MEDIA RELEASE
December 21, 2009	Embargoed: 11.30 am (AEDT)	106/2009

The median duration of unemployment for unemployed people was 16 weeks in July 2009 according to the latest figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This has risen from 11 weeks in July 2008. The median duration of unemployment for men was 17 weeks, compared with 14 weeks for unemployed women.

The most common main difficulties in finding work differed for men and women: amongst unemployed men, the main difficulty was 'too many applicants for available jobs' (14%), followed by 'no vacancies in line of work' (13%). The most common difficulty for unemployed women was 'too many applicants for available jobs' (17%), followed by 'insufficient work experience' (10%).

Comparing age groups, for people aged 15-19 years the main difficulties were: 'no vacancies at all' (17%) and 'insufficient work experience' (15%), while the main difficulty in finding work for unemployed people aged 45 and over was 'considered too old by employers' (20%) and 'no vacancies in line of work' (12%).

For the long-term unemployed (i.e. people unemployed for 12 months or more), the most common main difficulty in finding work was 'own ill health or disability' (16%), 'too many applicants for available jobs' and 'insufficient work experience' (both 12%). However, the most common difficulty reported by people unemployed for less than 1 year was 'too many applicants for available jobs' (15%).

Further details can be found in Job Search Experience, Australia, July 2009 (cat. no. 6222.0).

Media notes: The median duration of unemployment is the duration which divides unemployed people into two equal groups: one comprising persons whose duration of unemployment is above the median, and the other, people whose duration is below it. When using ABS statistics, you must cite the Australian Bureau of Statistics, or ABS, as the source.