MEDIA RELEASE
12 February 2015	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	16/2015

Australia's unemployment rate increased to 6.4 per cent in January 2015

Australia's estimated seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2015 was 6.4 per cent, compared with 6.1 per cent for December 2014. In trend terms, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.3 per cent, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

The seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate remained at 64.8 per cent in January 2015.

The ABS reported the number of people employed decreased by 12,200 to 11,668,700 in January 2015 (seasonally adjusted). The decrease in employment was driven by decreased full-time employment for both males (down 26,000) and females (down 2,100). The decrease in full-time employment was partly offset by an increase in male part-time employment, up 17,800.

The ABS seasonally adjusted aggregate monthly hours worked series increased in January 2015, up 8.2 million hours (0.5 per cent) to 1,607.6 million hours.

The seasonally adjusted number of people unemployed increased by 34,500 to 795,200 in January 2015, the ABS reported.

Further details on the movement in the unemployment rate and other key estimates are in the January 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), as well as the upcoming January 2015 issue of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) due for release next week on February 19. These publications are available for free download (after release) from the ABS website - www.abs.gov.au.

Media note:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.