6202.0 - Labour Force, Australia, Mar 2010 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/04/2010   
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MEDIA RELEASE

April 8, 2010
Embargo: 11.30 am (CANBERRA TIME) 8/04/2010
38/2010

Australia's unemployment rate at 5.3 per cent in March 2010: ABS

The Australian unemployment rate remained steady at 5.3 per cent in March, the Australian Bureau of Statistics announced today.

The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 19,600 people to 10.988 million, seasonally adjusted, in March. The rise in employment was driven by a rise in full-time employment, up 30,100 people to 7.691 million that was offset by a fall in part-time employment, down 10,600 people to 3.297 million. This was the seventh consecutive month Australia has seen a rise in the number of people employed full-time.

The number of people unemployed increased in March, up 4,200 people to 619,100, the ABS reported.

The ABS seasonally adjusted monthly aggregate hours worked series showed a fall in March, down 10.0 million hours to 1,541.2 million hours.

The ABS reported the participation rate in March was 65.1 per cent.

More details are available in the March 2010 release of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) available for free download from the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>