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

The unemployment rate in Australia was forecast to increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.4 percentage points. This overall increase does not happen continuously, notably not in 2029. The rate is estimated to amount to 4.52 percent in 2029. 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 labour force.Find more statistics on other topics about Australia with key insights such as ratio of the national debt to the gross domestic product, the budget balance in relation to the gross domestic product, and the national debt.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Victoria data was reported at 5.197 % in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.399 % for Dec 2024. Australia Unemployment Rate: Victoria data is updated monthly, averaging 5.941 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 564 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]

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.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Total: From 25 to 54 Years for Australia (LRUN25TTAUM156N) from Feb 1978 to Jan 2025 about 25 to 54 years, Australia, unemployment, and rate.

Unemployment Rate: Looking for Full Time Work: Not Married: Female: 60-64 Years data was reported at 8.735 % in Feb 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.767 % for Jan 2022. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Full Time Work: Not Married: Female: 60-64 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 3.137 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Feb 2022, with 529 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.245 % in Jun 1996 and a record low of 0.000 % in Dec 2008. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Full Time Work: Not Married: Female: 60-64 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.G035: Unemployment Rate: by Age, by Civil Status and by Sex: Looking for Full Time Work.

Youth Unemployment Rate in Australia remained unchanged at 9.10 percent in February. 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 15 to 24 Years for Australia (LRUN24TTAUQ156S) from Q2 1978 to Q4 2024 about 15 to 24 years, Australia, unemployment, and rate.

Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Female: 30-34 Years data was reported at 3.006 % in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.354 % for Dec 2024. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Female: 30-34 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 4.839 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 564 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.594 % in Jul 1983 and a record low of 0.976 % in Jun 2022. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Female: 30-34 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.

Employment Rate in Australia decreased to 64.10 percent in February from 64.40 percent in January of 2025. This dataset provides - Australia Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This web map contains layers that contain some of the more commonly used variables from the General Community Profile information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 census. Data is available for Country, Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA), Local Government Area (LGA), Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) and 2 (SA2), and Suburb and Localities (SAL) boundaries.The General Community Profile contains a series of tables showing the characteristics of persons, families and dwellings in a selected geographic area. The data is based on place of usual residence (that is, where people usually live, rather than where they were counted on Census night). Community Profiles are excellent tools for researching, planning and analysing geographic areas for a number of social, economic and demographic characteristics.Download the data here.Data and Geography notes:View the Readme files located in the DataPacks and GeoPackages zip files.To access the 2021 DataPacks, visit https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/datapacksGlossary terms and definitions of classifications can be found in the 2021 Census DictionaryMore information about Census data products is available at https://www.abs.gov.au/census/guide-census-data/about-census-tools/datapacksDetailed geography information: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/main-structure-and-greater-capital-city-statistical-areas: 2021 Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1), 2021 Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), 2021 Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSA), 2021 Australia (AUS)https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/non-abs-structures: 2021 Suburbs and Localities (SAL), 2021 Local Government Areas (LGA)Please note that there are data assumptions that should be considered when analysing the ABS Census data. These are detailed within the Census documents referenced above. These include:Registered Marital StatusIn December 2017, amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 came into effect enabling marriage equality for all couples. For 2021, registered marriages include all couples.Core Activity Need for AssistanceMeasures the number of people with a profound or severe core activity limitation. People with a profound or severe core activity limitation are those needing assistance in their day to day lives in one or more of the three core activity areas of self-care, mobility and communication because of a long-term health condition (lasting six months or more), a disability (lasting six months or more), or old age. Number of Motor VehiclesExcludes motorbikes, motor scooters and heavy vehicles.Please note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Total: 15 Years or over for Australia (LRUNTTTTAUM156N) from Feb 1978 to Jan 2025 about 15 years +, Australia, unemployment, and rate.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: 45-54 Years data was reported at 1.761 % in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.335 % for Dec 2024. Australia Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: 45-54 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 2.505 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 564 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.307 % in Apr 1979 and a record low of 0.885 % in Nov 2021. Australia Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: 45-54 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.

In 2019, about 24 percent of unemployed Australians were unemployed for at least 12 months. This was an increase from the previous year. The highest unemployment rate in the country was seen in 2000.

In 2022, around 8.2 percent of the youth population aged 15 to 24 years in Australia were unemployed. This marked a noticeable decrease from the previous year's unemployment rate in the country. The highest youth unemployment rate during the measured period was recorded in 2020, at 14.3 percent.

This dataset provides values for U6 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The youth unemployment rate in Australia increased by 0.3 percentage points (+3.65 percent) in 2023. In total, the youth unemployment rate amounted to 8.57 percent in 2023. This increase was preceded by a declining youth unemployment rate.The youth unemployment rate of a country or region refers to the share of the total workforce aged 15 to 24 that is currently without work, but actively searching for employment. It does not include economically inactive persons such as full-time students or the long-term unemployed.Find more key insights for the youth unemployment rate in countries like Fiji and Tonga.

Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: Male: 40-44 Years data was reported at 1.846 % in Jan 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.415 % for Dec 2024. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: Male: 40-44 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 2.956 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 564 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.136 % in Apr 1979 and a record low of 0.000 % in Jun 2014. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Married: Male: 40-44 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.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Females data was reported at 4.493 % in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.622 % for Dec 2024. Australia Unemployment Rate: Females data is updated monthly, averaging 6.452 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 564 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]