Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment unexpectedly was at 5.5 percent in April 2021, compared with market consensus and the prior months's figure of 5.6 percent. This was the lowest jobless rate since March 2020, as the economy recovered further from the COVID-19 hit. The number of unemployed declined 33,600 to 756.2 thousand, as people looking for full-time work was down by 26,000 to 527,100 and those looking for only part-time work fell 7,500 to 229,200. Also, employment unexpectedly fell 30,600 to 13.04 million, missing forecasts of a 15,000 gain, with part-time employment decreasing 74,400 while full-time employment rising by 33,800. The participation rate unexpectedly dropped 0.3 points to a six-month low of 66.0 percent, missing forecasts of 66.3 percent. The underemployment rate fell 0.2 points to 7.8 percent, and the underutilization rate decreased 0.4 points to 13.3 percent. Monthly hours worked in all jobs fell 13 million, or 0.7%, to 1,793 million hours. source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Unemployment Rate in Australia averaged 6.79 percent from 1978 until 2021, reaching an all time high of 11.20 percent in December of 1992 and a record low of 4 percent in February of 2008. This page provides - Australia Unemployment Rate at 5.8% in December - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Australia Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2021.

Unemployment Rate in Australia is expected to be 5.50 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Unemployment Rate in Australia to stand at 4.80 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Australia Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 4.50 percent in 2022 and 4.00 percent in 2023, according to our econometric models.

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Australia Unemployment Rate

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5.50 5.60 11.20 4.00 1978 - 2021 percent Monthly
SA


Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2021-02-18 12:30 AM Jan 6.4% 6.6% 6.5% 6.5%
2021-03-18 12:30 AM Feb 5.8% 6.4% 6.3% 6.3%
2021-04-15 01:30 AM Mar 5.6% 5.8% 5.7% 5.8%
2021-05-20 01:30 AM Apr 5.5% 5.6% 5.6% 5.5%
2021-06-17 01:30 AM May 5.5% 5.5% 5.5%
2021-07-15 01:30 AM Jun 5.5%
2021-08-13 01:30 AM Jul
2021-09-17 01:30 AM Aug
Go to our Calendar for more events. Or learn more about the Calendar API for direct access.


News Stream
Australia Jobless Rate Falls to 13-Month Low
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment unexpectedly was at 5.5 percent in April 2021, compared with market consensus and the prior months's figure of 5.6 percent. This was the lowest jobless rate since March 2020, as the economy recovered further from the COVID-19 hit. The number of unemployed declined 33,600 to 756.2 thousand, as people looking for full-time work was down by 26,000 to 527,100 and those looking for only part-time work fell 7,500 to 229,200. Also, employment unexpectedly fell 30,600 to 13.04 million, missing forecasts of a 15,000 gain, with part-time employment decreasing 74,400 while full-time employment rising by 33,800. The participation rate unexpectedly dropped 0.3 points to a six-month low of 66.0 percent, missing forecasts of 66.3 percent. The underemployment rate fell 0.2 points to 7.8 percent, and the underutilization rate decreased 0.4 points to 13.3 percent. Monthly hours worked in all jobs fell 13 million, or 0.7%, to 1,793 million hours.
2021-05-20
Australia Jobless Rate Lowest in a Year
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent in March 2021, the lowest in a year and slightly below market consensus of 5.7 percent, as the economy recovered further from the disruption caused by COVID-19. The number of unemployed declined 27,100 to 778.1 thousand, while employment grew 70,700 to a record high of 13.078 million, easily beating market forecasts of a 35,000 increase, with part-time employment advancing 91,500 and full-time employment falling by 20,800. The participation rate unexpectedly rose 0.2 points to a record peak of 66.3 percent, also beating forecasts of 66.1 percent. The underemployment rate dropped 0.6 points to 7.9 percent, and the underutilization rate decreased 0.8 points to 13.5 percent. Monthly hours worked in all jobs were higher than March 2020, for the first time during the COVID period.
2021-04-15
Australia Jobless Rate Falls to 11-Month Low
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.8% in February 2021 from 6.4% a month earlier and below market consensus of 6.3%. This was the lowest jobless rate since March 2020, as the economy recovered further from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 shocks. The number of unemployed declined by 69,900 to 805,200 people, as people looking for full-time work was down by 39,800 to 576,700 and those looking for only part-time work decreased by 30,100 to 228,500. Employment grew by 88,700 to a one-year high of 13,006,900, easily beating market estimates of an increase of 30,000, as full-time employment went up by 89,100 to 8,895,000, while part-time employment dropped 500 to 4,111,900. The participation rate stayed at 66.1% and below forecasts of 66.2%. The underemployment rate rose 0.4 points to 8.5%, and the underutilization rate fell 0.1 points to 14.4%. Monthly hours worked in all jobs gained 102 million hours, or 6.1% to 1,767 million hours.
2021-03-18
Australia Jobless Rate Drops to 9-Month Low
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 6.4% in January of 2021 from 6.6% a month earlier and below market consensus of 6.5%. This was the lowest jobless rate since April, as the economy emerged gradually from the COVID-19 shocks. The number of unemployed declined by 34,300 to 877,600 people, as people looking for full-time work was down by 40,300 to 618,400 and those looking for only part-time work decreased by 5,900 to 259,200. Employment grew by 29,100 to 12,939,900, missing market estimates of an increase of 40,000, as full-time employment went up by 59,000 to 8,820,400, while part-time employment dropped 29,800 to 4,119,500. The participation rate was at 66.1%, compared with forecasts and December's 16-month high of 66.2%. The underemployment rate fell 0.4 points to 8.1%, and the underutilization rate dropped 0.6 points to 14.5%. Monthly hours worked in all jobs fell 86 million hours, or 4.9% to 1,667 million hours.
2021-02-18

Australia Unemployment Rate
In Australia, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.