LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

In trend terms, the total number of persons employed in South Australia in March 2010 was 1.5% (803,800) higher than the estimate for March 2009 (791,900) with most of the increase occurring in the last seven months. The total number of persons employed in Australia in March 2010 was 10,991,900, an increase of 2.0% on the number employed in March 2009 (10,781,300).

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia in March 2010 was 355,700 (in trend terms); a 0.2% increase from the previous month (354,900). Looking at the composition of all male employees, those working full-time accounted for 81.3% of the male workforce, down from 84.1% in March 2009. The number of females employed full-time increased slightly to be 183,400 in March 2010. Despite increasing for the last five months, the estimate remains 1.1% below the peak recorded in May 2009 (185,400). At that time full-time female employees accounted for 49.8% of the female workforce. In March 2010, this proportion was 50.1%.


UNEMPLOYMENT

The trend estimate unemployment rate for South Australia has been declining since September 2009 and in March 2010 was 4.9%; the lowest level since July 2008. Australian unemployment remained steady at 5.3% in March 2010. South Australia's unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate since May 2009.

Having peaked at 6.2% in the middle of 2009, the trend unemployment rate for males in South Australia has fallen by 1.6 percentage points to be 4.6% in March 2010. This equals the previous lows of 4.6% recorded in April, May and June 2008 and, for the fourth month running, sees the unemployment estimate for South Australian males lower than that for females. After a period of relative stability, the trend unemployment rate for South Australian females has risen slightly to be 5.2% in March 2010.

Nationally the trend unemployment rates for males and females in March 2010 were 5.3% and 5.2% respectively.

PARTICIPATION RATE

The trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia has shown little movement over the last eight months and was 63.2% in March 2010. Australia's trend participation rate has also remained relatively flat over the same period and was 65.2% in March 2010.

In South Australia, the participation rate for males fell marginally to 70.0% in March 2010. The Australian participation rate for males has remained relatively stable at (72.2%) over the last six months. From a peak of 57.9% in April and May 2009, the participation rate for South Australian females fell to be 56.6% at the beginning of 2010, and remains steady at this level in March 2010. The Australian female participation rate fell slightly to be 58.3% in March 2010.