Unemployment in Australia

Unemployment Benefit in Australia

Centrelink support Australian jobseekers with a range of payments, but for most people there is a 2 year waiting period after arriving as a migrant:

• Youth Allowance - for full-time students aged 16 to 24 OR unemployed people aged under 21.
  
• Newstart Allowance - for people aged over 21 who are unemployed or are temporarily unable to work due to illness, injury or disability.
  

There is an income Test for any Unemployment Benefit, and that test takes into account you AND your partners income. This can be checked at:

• www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/factors/income.htm

For more information on payments for jobseekers go to Payments while you are looking for work.

• www.centrelink.gov.au/.../work_payments.htm

Unemployment Statistics in Australia

Trend Unemployment Rate

May 2009 = 5.7% or Seasonally adjusted = 5.7x%
April 2009 = 5.5% or Seasonally adjusted = 5.4%
March 2009 = 5.4% or Seasonally adjusted = 5.7%
February 2009 = 4.9% or Seasonally adjusted = 5.2% (UK was 6.7%)
January 2009 = 4.8% or Seasonally adjusted = 4.8% (UK was 6.5%)
December 2008 = 4.4% or Seasonally adjusted = 4.5%
December 2004 = 5.1% or Seasonally adjusted = 5.1%
December 1998 = 7.5% or Seasonally adjusted = 7.3%
December 1994 = 9.0% or Seasonally adjusted = 8.8%
Based on Trend & Seasonally adjusted Estimates from Australian Bureau of Statistics & www.statistics.gov.uk





May 2009

• More May 2009 information....



April 2009

(Trend Estimates)
Employment decreased to 10,790,600
Unemployment increased to 630,800
Unemployment Rate increased to 5.5% (or Seasonally adjusted = 5.4%)
Participation Rate increased to 65.5%

Australian Unemployment Actual Numbers (Original figures April 2009)


Unemployed - looking for full-time work

• New South Wales
  100,900 Male
  65,600 Female
  
• Victoria
  67,000 Male
  41,300 Female
  
• Queensland;
  61,300 Male
  33,700 Female
  
• South Australia
  20,900 Male
  11,100 Female
  
• Western Australia
  21,600 Male
  18,400 Female
  
• Tasmania
  5,800 Male
  2,900 Female
  
• Northern Territory
  3,400 Male
  1,800 Female
  
• Australian Capital Territory
  2,100 Male
  2,300 Female
  
• Australia
  283,100 Male
  177,100 Female
  
• More April 2009 information....

  March 2009

  (Trend Estimates)
  Employment decreased to 10,792,300
  Unemployment increased to 612,800
  Unemployment Rate increased to 5.4%
  Participation Rate increased to 65.5%
  
  Australian Unemployment Actual Numbers (Original figures March 2009)
  

  Unemployed - looking for full-time work

  • New South Wales
    103,600 Male
    73,400 Female
    
  • Victoria
    73,000 Male
    44,500 Female
    
  • Queensland;
    59,200 Male
    34,700 Female
    
  • South Australia
    22,300 Male
    11,100 Female
    
  • Western Australia
    27,800 Male
    16,100 Female
    
  • Tasmania
    5,000 Male
    3,200 Female
    
  • Northern Territory
    2,400 Male
    2,100 Female
    
  • Australian Capital Territory
    1,800 Male
    2,100 Female
    
  • Australia
    294,900 Male
    187,100 Female
    
    
  
  

  February 2009

  (Trend Estimates)
  Employment increased to 10,811,700
  Unemployment increased to 561,100
  Unemployment Rate increased to 4.9%
  Participation Rate increased to 65.4%
  
  http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/6202.0?OpenDocument
  
  

  January 2009

  Unemployment in the US has reached 7.6 per cent, for the euro area it is 8 per cent, in the UK it is 6.3 per cent and in Canada it is 7.2 per cent.
  
  January 2009 Unemployment (seasonally adjusted) rates in each Australian State:
  
  • New South Wales, increased from 5.2 per cent to 5.4 per cent.
    
  • Victoria, increased from 4.6 per cent to 4.8 per cent.
    
  • Queensland, increased from 3.9 per cent to 4.4 per cent.
    
  • South Australia, increased from 5.4 per cent to 5.6 per cent.
    
  • Western Australia, increased from 2.9 per-cent to 3.2 per cent.
    
  • Tasmania fell from 4.8 per cent to 4.5 per cent.
    
  • Northern Territory increased from 4 per cent to 4.2 per cent.
    
  • ACT, unchanged at 2.6 per cent.
    

Unemployment Rate - looking for full-time work. Male & Female

Seasonally Adjusted figures

6.82% Mar-2000
6.58% Mar-2001
6.67% Mar-2002
6.51% Mar-2003
5.52% Mar-2004
5.11% Mar-2005
4.80% Mar-2006
4.27% Mar-2007
3.87% Mar-2008
5.70% Mar-2009

January 2009 Unemployed and Looking for Full Time Work

Trend Unemployment Rates

• Male 223,000 4.3%
  
• Female 142,900 5.1%
  
• Total 365,900 4.6%
  

Total Full Time Employed

• Male 4,998,900
  
• Female 2,657,600
  
• Total 7,656,600
  

January 2009 Unemployed and Looking for Full or Part Time Work

Trend Unemployment Rates

• Male 283,000 4.6%
  
• Female 238,200 4.7%
  
• Total 521,200 4.6%
  

Total Employed

• Male 5,883,000
  
• Female 4,862,400
  
• Total 10,745,400
  

Unemployment Statistics

• Australia: Unemployed persons are defined by the ABS as those civilians aged 15 years and over who, during a period of one week (called the reference week), were not employed, but were available to start work in the reference week and had actively looked for work in the previous four weeks. It should be noted that ABS definitions of employment and unemployment conform with International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards. The ‘one hour criterion’ in the definition of employment is considered fundamental to the ILO definition of unemployment, which refers to a situation of being completely without work. http://aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2006-07/07rn18.htm
  
