Persons not in the labour force represent that group of the population who, during the reference week of a Labour Force Survey, are neither employed nor unemployed (see diagram 6.2). Interest in this group centres primarily on their potential to participate in the labour force.
There were 3,684,600 persons aged 15-69 years not in the labour force at September 2000 (table 6.22). Some 22% of these persons not in the labour force were marginally attached to the labour force. These people wanted to work and were either looking for work or available to start work, but did not satisfy all the criteria for being classified as unemployed.
In September 2000 there were 106,500 discouraged job seekers. Discouraged job seekers are a part of the marginally attached to the labour force. They are persons who want to work and are available to start work, but are not actively looking for work as they believe they will not find a job.
6.22 CIVILIAN POPULATION AGED 15-69, Labour Force Status(a)
|
 | 1995
’000 | 1996
’000 | 1997
’000 | 1998
’000 | 1999
’000 | 2000
’000 |
|
| Civilian population aged 15-69 | 12,623.7 | 12,783.9 | 12,885.1 | 13,025.1 | 13,205.1 | 13,398.8 |
| Persons in the labour force - | 9,057.4 | 9,168.5 | 9,190.9 | 9,386.3 | 9,492.7 | 9,714.2 |
| - Employed | 8,296.2 | 8,372.2 | 8,405.0 | 8,626.2 | 8,782.0 | 9,082.8 |
| - Unemployed | 761.2 | 796.3 | 785.9 | 760.1 | 710.7 | 631.4 |
| Persons not in the labour force | | | | | | |
| With marginal attachment to the labour force - | 862.8 | 879.6 | 890.5 | 922.6 | 883.2 | 823.9 |
| Wanted to work and were actively looking for work - | 63.8 | 58.0 | 53.3 | 58.7 | 65.2 | 56.8 |
| - Were available to start work within four weeks | 32.8 | 34.7 | 35.7 | 33.2 | 45.5 | 42.0 |
| - Were not available to start work within four weeks | 31.0 | 23.3 | 17.6 | 25.5 | 19.7 | 14.8 |
| Wanted to work but not actively looking for work and were available to start work within four weeks - | 799.0 | 821.5 | 837.2 | 863.9 | 818.0 | 767.1 |
| - Discouraged jobseekers | 111.9 | 118.9 | 118.4 | 110.9 | 105.8 | 106.5 |
| - Other | 687.1 | 702.6 | 718.7 | 753.0 | 712.2 | 660.6 |
| Without marginal attachment to the labour force(b) - | 2,703.5 | 2,735.8 | 2,803.7 | 2,716.1 | 2,829.2 | 2,860.7 |
| - Wanted to work but were not actively looking for work and were not available to start work within four weeks | 300.7 | 308.4 | 298.7 | 287.1 | 309.8 | 335.5 |
| - Did not want to work | 2,342.1 | 2,328.7 | 2,415.4 | 2,337.6 | 2,433.7 | 2,408.5 |
| Total persons not in the labour force | 3,566.3 | 3,615.4 | 3,694.2 | 3,638.8 | 3,712.4 | 3,684.6 |
|
(a) At September.
(b) Includes persons who were permanently unable to work. |
Source: Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia (6220.0). |
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