MARCH KEY FIGURES

		Feb 2008	Mar 2008	Feb 08 to Mar 08		Mar 07 to Mar 08
Trend
	Employed persons ('000)	10 656.8	10 677.0	20.2		2.7	%
	Unemployed persons ('000)	454.9	449.4	-5.5		-7.1	%
	Unemployment rate (%)	4.1	4.0	-0.1	pts	-0.4	pts
	Participation rate (%)	65.2	65.2	0.0	pts	0.3	pts
Seasonally Adjusted
	Employed persons ('000)	10 666.8	10 681.6	14.8		2.9	%
	Unemployed persons ('000)	439.4	453.2	13.8		-6.8	%
	Unemployment rate (%)	4.0	4.1	0.1	pts	-0.4	pts
	Participation rate (%)	65.2	65.2	0.1	pts	0.4	pts

Employed Persons

Unemployment rate

MARCH KEY POINTS


TREND ESTIMATES (MONTHLY CHANGE)

• EMPLOYMENT increased to 10,677,000
• UNEMPLOYMENT decreased to 449,400
• UNEMPLOYMENT RATE decreased to 4.0%
• PARTICIPATION RATE remained at 65.2%

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES (MONTHLY CHANGE)

EMPLOYMENT

• increased by 14,800 to 10,681,600. Full-time employment increased by 5,300 to 7,637,900 and part-time employment increased by 9,500 to 3,043,800.

UNEMPLOYMENT

• increased by 13,800 to 453,200. The number of persons looking for full-time work increased by 19,900 to 312,900 and the number of persons looking for part-time work decreased by 6,100 to 140,200.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

• increased by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1%. The male unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.9%, and the female unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 4.2%.

PARTICIPATION RATE

• remained steady at 65.2%.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE	Release Date
April 2008	8 May 2008
May 2008	12 June 2008
June 2008	10 July 2008
July 2008	7 August 2008
August 2008	11 September 2008
September 2008	9 October 2008

IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW SAMPLE DESIGN

Following each Census of Population and Housing, the ABS selects a new sample for the Labour Force Survey. This is done to ensure that the sample continues to accurately represent the distribution of the Australian population. A new sample has recently been selected based on the 2006 Census. Detailed information about the new sample is provided in Information Paper: Labour Force Survey Sample Design (cat. no. 6269.0), which was released on 28 November 2007.

In order to reduce the potential impact of the change in sample on labour force statistics, the new sample is being introduced progressively, taking advantage of the existing rotation scheme. Using this scheme, the private dwelling sample in larger urban centres and less remote areas, representing approximately four-fifths of the total sample, will be phased in over the period November 2007 to June 2008. Within these areas, one-eighth of the new sample will be introduced each month under existing sample rotation arrangements.

The rest of the sample (in remote, less populated areas and for non-private dwellings) is being introduced in two stages. The first stage, which occurred this month, is the introduction of this sample in New South Wales, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory. The second stage, to occur next month (April 2008), is the introduction of this sample in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.

Due to the increased level of sample introduced this month there may be increased volatility in the estimates for New South Wales, Western Australia, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Rebecca Cash on Canberra (02) 6252 6525.