Labour force [H5]

H5 LABOUR FORCE

The data on labour force and hours worked are from ABS Cat No 6202.0.

The 'Labour force' is the sum of employed persons and unemployed persons.

The ‘Participation rate’ is the percentage of the civilian population aged 15 years and over that is in the labour force.

The 'Employment to population ratio' is the percentage of the civilian population aged 15 years and over that is employed.

The ‘Unemployment rate’ is unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force.

‘Total hours worked’ measures the total number of actual hours worked by employed persons in a calendar month.

‘Average hours worked’ measures average weekly hours worked per employed person. It is calculated as total hours worked divided by employment, and converted into weekly terms.

The data on ‘Job vacancies’ are from ABS Cat No 6354.0. The data are derived from a sample survey drawn from all employers in Australia, except the farm sector, private households and overseas diplomatic missions. Vacancies do not include those in the defence force or those located outside Australia. This series was discontinued by the ABS from August 2008 to August 2009 and subsequently reinstated for the November 2009 reference period.

Five trend series ('Year-ended employment trend growth', 'Unemployment rate trend', 'Hours worked trend', 'Year-ended hours worked trend growth' and 'Average hours worked trend') were reinstated by the ABS for the October 2022 reference period.