All data is trend data unless stated otherwise.

Headline labour market indicators

Indicator Period Value Change previous month Change same period last year
Employed persons Sep 2019 12,942,800
20,200
2.4%
Employment to population ratio Sep 2019 62.7%
0.0 pts
0.5 pts
Unemployment rate Sep 2019 5.3%
0.0 pts
0.1 pts
Filled jobs June Qtr 2019 14.2 million
0.6%(a)
2.6%
Job vacancies Aug 2019 236,500
-1.3%(a)
-1.4%
Average weekly hours worked Sep 2019 32.9 hrs
0.0 hrs
-0.2 hrs
Average weekly cash earnings - Original May 2019 $1,275.60
1.1%(b)
2.6%
  1. (a) Change previous quarter
  2. (b) Change over 6 months

Employment

Indicator Period Value Change previous month Change same period last year
Employed persons Sep 2019 12,942,800
20,200
2.4%
Employment to population ratio Sep 2019 62.7%
0.0 pts
0.5 pts
Participation rate Sep 2019 66.2%
0.0 pts
0.6 pts
Employed full time - Males Sep 2019 81.0%
0.0 pts
-0.5 pts
Employed full time - Females Sep 2019 54.1%
0.0 pts
0.3 pts
Self-employed of all employed - Original Sep 2019 16.6%
-0.3 pts
0.5 pts
Average age of retirement - Original 2016-17 55.3 years
na
0.9 years(c)

(c) Change over 2 years

Unemployment, underemployment and joblessness

Indicator Period Value Change previous month Change same period last year
Unemployed persons Sep 2019 718,000
1,600
4.7%
Unemployment rate Sep 2019 5.3%
0.0 pts
0.1 pts
Underemployment rate Sep 2019 8.4%
0.0 pts
0.1 pts
Underutilisation rate Sep 2019 13.7%
0.0 pts
0.2 pts
Underutilisation rate (Hours) - Original Aug 2019 4.2%
0.1 pts(d)
0.0 pts
Median duration of job search(e) - Original Sep 2019 18 weeks
0 weeks
-3 weeks
Youth unemployment rate Sep 2019 11.7%
-0.1 pts
0.5 pts
Long-term unemployment ratio - Original Sep 2019 23.0%
-1.0 pts
-2.2 pts
Retrenchments - Original Year to Feb 2019 272,500
na
4,100
People who want to work - Original Feb 2019 1,979,800
na
-92,400
Jobless rate(f) - Original Feb 2019 13.4%
na
-0.8 pts
  1. (d) Change from prvious quarter
  2. (e) Of unemployed persons
  3. (f) People who want to work as a proportion of employed people plus those who want to work

Jobs and job vacancies

Indicator Period Value Change previous quarter Change same period last year
Filled jobs June Qtr 2019 14.2 million
0.6%
2.6%
Job vacancies Aug 2019 236,500
-1.3%
-1.4 pts
Proportion of vacant jobs June Qtr 2019 1.7%
0.0 pts
0.0 pts
Multiple job-holders 2016-17 15.6%
na
1.2 pts
Job mobility rate(g) - Original Year to Feb 2019 8.5% na
0.4 pts

(g) Employed people who changed employer/business as a proportion of all employed people

Working hours and conditions

Indicator Period Value Change previous month Change same period last year
Average weekly hours worked Sep 2019 32.9 hrs
0.0 hrs
-0.2 hrs
Average weekly full-time hours worked Sep 2019 44.2 hrs
-0.1 hrs
-0.2 hrs
Average weekly part-time hours worked Sep 2019 20.1 hrs
-0.2 hrs
-0.2 hrs
Monthly hours worked in the economy Sep 2019 1,783.3 million
2.7 million
1.8%
Work-related injury rate 2017-18 4.2%
na
-0.1 pts(h)
Proportion of full-time workers who would prefer to work less hours Aug 2017 18.5%
na
0.7 pts(i)
Proportion of women with employer provided paid maternity leave Aug 2018 47.8%
na
2.8 pts
Proportion of casual employees - Original Aug 2019 20.1%
-0.8 pts(j)
-0.6 pts

(h) Change over 4 years (i) Change over 2 years (j) Change previous quarter

Wages and earnings

Indicator Period Value Change previous period Change same period last year
Average weekly cash earnings - Original May 2019 $1,275.60
1.1%(k)
2.6%
Average weekly ordinary time cash earnings, Full-time adult employees - Original May 2019 $1,681.60
1.8%(k)
3.1%
Median weekly cash earnings - Original May 2018 $1,110.00
na
$53.50(l)
Median hourly cash earnings, Non-managerial employees - Original May 2018 $32.00/hr
na
$1.70/hr(l)
Gender pay ratio(m) May 2018 89.4%
na
-1.5 pts(l)
Proportion of low-paid workers(n) - Original May 2018 16.2%
na
-0.6 pts(l)
Wage Price Index (2008-09 = 100.0) Jun Qtr 2019 132.0
0.5%
2.3%
  1. (k) Change over 6 month
  2. (l) Change over 2 years
  3. (m) Median hourly cash earnings, Non-managerial employees
  4. (n) Full-time employees earning less than 2/3 of full-time median cash earnings (OECD definition)

Workplace relations

Indicator Period Value Change previous period Change same period last year
Award coverage(o) - Original May 2018 21.8%
na
0.4 pts(p)
Proportion of trade union members - Original Aug 2018 14.6%
na
-1.0 pts(p)
Number of industrial disputes - Original June Qtr 2019 44
0
-4
Working days lost due to industrial disputes - Original June Qtr 2019 17,600 days
1,000 days
5,100 days
  1. (o) Employees paid by 'Award only', as a proportion of all employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises)
  2. (p) Change over 2 years