  
• UK Official estimates of unemployment are produced by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) based upon the ILO (International Labour Organization) definition. Unemployment is a count of jobless people who want to work, are available to work, and are actively seeking employment. The ILO definition is used internationally, so comparisons between countries can be made, and it also allows for consistent comparisons over time. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=165
  

Labour Force Trend Statistics for ages 15 & Over in Queensland for December 2008

December Jobs in Queensland

Full time dropped by 2,800
Part time Increased by 4,200
Total Jobs increased by 1,400 (error of 100 is recorded in original source figures)


December Jobs for MALES in Queensland

Full time dropped by 600
Part time Increased by 500
Total Jobs for MALES dropped by 100


December Jobs for FEMALES in Queensland

Full time dropped by 2,200
Part time Increased by 3,800
Total Jobs for FEMALES increased by 1,600


Queensland Male Full Time from Jan 2008 to Dec 2008

Jan-08 1,012,300
Feb-08 1,011,100
Mar-08 1,011,500
Apr-08 1,014,200
May-08 1,019,200
Jun-08 1,025,700
Jul-08 1,032,300
Aug-08 1,037,400
Sep-08 1,040,600
Oct-08 1,042,300
Nov-08 1,043,300
Dec-08 1,042,700


Annual changes in Full Time Male Jobs in Queensland

Dec-06 986,100
Dec-07 1,013,600 + 2.79%
Dec-08 1,042,700 + 2.87%

Local Area Unemployment rates December 2008 in Brisbane Area

Brisbane
Overall area
3.6% Unemployment Rate
73.2% Employment Rate (15-64)

Sub Area's
North Brisbane
2.3% Unemployment Rate
77.5% Employment Rate (15-64)

South East Brisbane
2.7% Unemployment Rate
77.0% Employment Rate (15-64)

Redcliffe Caboolture
3.4% Unemployment Rate
70.4% Employment Rate (15-64)

South West Brisbane
3.5% Unemployment Rate
73.0% Employment Rate (15-64)

Gold Coast
4.0% Unemployment Rate
72.7% Employment Rate (15-64)

Ipswich
4.2% Unemployment Rate
68.1% Employment Rate (15-64)

Sunshine Coast
4.4% Unemployment Rate
69.8% Employment Rate (15-64)

Logan
5.5% Unemployment Rate
70.7% Employment Rate (15-64)

Employment Statistics

Trend Estimates of Employed persons from abs.gov.au

October 2005 4,716,900 Full time employees
809,000 Part Time Employees
5,525,900 Total

October 2006 4,787,000 Full time employees up 1.49% in last 12 months
867,900 Part Time Employees up 7.28% in last 12 months
5,654,900 Total

October 2007 4,939,600 Full time employees up 3.19% in last 12 months
867,800 Part Time Employees Down -0.01% in last 12 months
5,807,400 Total

October 2008 5,038,400 Full time employees up 2.00% in last 12 months
867,500 Part Time Employees Down -0.03% in last 12 months
5,905,900 Total

Employment Rates

December 2008

Trend Estimates
Employment decreased to 10,749,400
Unemployment increased to 498,100
Unemployment Rate increased to 4.4%
Participation Rate decreased to 65.0%




November 2008

Trend Estimates
Employment increased to 10,756,800
Unemployment increased to 488,600
Unemployment Rate increased to 4.3%
Participation Rate decreased to 65.1%




Sept 2008

Trend Estimates
Employment increased to 10,737,000
Unemployment decreased to 474,100
Unemployment Rate remained steady at 4.2%
Participation Rate remained steady at 65.2%




June 2008

Employment
71.5% Full-time employment 7,664,600
28.5% Part-time employment 3,051,100.

Unemployment Rate
Australia 4.2%. (Male 4.0% : Female 4.5%)

Participation rateJune 2008 65.2%

The participation rate is the labour force (employed plus unemployed persons) expressed as a percentage of the civilian population 15 years and over.
This does not relate to Unemployment, as the unemployed are included in the figures.
It does however mean that the remainder are not looking for work; maybe they are retired, or financially secure enough to not need work.
http://www.abs.gov.au/.../6202.0?OpenDocument



November 2007

Employment
71.8% Full-time employment 7,594,200
28.2% Part-time employment 2,989,000.

Unemployment Rate
Australia 4.5%. (Male 4.2% : Female 4.9%)
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/.../62020_nov%202007.pdf



November 2000

Employment
74% Full-time employment 6,698,800
26% Part-time employment 2,348,300

Unemployment Rate
Australia 6.6% :
NSW 5.8%; Vic 6.1%; Qld 7.9%; SA 7.7%; WA 6.5%; Tas 9.2%.
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/.../62020_nov%202000.pdf



December 1998

Employment
74% Full-time employment 6,432,800
26% Part-time employment 2,258,700.

Unemployment Rate
Australia 7.5% :
(NSW 6.7%; Vic. 7.4%; Qld 8.4%; SA 9.2% WA 7.3% ; Tas. 10.3%)
http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/.../62020_Dec%201998.pdf



Links

• Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Catalogue 6202.0
• UK Employment Statistics