Employment & Wages•Series ID: GLFSPRSA•1978–2026
Labour Force Participation Rate - Historical Data
Tracks the structural expansion of the Australian workforce since 1978, driven by rising female workforce participation and older Australians remaining in work longer.
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (Sep 2026)
66.8%
Prev (Aug 2026): 67.0%-0.2 pp
Highest Recorded (Jan 2025)
67.2%
Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration
Lowest Recorded (Apr 1983)
60.1%
Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord
Long-Run Mean (1978–2026)
63.8%
49 annual observations · Monthly
Labour Force Participation Rate - Historical Series (1978–2026)
%Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full annual history (1978–2026) and recent monthly releases.
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Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (GLFSPRSA) Latest: 66.8 % (Sep 2026)
Labour Force Participation Rate by Decade (1978–2026)
Decade averages, peaks, and troughs across Australian economic cycles
1970s1978–1979
60.9%
High (1978):61.0%
Low (1979):60.7%
1980s1980–1989
61.4%
High (1989):63.1%
Low (1983):60.4%
1990s1990–1999
63.1%
High (1990):63.7%
Low (1993):62.5%
2000s2000–2009
64.2%
High (2008):65.5%
Low (2000):63.1%
2010s2010–2019
65.1%
High (2019):65.8%
Low (2014):64.7%
2020s2020–2026
66.3%
High (2024):66.9%
Low (2020):64.7%
Labour Force Participation Rate - Historical Table (1978–2026)
Unit: % · Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (GLFSPRSA)
| Year | Participation Rate (%) | Year Range (Low – High) | Historical Context / Year Snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 66.8% | 66.7% – 67.0% | The Australian Economy in 2026 → |
| 2025 | 66.9% | 66.6% – 67.2% | Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration |
| 2024 | 66.9% | 66.5% – 67.1% | The Australian Economy in 2024 → |
| 2023 | 66.7% | 66.4% – 67.0% | The Australian Economy in 2023 → |
| 2022 | 66.4% | 66.0% – 66.6% | Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle |
| 2021 | 65.5% | 64.4% – 65.9% | The Australian Economy in 2021 → |
| 2020 | 64.7% | 62.2% – 65.8% | COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor |
| 2019 | 65.8% | 65.5% – 66.0% | The Australian Economy in 2019 → |
| 2018 | 65.4% | 65.2% – 65.6% | The Australian Economy in 2018 → |
| 2017 | 65.0% | 64.5% – 65.6% | The Australian Economy in 2017 → |
| 2016 | 64.8% | 64.4% – 65.3% | The Australian Economy in 2016 → |
| 2015 | 65.0% | 64.8% – 65.2% | The Australian Economy in 2015 → |
| 2014 | 64.7% | 64.5% – 64.8% | The Australian Economy in 2014 → |
| 2013 | 64.9% | 64.5% – 65.3% | The Australian Economy in 2013 → |
| 2012 | 65.1% | 64.9% – 65.3% | The Australian Economy in 2012 → |
| 2011 | 65.4% | 65.1% – 65.8% | China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak |
| 2010 | 65.4% | 65.0% – 65.8% | The Australian Economy in 2010 → |
| 2009 | 65.4% | 65.2% – 65.7% | The Australian Economy in 2009 → |
| 2008 | 65.5% | 65.4% – 65.7% | Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts |
| 2007 | 65.2% | 64.9% – 65.5% | The Australian Economy in 2007 → |
| 2006 | 64.7% | 64.4% – 65.1% | The Australian Economy in 2006 → |
| 2005 | 64.4% | 64.0% – 64.6% | The Australian Economy in 2005 → |
| 2004 | 63.4% | 63.3% – 63.8% | The Australian Economy in 2004 → |
| 2003 | 63.5% | 63.3% – 64.0% | The Australian Economy in 2003 → |
| 2002 | 63.3% | 63.0% – 63.8% | The Australian Economy in 2002 → |
| 2001 | 63.3% | 62.9% – 63.6% | The Australian Economy in 2001 → |
