MAY KEY FIGURES
 | | Apr 2012 | May 2012 | Apr 12 to May 12 | May 11 to May 12 |
|
| Trend | | | | | | |
| Employed persons ('000) | 11 500.8 | 11 517.0 | 16.2 | | 0.7 | % |
| Unemployed persons ('000) | 618.0 | 615.8 | -2.2 | | 2.5 | % |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 5.1 | 5.1 | 0.0 | pts | 0.1 | pts |
| Participation rate (%) | 65.3 | 65.3 | 0.0 | pts | -0.3 | pts |
| Seasonally Adjusted | | | | | | |
| Employed persons ('000) | 11 499.1 | 11 537.9 | 38.9 | | 1.0 | % |
| Unemployed persons ('000) | 600.4 | 622.8 | 22.4 | | 4.5 | % |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 5.0 | 5.1 | 0.2 | pts | 0.2 | pts |
| Participation rate (%) | 65.2 | 65.5 | 0.3 | pts | 0.0 | pts |
|
Employed Persons
| Unemployment Rate
|
MAY KEY POINTS
TREND ESTIMATES (MONTHLY CHANGE)
- Employment increased to 11,517,000.
- Unemployment decreased to 615,800 from a revised April 2012 estimate.
- Unemployment rate was steady at 5.1%.
- Participation rate steady at 65.3% from a revised April 2012 rate.
- Aggregate monthly hours worked increased to 1,628.3 million hours.
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES (MONTHLY CHANGE)
- Employment increased 38,900 (0.3%) to 11,537,900. Full-time employment increased 46,100 (0.6%) to 8,107,900 and part-time employment decreased 7,200 (0.2%) to 3,430,100.
- Unemployment increased 22,400 (3.7%) to 622,800. The number of persons looking for full-time work increased 6,500 (1.5%) to 430,000 and the number of persons looking for part-time work increased 15,900 (9.0%) to 192,800.
- The unemployment rate increased 0.2 pts to 5.1%. The male unemployment rate was steady at 4.8% and the female unemployment rate increased 0.3 pts to 5.5%.
- The participation rate increased 0.3 pts to 65.5%.
- Aggregate monthly hours worked decreased 4.7 million hours to 1,627.2 million hours.
LABOUR UNDERUTILISATION (QUARTERLY CHANGE)
- Trend estimates: The labour force underutilisation rate was steady at 12.6%.
- Seasonally adjusted estimates: The labour force underutilisation rate increased 0.1 pts to 12.6%. The male labour force underutilisation rate decreased 0.3 pts to 10.4%. The female labour force underutilisation rate increased 0.6 pts to 15.2%.
NOTES
FORTHCOMING ISSUES
| ISSUE | Release Date |
| June 2012 | 12 July 2012 |
| July 2012 | 9 August 2012 |
| August 2012 | 6 September 2012 |
| September 2012 | 11 October 2012 |
| October 2012 | 8 November 2012 |
| November 2012 | 6 December 2012 |
ROUNDING
Estimates of monthly change shown on the front cover have been calculated using unrounded estimates, and may be different from, but are more accurate than, movements obtained from the rounded estimates. The graphs on the front cover also depict unrounded estimates.
SAMPLING ERROR
The estimates in this publication are based on a sample survey. Published estimates and the movements derived from them are subject to sampling variability. Standard errors give a measure of sampling variability (see pages 37 and 38). The interval bounded by two standard errors is the 95% confidence interval, which provides a way of looking at the variability inherent in estimates. There is a 95% chance that the true value of the estimate lies within that interval.
MOVEMENTS IN SEASONALLY ADJUSTED SERIES BETWEEN APRIL 2012 AND MAY 2012 |
|
| Monthly change | 95% Confidence interval |
| | | | |
|
| Total Employment | 38 900 | -16 100 | to | 93 900 |
| Total Unemployment | 22 400 | -9 200 | to | 54 000 |
| Unemployment rate | 0.2 pts | 0.0 pts | to | 0.4 pts |
| Participation rate | 0.3 pts | -0.1 pts | to | 0.7 pts |
|
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070, email client.services@abs.gov.au or Labour Force on Canberra (02) 6252 6525, email labourforce@abs.gov.au.
Quality Declaration 
Print Page
Print All