LABOR MARKET – AUSTRALIA

Overall Australian unemployment and under-employment at 3.46 million in December – 13 months straight above 3 million

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Jan-26

In December 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment increased by 41,000 to 1,669,000 (up 0.2%, to 10.4% of the workforce). More people were looking for full-time work in December (up 68,000 to 667,000), although there were fewer people looking for part-time work (down 27,000 to 1,002,000). In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.79 million Australians (11.1% of the workforce, up 0.4%) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (up 78,000 from November). In total 3.46 million Australians (21.5% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in December. Meanwhile, employment increased by 89,000 to 14,428,000; Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at 16,097,000 in December (up 130,000 on a month ago), and representing 69.2% of Australians aged 14+.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Overall Australian unemployment and under-employment at 3.34 million in November – 12 months straight above 3 million

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Dec-25

In November 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment was virtually unchanged at 1,628,000 (10.2% of the workforce). There were fewer people looking for full-time work (down 89,000 to 599,000), which was largely offset by the rise in people looking for part-time work (up 80,000 to 1,029,000). In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.71 million Australians (10.7% of the workforce, up 0.3%) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (63,000 from October). In total 3.34 million Australians (20.9% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in November. Meanwhile, employment increased by 119,000 to 14,339,000; Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at 15,967,000 in November, up 110,000 on a month ago, and representing 68.8% of Australians aged 14+.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Sydney and Brisbane CBD workers surge while Melbourne struggles to regain pre-pandemic heights

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 1-Oct-25

Roy Morgan research reveals that Australia’s central business district workforces have seen strong long-term growth over the past two decades, with most CBDs now surpassing their pre-pandemic peaks. Just 974,000 Australians worked in CBDs in 2003-04. Since then, the total has more than doubled to a record 2.2 million in 2024-25, driven largely by Australia’s population growth. Melbourne’s CBD workforce expanded significantly over the past two decades, more than doubling from 246,000 in 2003-04 to 614,000 in 2019-20. However, the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on Melbourne compared with other capitals. Worker numbers declined by nearly 100,000 within two years, reaching 519,000 in 2021-22, largely due to extended lockdowns and slower office re-entry. The workforce has since recovered to 577,000 but remains 37,000 below the pre-pandemic peak. Meanwhile, Sydney’s CBD workforce has surged from 283,000 workers in 2003-04 to 670,000 in 2024-25, rebounding strongly after a small pandemic dip and cementing its position as Australia’s largest CBD workforce. Brisbane’s CBD workforce has more than doubled, from 125,000 to 320,000, with rapid post-pandemic growth.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

In August Australian unemployment increased 0.8% to 11.1%, while under-employment was unchanged at 10.9%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Sep-25

In August 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment rose by 132,000 to 1,776,000 (up 0.8% to 11.1% of the workforce). The rise in unemployment was driven by more people looking for part-time work (up 152,000 to 1,101,000), although there were fewer people looking for full-time work (down 20,000 to 675,000). In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.74 million Australians (10.9% of the workforce, unchanged) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (up 5,000 from July). In total, 3.52 million Australians (22.0% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in August. Meanwhile, employment dropped 70,000 to 14,216,000; Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at 15,992,000 in August, up 62,000 on a month ago, and representing 69.2% of Australians aged 14+.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

More than 6.7 million Australians work from home

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Aug-25

New research from Roy Morgan shows that over 6.7 million Australians (representing 46% of employed Australians) work from home at least some of the time, paid or unpaid. The remaining 54% work entirely in-person. A slim majority of full-time employees (51%) work from home at least some of the time, compared to 36% of part-time employees. Australians living in capital cities are more likely to work from home than those who live in regional areas. A majority of workers from Australia’s largest cities of Sydney (55%) and Melbourne (52%) work from home, as do 51% in the nation’s capital in Canberra/ACT. Working from home rates are lower in the smaller capital cities led by Hobart (45%) and Adelaide (44%), and followed by Brisbane (43%) and Perth (40%). In contrast, regional areas show lower adoption of working from home, led by Queensland (40%), (NSW 39%) and Victoria (37%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

In July Australian unemployment was virtually unchanged at 10.3%, but under-employment surged to 10.9%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Aug-25

In July 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment fell by 10,000 to 1,644,000 (down 0.1% to 10.3% of the workforce). The small dip in unemployment was driven by fewer people looking for part-time work (down 157,000 to 949,000), which was offset by people looking for full-time work (up 147,000 to 695,000). In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.74 million Australians (up 1% to 10.9% of the workforce) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (up 158,000 from June). In total, 3.38 million Australians (21.2% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in July. Meanwhile, Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at 15,930,000 in July, up 43,000 on a month ago, and representing 69% of Australians aged 14+.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED

AI a Trojan horse for IR rules, business warns

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 23-Jul-25

A recent survey by KPMG found that Australians have lower levels of artificial intelligence use, training and confidence than their global peers. Meanwhile, business leaders are concerned that the union movement will use the federal government’s upcoming productivity summit to argue for increased workplace regulation due to the growing adoption of AI technologies. Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black says the business community will oppose any attempt to use to summit to further shift the balance of power in workplaces from employers to unions.

CORPORATES
KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Non-market job boom a drag on productivity

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 16-Jul-25

The Department of Employment & Workplace Relations has warned that a rapidly expanding ‘non-market sector’ presents a challenge for the federal government. The department’s briefing for incoming Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth also notes that overall productivity growth has been impacted by the non-market sector’s increasing share of the economy. This sector includes the health care and social assistance, education and training and public administration and safety industries; it includes both public and private service providers that receive government funding. Four out of five jobs created in the last two years have been in this sector, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

In June Australian unemployment dropped to 10.4% driven by rise in new jobs – especially full-time jobs

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Jul-25

In June 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment fell by 61,000 to 1,654,000 (down 0.5% to 10.4% of the workforce), a second straight monthly fall. The decrease in unemployment was driven by fewer people looking for both full-time work (down 18,000 to 548,000) and part-time work (down 43,000 to 1,106,000). In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.58 million Australians (9.9% of the workforce) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (up 143,000 from May). In total, 3.23 million Australians (20.3% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in June. Meanwhile, Roy Morgan estimates that the overall workforce size (which adds together both the employed and unemployed) at 15,887,000 in June, up 147,000 on a month ago and representing 68.8% of Australians aged 14+. Employment increased by 208,000 to 14,233,000; this was driven by a significant increase in full-time employment (up 229,000 to 9,211,000); however, part-time employment dropped 21,000 to 5,022,000.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

In April Australian unemployment increased to 11.2% driven primarily by more people joining the workforce

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-May-25

In April 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment increased by 176,000 to 1,780,000 (up 1%, to 11.2% of the workforce), with more people joining the workforce and overall employment dropping. The expansion in the workforce was the main driver of the increase in unemployment with 156,000 people joining the workforce, lifting the number of Australians in the workforce to 15,946,000 (69.4% of Australians aged 14+). Overall employment fell slightly by 20,000 to 14,166,000; the decrease was driven by a drop in full-time employment (down 291,000 to 9,094,000), although part-time employment grew 271,000 to 5,072,000. In addition to the unemployed, 1.47 million Australians (9.2% of the workforce) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work (up 43,000 from March). In total 3.25 million Australians (20.4% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in April. Roy Morgan’s unemployment figure of 11.2% is clearly more than double the ABS estimate of 4.1% for March, but is in line with the combined ABS unemployment and under-employment figure of 10.0%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS