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NOTE: This is the final issue of Job Search Experience, Australia, July 2013 - 6222.0. This information is now available in Participation, Job Search and Mobility (cat. no. 6226.0).

More information regarding changes to the supplementary survey programme can be found in Information paper: Outcomes of the Labour Household Surveys Content Review, 2012 (cat. no. 6107.0), or contact labourforce@abs.gov.au

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

OVERVIEW

In September 2013, the Persons Not in the Labour Force survey found there were 6.3 million people aged 15 years and over who were not in the labour force. This represented 34% of the civilian population aged 15 years and over, and has remained stable over recent years (Table 1).

Of those people not in the labour force:

• 60% were women;
• 22% wanted to work (23% of women and 20% of men) (Table 1); and
• 16% were aged 15–24 years, 40% were aged 25–64 years and 43% were aged 65 years and over (Table 2).

Persons not in the labour force, Proportion of the civilian population-Age group (years)-By sex, 2013

In September 2013, there were 1,004,000 people with marginal attachment to the labour force, a significant increase from 918,100 in 2012, representing approximately 16% of people not in the labour force.

Persons not in the labour force are considered to be marginally attached to the labour force if they:

• wanted to work and were actively looking for work but were not available to start work in the reference week (89,100); or
• wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were available to start work within four weeks (914,900).

• 608,300 (61%) were women;
• 91% were not actively looking for work, but were available to start work within four weeks (Table 1);
• 288,700 (29%) were aged 15–24 years (Table 3); and
• 197,800 (20%) had never held a job (Table 4).

Main activity when not in the labour force

Persons with marginal attachment, Selected main activity when not in the labour force-By sex, 2013

Wanted to work but not actively looking

There were 265,400 people not in the labour force because they were caring for children who wanted to work but were not actively looking for work. The majority (95%) were women (Table 9).

Time since last job

In September 2013, 80% (806,200) of people with marginal attachment to the labour force had worked before. Of these people about a third (31%) had worked less than 12 months ago, and a further 22% had worked one to three years ago (Table 4).

Not actively looking for work - Intention to enter the labour force in the next 12 months

There were 914,900 people who were marginally attached to the labour force but not actively looking for work and available to start work within four weeks. This is a significant increase from 833,700 in 2012. Of these people, 657,200 (72%) indicated that they intended to, or might enter the labour force in the next 12 months, of whom:

• 393,100 (60%) were women;
• 68,400 (10%) were discouraged job seekers (see below); and
• 440,900 (67%) reported that they would prefer to work part-time (Table 5).

• considered to be too young or too old by employers;
• believes ill health or disability discourages employers;
• lacked necessary schooling, training, skills or experience;
• difficulties because of language or ethnic background;
• no jobs in their locality or line of work;
• no jobs with suitable hours; or
• no jobs at all.

• 66,800 (57%) were aged 55 years and over;
• 55,000 (47%) were women and 62,200 (53%) were men;
• 16,900 (14%) had never had a job (Table 7);
• 68,400 (58%) intended to or might enter the labour force in the next 12 months (Table 7), of whom 66% preferred to work part-time (Table 5);
• 40,500 were not currently looking for work but had looked for work in the previous 12 months (Table 7); and
• 44,900 (38%) did not intend to enter the labour force in the next 12 months, of whom 52% stated the main reason they were not actively looking for work was because they were 'Considered too old by employers' (Table 5).

Discouraged job seekers, Selected main reason for not actively looking for work-By sex, 2013

In September 2013, there were 5.3 million people (2.2 million men and 3.1 million women) aged 15 years and over without marginal attachment to the labour force. Of these:

• 84% reported that they did not want to work, or did not know if they wanted to work;
• 7% wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were not available to start work within four weeks (Table 1);
• 9% were permanently unable to work;
• 49% were aged 65 years and over (53% of all men and 47% of all women);
• 15% were aged 55–64 years old; and
• 17% never had a job, of whom 59% were women (Table 8).

Main activity when not in the labour force

For those without marginal attachment to the labour force, the most commonly reported main activity when not in the labour force was 'Retired or voluntarily inactive' (35%) followed by 'Home duties' (20%) (Table 8).

Time since last job

In September 2013, there were 4.4 million people without marginal attachment to the labour force who had previously had a job. Of these:

• 54% last worked 10 or more years ago; and
• 21% last worked less than 3 years ago (Table 8).