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LEARN MORE ABOUT .id79,647 people living in Cairns in 2021 were employed, of which 58% worked full-time and 35% part-time.
Cairns'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 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2006 | Change | ||||
| Labour force status | Number | % | Regional QLD % | Number | % | Regional QLD % | 2006 to 2021 |
| Total labour force (Participation rate) | 84,501 | 62.5 | 59.1 | 65,523 | 65.9 | 60.0 | +18,978 |
| Not in the labour force | 38,051 | 28.2 | 33.2 | 24,378 | 24.5 | 32.5 | +13,673 |
| Labour force status not stated | 12,548 | 9.3 | 7.7 | 9,460 | 9.5 | 7.4 | +3,088 |
| Total persons aged 15+ | 135,100 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 99,361 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +35,739 |
Dominant groups
The size of Cairns's labour force in 2021 was 84,501, of which 27,791 were employed part-time and 46,588 were full time workers.
Analysis of the employment status (as a percentage of the labour force) in Cairns in 2021 compared to Regional QLD shows that there was a lower proportion in employment, and a higher proportion unemployed. Overall, 94.3% of the labour force was employed, and 5.7% unemployed, compared with 94.8% and 5.2% respectively for Regional QLD.
Analysis of the labour force participation rate of the population in Cairns in 2021 shows that there was a higher proportion in the labour force (62.5%) compared with Regional QLD (59.1%).
Emerging groups
Between 2006 and 2021, the number of people employed in Cairns showed an increase of 16,934, and the number unemployed showed an increase of 2,044. In the same period, the number of people in the labour force showed an increase of 18,978 or 29.0%.
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