The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) launched the newest labour power information at the moment (APRIL 16, 2026) – Labour Pressure, Australia – for March 2026 – which confirmed that the labour market steadied after final month’s contraction. Whereas employment progress remained optimistic and was dominated by full-time work positive aspects (as part-time employment fell), the truth that the participation price fell helped hold the unemployment price secure. There are actually 10.1 per cent of accessible labour not getting used (both unemployed or underemployment), which makes a farce of the RBA’s claims that the labour market is tight. There’s substantial scope for extra job creation given the slack that’s current. Nevertheless, if the worldwide scenario doesn’t enhance shortly then that slack will enhance sharply.
The abstract seasonally-adjusted statistics for March 2026 are:
- Employment rose 17,900 (0.1 per cent).
- Full-time employment rose 52,500 (0.5 per cent).
- Half-time employment fell 34,600 (-0.7 per cent).
- Unemployment fell 3,700 to 656,300.
- The unemployment price was secure on 4.3 per cent.
- The participation price fell 0.1 factors to 66.8 per cent.
- The Employment-population ratio was regular on 64 per cent (0.04 fall at second decimal place).
- Month-to-month hours labored rose 9.2 million (0.46 per cent).
- Underemployment was regular on 5.9 per cent (rising 11 thousand to 915 thousand).
- The Broad Labour Underutilisation price (the sum of unemployment and underemployment) rose 0.04 factors to 10.2 per cent.
- Total, there are 1,571.3 thousand individuals both unemployed or underemployed.
The ABS press launch – Unemployment price stays at 4.3% in March – famous that:
The seasonally adjusted unemployment price remained at 4.3 per cent in March …
… while the participation price fell by 0.1 proportion factors to 66.8 per cent….
Development in employment was pushed by full-time employees, which rose by 53,000 individuals in March. This was partly offset by a fall in part-time employment of 35,000 individuals …
This month individuals labored 9.2 million extra hours, with full-time hours rising by 7.1 million and part-time hours rising by 2.1 million hours …
Abstract
1. Pretty regular with the expansion in full-time work being a vivid level whereas the drop in participation was an offset.
2. Whole labour underutilisation (sum of unemployment and underemployment) rose to 10.2 per cent, which signifies the extent of the wastage.
Employment progress maintains tempo with shrinking provide as participation falls
- Employment rose 17,900 (0.1 per cent).
- Full-time employment rose 52,500 (0.5 per cent).
- Half-time employment fell 34,600 (-0.7 per cent).
The next graph reveals the expansion in complete, full-time, and part-time employment for the final 24 months.
The next desk reveals the shifts during the last 6 months which helps to see the underlying pattern.
The Employment-to-Inhabitants ratio supplies a measure of the state of the labour market that’s impartial of the availability shifts within the labour market (pushed by the shifts within the participation price).
The underlying working age inhabitants grows steadily whereas the labour power shifts with each underlying inhabitants progress and the participation swings.
The next graph reveals the Employment-Inhabitants ratio was secure on 64 per cent.
The subsequent graphs present the typical month-to-month change in complete employment (first graph) and full- and part-time employment (second graph).
For complete employment the month-to-month common modifications have been:
- 2022 – 44.8 thousand
- 2023 – 30.8 thousand
- 2024 – 32.2 thousand
- 2025 – 12.7 thousand
- 2026 thus far – 31 thousand
Month-to-month hours labored rose 9.2 million (0.46 per cent) in March 2026
Stronger on the again of progress in full-time employment.
The next graph reveals the expansion in month-to-month hours labored for the final 24 months, with the straight line being a easy linear regression to point pattern.
Unemployment fell 3,700 to 656,300 in March 2026
The unemployment price was secure on 4.3 per cent.
Primarily, labour demand simply stored tempo with the availability facet which shrank a bit as participation fell by 0.1 level.
The next graph reveals the evolution of the official unemployment price since 1980.
Broad labour underutilisation – rose 0.1 factors in March 2026
Given the drop in full-time employment and hours labored and the substantial enhance in part-time work, it’s onerous to know how underemployment truly fell marginally.
I believe that outcome can be revised subsequent month.
- Underemployment was regular on 5.9 per cent (rising 11 thousand to 915 thousand).
- The Broad Labour Underutilisation price (the sum of unemployment and underemployment) rose 0.04 factors to 10.2 per cent.
- Total, there are 1,571.3 thousand individuals both unemployed or underemployed.
The next graph reveals the evolution of underemployment and the Broad labour underutilisation price since 1980.
Teenage labour market – shrinking employment alternatives
This month, youngsters full-time work fell regardless of the general labour market displaying stronger full-time employment progress.
Half-time employment additionally contracted.
- Full-time employment fell 0.7 thousand (-0.4 per cent).
- Half-time employment fell 5.7 thousand (-0.8 per cent).
- Whole teenage (15-19) employment fell 6.4 thousand (-0.7 per cent).
The next desk summarises the shifts within the teenage labour marketplace for the month and during the last 12 months.
To place these modifications right into a scale perspective (that’s, relative to measurement of the teenage labour power) the next information studies the shifts within the Employment-Inhabitants ratio for youngsters.
The Teenage Employment-Inhabitants ratios and their month-to-month modifications in March 2026 have been:
- Males: 47.4 per cent – down 1.8 factors.
- Females: 54.0 per cent – up 0.8 factors.
- Whole: 50.6 per cent – down 0.5 factors.
Conclusion
My normal warning to take care in decoding month-to-month labour power modifications – they will fluctuate for quite a lot of causes and it’s imprudent to leap to conclusions on the again of a single month’s information.
- The labour market was largely secure this month.
- Whereas employment progress remained optimistic and was dominated by full-time work positive aspects (as part-time employment fell), the truth that the participation price fell helped hold the unemployment price secure.
- There are actually 10.1 per cent of accessible labour not getting used (both unemployed or underemployment), which makes a farce of the RBA’s claims that the labour market is tight.
- There’s substantial scope for extra job creation given the slack that’s current. Nevertheless, if the worldwide scenario doesn’t enhance shortly then that slack will enhance sharply.
That’s sufficient for at the moment!
(c) Copyright 2026 William Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.