averaging 6.118 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.112 % in Nov 1992 and a record low of 3.488 % in Sep 2022. Australia Unemployment Rate: Trend data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G040: Unemployment Rate.

Australia: Unemployment rate forecast: The latest value from 2030 is 4.45 percent, a decline from 4.47 percent in 2029. In comparison, the world average is 6.28 percent, based on data from 100 countries. Historically, the average for Australia from 1980 to 2030 is 6.34 percent. The minimum value, 3.7 percent, was reached in 2023 while the maximum of 10.88 percent was recorded in 1993.

Historical chart and dataset showing Australia unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

The youth unemployment rate in Australia increased by 1.1 percentage points (+13.13 percent) compared to the previous year. In total, the youth unemployment rate amounted to 9.47 percent in 2024. This increase was preceded by a declining youth unemployment rate.The youth unemployment rate refers to the share of the workforce aged 15 to 24 that is currently not working but is actively searching for work. It does not include the economically inactive population, such as the long-term unemployed or full-time students.Find more key insights for the youth unemployment rate in countries like Fiji and Tonga.

Australia Unemployment Rate: 15-19 Years data was reported at 13.976 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.168 % for Feb 2025. Australia Unemployment Rate: 15-19 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 17.343 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 566 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27.411 % in Jan 1992 and a record low of 9.294 % in Jul 2022. Australia Unemployment Rate: 15-19 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G041: Unemployment Rate: by Age, Sex and Status.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Monthly Unemployment Total: From 15 to 24 Years for Australia (LFHU24TTAUM647S) from Feb 1978 to Apr 2025 about 15 to 24 years, Australia, and unemployment.

Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: 45-49 Years data was reported at 2.222 % in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.665 % for Jan 2025. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: 45-49 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 2.516 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 565 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.367 % in Feb 1980 and a record low of 0.692 % in Nov 2021. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: 45-49 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G043: Unemployment Rate: by Age, Sex and Status: Looking for Part Time Work.