6289.0 - Australians' Employment and Unemployment Patterns, 1994-1996, First Results, 1994-1996  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 12/05/1997  Ceased
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Labour Market Activities

In May 1995, there were 875,100 Jobseekers in Australia. A third of these people were working four months later. However, in subsequent months there was only a gradual increase in the number in work - 45% in May 1996 and 48% in September 1996. Of the 421,600 Jobseekers who were working at September 1996, 94,100 (22%) were looking for another job.

The patterns of Jobseekers' labour market activities since May 1995 are shown in the following graph.

(a) Includes people who were working and looking for work concurrently.


Overall, 68% of Jobseekers worked at some stage in the 12 months to September 1996, compared to 84% of the general population in the same age range. Just over 78% of Jobseekers looked for work at some stage over the same period compared to 23% of the general population. Almost 12% of Jobseekers worked for the entire year, contrasting with 57% of the general population. The average time spent working was 22 weeks for Jobseekers, and 39 weeks for the general population.

On average, Jobseekers worked for five weeks during the six months ended September 1995, increasing to 12 weeks in the six months ended September 1996. Conversely, the average time spent looking for work (only) decreased from 17 weeks to 10 weeks.

Some 16% of Jobseekers spent all of the year ended September 1996 looking for work (only) compared to 2% of the general population. The average time spent looking for work (only) was 22 weeks for Jobseekers, and four weeks for the general population. One in ten Jobseekers (87,600 people) did nothing but look for work for the entire two-year period since September 1994.

Of Jobseekers who were working at September 1995, 76% were also working at September 1996, and of the remainder, most were looking for work. Of those Jobseekers looking for work (only) at September 1995, almost half (49%) were in the same situation a year later; however, 37% had found work.


(a) Includes people who were working and looking for work concurrently.



In the general population, 92% of persons who were working at September 1995 were also working 12 months later, while 5% were absent from the labour market and 3% were looking for work. Of those who were looking for work (only) at September 1995, 43% were in the same situation a year later; however, 45% had been successful in finding work.


Income
Of the 574,800 Jobseekers who were reliant on government benefits as their main source of annual income in 1994-95, 65% were still in this situation in the following financial year.

Some 228,700 Jobseekers received a wage and salary as their main source of income in 1994-95 but 33% of these were in a different situation the following financial year (compared with an equivalent figure of 9% for the general population).


Relationship in Household
Of Jobseekers who were a husband or wife in September 1995, 6% were in a different living arrangement a year later, more than twice the proportion in the general population.


Housing mobility
Jobseekers were significantly more mobile than the general population - 29% had moved house in the year ended September 1996 compared to 16% of the general population.


Housing tenure
Some 59% of Jobseekers were renting accommodation in September 1995, and of these, 89% were also renting a year later. In contrast, 30% of the general population were renting in September 1995.