Unemployment rate update

Unemployment rate falls, April 2011

The unemployment rate in Australia was last reported at 4.9 percent in March of 2011. The seasonally adjusted rate decreased 0.1 percent to 4.9 per cent in March, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on April 7. The number of people unemployed decreased by 10,200 people to 592,900 in March.

The ABS reported the number of people employed increased 37,800 people to 11.457 million in March. This is always a mix of full time and part time however there was an increase in full time employment, up 32,100 people to 8.106 million.

Labour force participation was 65.8 per cent in March, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from February.The labour force is defined as the number of people employed plus the number unemployed but seeking work.

From 1978 until 2010, Australia’s Unemployment Rate averaged 7.11 percent reaching an historical high of 10.90 percent in December of 1992 and a record low of 4.00 percent in February of 2008. The nonlabour force includes those who are not looking for work, those who are institutionalised and those serving in the military.

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