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AustraliaCommunity profile

Australia

Employment status

12,049,397 people living in Australia in 2021 were employed, of which 59% worked full-time and 33% part-time.

Australia's employment statistics are an important indicator of socio-economic status. The levels of full or part-time employment, unemployment and labour force participation indicate the strength of the local economy and social characteristics of the population. Employment status is linked to a number of factors including Age Structure, which influences the number of people in the workforce; the economic base and employment opportunities available in the area and; the education and skill base of the population (Occupations, Industries, Qualifications).

The two most important measures are:

  • Unemployment rate - the number of people looking for work, as a percentage of the labour force (employed and unemployed over 15)
  • Participation rate - the labour force expressed as a percentage of the total population over 15

Please note that in the 2021 Census, due to the COVID pandemic and lockdowns in many areas, the proportion of people who were employed but away from work in the week before Census has increased. We have no information on whether these people were normally employed full or part time so this is shown separately.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'Last week did the person have a full time or part time job of any kind?'

Labour force status
Australia - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)20212016Change
Labour force statusNumber%Greater Adelaide %Number%Greater Adelaide %2016 to 2021
Total labour force (Participation rate)12,695,82661.161.711,471,29460.359.5+1,224,532
Not in the labour force6,888,08533.134.46,297,59533.135.6+590,490
Labour force status not stated1,200,8515.83.91,268,3826.74.9-67,531
Total persons aged 15+20,784,762100.0100.019,037,293100.0100.0+1,747,469
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Employment status
Australia - Persons in the labour force (Usual residence)20212016Change
Employment statusNumber%Greater Adelaide %Number%Greater Adelaide %2016 to 2021
Employed12,049,39794.994.510,683,83893.192.3+1,365,559
Employed full-time7,095,09355.954.36,623,07157.754.0+472,022
Employed part-time3,962,54431.235.13,491,50130.433.5+471,043
Employed, away from work991,7607.85.2569,2665.04.8+422,494
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)646,4295.15.5787,4566.97.7-141,027
Looking for full-time work350,1782.82.9447,6523.94.4-97,474
Looking for part-time work296,2512.32.6339,8043.03.3-43,553
Total labour force12,695,826100.0100.011,471,294100.0100.0+1,224,532
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

The size of Australia's labour force in 2021 was 12,695,826, of which 3,962,544 were employed part-time and 7,095,093 were full time workers.

Analysis of the employment status (as a percentage of the labour force) in Australia in 2021 compared to Greater Adelaide shows that there was a similar proportion in employment, as well as a similar proportion unemployed. Overall, 94.9% of the labour force was employed, and 5.1% unemployed, compared with 94.5% and 5.5% respectively for Greater Adelaide.

Analysis of the labour force participation rate of the population in Australia in 2021 shows that there was a lower proportion in the labour force (61.1%) compared with Greater Adelaide (61.7%).

Emerging groups

Between 2016 and 2021, the number of people employed in Australia showed an increase of 1,365,559, and the number unemployed showed a decrease of 141,027. In the same period, the number of people in the labour force showed an increase of 1,224,532 or 10.7%.

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