LABOUR FORCE

JOB VACANCIES

In original terms, South Australia's total number of job vacancies decreased to about 10,000 in August 2007 from 10,200 in May 2007. The August 2007 vacancies were 11% higher than in August 2006. Australia-wide, job vacancies increased from 166,500 in May 2007 to 173,100 in August 2007. Australian job vacancies in August 2007 were 12% higher than in August 2006.



EMPLOYED PERSONS

In trend terms, the total number of persons employed in South Australian in November 2007 was 771,900. This was a 1.7% increase on the number of persons employed in November 2006 (758,900). The total number of persons employed in Australia in November 2007 was 10,559,800, a 2.5% increase on the number employed in November 2006 (10,297,700).

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia in November 2007 was 347,300 (in trend terms), up 0.5% from November 2006. The number of females employed full-time in South Australia in November 2007 was 185,900 (in trend terms), up 6.5% from November 2006.



UNEMPLOYMENT

The trend estimate unemployment rate for South Australia increased to 5.0% in November 2007, after being steady at 4.9% for the previous three months. Australia's unemployment rate increased to 4.4% in November 2007, after being steady at 4.3% for the previous six months.



For South Australia, the trend unemployment rate for females increased to 4.9% in November 2007 up from 4.8% in October 2007. For males, the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.0%.


PARTICIPATION RATE

The trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia in November 2007 was 63.0%, up from 62.8% in October 2007. In the ten year period from November 1997, the lowest estimate was 59.7% in May and June of 1998. Australia's trend participation rate increased slightly to 65.2% in November 2007 from 65.1% in October 2007. The lowest participation rate reported for Australia for the ten year period from November 1997 was 62.8% in April and May of 1999.



For South Australia, the trend participation rate for females was 56.9% in November 2007, up from 56.6% in October 2007. Nationally, the female participation rate was steady at 58.1% in November 2007. The participation rate for South Australian males increased to 69.4% in November 2007, up from 69.2% in October 2007. The Australian participation rate for males has been consistently higher than that for South Australia, and was steady at 72.4% in November 2007.