Employment & Wages
Track the evolution of Australia’s labour market from post-war full employment through the structural shifts of the 1970s–1990s to today’s record participation rates, alongside nominal and real wage benchmarks.
Australian Unemployment Rate - Historical Series (1950–2026)
%Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full annual history (1950–2026) and recent monthly releases.
All Employment & Wages Reference Series
Australian Unemployment Rate
Seasonally adjusted percentage of the Australian labour force actively seeking work since 1950.
Labour Force Participation Rate
Share of the civilian working-age population (15+) either employed or actively looking for work.
Total Employed Persons & Employment Growth
Year-ended percentage growth in total employed persons across Australia.
Full-Time Employed Persons
Total number of Australians employed full-time (35 hours or more per week) since 1978.
Underemployment Rate
Share of the Australian labour force employed part-time who want and are available to work more hours.
Youth Unemployment Rate (Aged 15–24)
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Australians aged 15 to 24 years since 1978.
Australian Job Vacancies
Total number of vacant positions available for immediate filling across private and public employers.
Wage Price Index (WPI) Annual Growth
Year-ended growth in ordinary time hourly rates of pay (excluding bonuses) across Australia.
Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE)
Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings in Australian dollars.
Non-Farm Labour Productivity Growth
Year-ended percentage change in real output (GDP) per hour worked in the non-farm sector.