| 2000 | 63.1% | 62.7% – 63.5% | Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 1999 | 62.8% | 62.5% – 63.1% | The Australian Economy in 1999 → |
| 1998 | 63.0% | 62.8% – 63.2% | The Australian Economy in 1998 → |
| 1997 | 63.1% | 62.9% – 63.4% | The Australian Economy in 1997 → |
| 1996 | 63.5% | 63.2% – 63.8% | The Australian Economy in 1996 → |
| 1995 | 63.5% | 63.1% – 64.0% | The Australian Economy in 1995 → |
| 1994 | 62.9% | 62.6% – 63.2% | The Australian Economy in 1994 → |
| 1993 | 62.5% | 62.1% – 62.9% | RBA formalises 2–3% inflation targeting |
| 1992 | 62.8% | 62.4% – 63.3% | The Australian Economy in 1992 → |
| 1991 | 63.1% | 62.7% – 63.7% | Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have") |
| 1990 | 63.7% | 63.5% – 64.1% | Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate) |
| 1989 | 63.1% | 62.7% – 63.5% | The Australian Economy in 1989 → |
| 1988 | 62.3% | 61.8% – 62.8% | The Australian Economy in 1988 → |
| 1987 | 61.9% | 61.5% – 62.3% | October 1987 sharemarket crash |
| 1986 | 61.8% | 61.4% – 62.1% | The Australian Economy in 1986 → |
| 1985 | 60.8% | 60.3% – 61.6% | The Australian Economy in 1985 → |
| 1984 | 60.5% | 60.3% – 60.7% | The Australian Economy in 1984 → |
| 1983 | 60.4% | 60.1% – 60.6% | Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord |
| 1982 | 60.8% | 60.5% – 61.1% | Early 1980s recession & drought |
| 1981 | 61.1% | 60.8% – 61.3% | The Australian Economy in 1981 → |
| 1980 | 61.3% | 61.0% – 61.5% | The Australian Economy in 1980 → |
| 1979 | 60.7% | 60.4% – 61.0% | The Australian Economy in 1979 → |
| 1978 | 61.0% | 60.6% – 61.2% | The Australian Economy in 1978 → |
Related Australian Economic Statistics
Australian Unemployment RateEmployment & Wages · 1950–2026
4.7%Sep 2026
Total Employed Persons & Employment GrowthEmployment & Wages · 1979–2026
1.2%Sep 2026
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27.92M2026 Q1
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Source Information & Methodology
- Primary Institution:
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
- Dataset / Publication:
- Labour Force Participation Rate (Seasonally Adjusted)
- Series / Table ID:
- RBA Statistical Table H5 (GLFSPRSA)
- Release Frequency:
- Monthly
• Primary source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - Labour Force Participation Rate (Seasonally Adjusted) (RBA Statistical Table H5).
• Observation frequency: Monthly. Annual table values represent calendar year averages.
• Series coverage spans 1978 to 2026 (49 annual observations).
APA Citation:Reserve Bank of Australia & Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2026). Labour Force Participation Rate (Seasonally Adjusted) (H5: GLFSPRSA). Retrieved October 2026 from https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/tables/
Frequently Asked Questions: Labour Force Participation Rate
- What is the current Labour Force Participation Rate?
- As of Sep 2026, the latest recorded Labour Force Participation Rate is 66.8 (%), compared with 67.0 in Aug 2026.
- What is the highest and lowest Labour Force Participation Rate ever recorded in Australia?
- Across the historical series (1978–2026), the highest observation was 67.2 (%) in Jan 2025, while the lowest was 60.1 (%) in Apr 1983. The long-run historical average is 63.8.
- Where is the official Labour Force Participation Rate data sourced from?
- This series is compiled from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (Labour Force Participation Rate (Seasonally Adjusted), Series ID: GLFSPRSA) and is updated on a monthly basis under CC BY 4.0 International / RBA Terms.