Concepts and data items: L - N


L
Labour force
Labour force status
Labour force status in current month
Labour force status in previous month
Labour force underutilisation rate
Labour market region
Last worked two or more years ago
Left last job
Looking for first job
Lone parent
Long-term unemployed
Long-term unemployment ratio
Lost last job

M
Main English-speaking countries
Main job
Major country group (subcontinent) of birth: SACC
Marital status
Market sector and non-market sector
Matched sample
Monthly hours worked in all jobs

N
Non-market sector
Not in the labour force (NILF)
Number of months with current employer or business
Number of weeks searching for a job





LABOUR FORCE

The labour force is the available supply of labour for economic production, which is the total number of employed and the total number of unemployed persons. The labour force is the sum of total number of employed and total number of unemployed persons. It is conceptually equivalent to the pool of labour available for the production of economic goods and services as defined in the System of National Accounts. The currently economic active population is the labour force that is available during a specified, short period of time.

The labour force framework categorises the civilian population age 15 years and over into three mutually exclusive groups: employed, unemployed, and people not in the labour force. People not in the labour force are not unemployed because they are not able to work, or are not willing to work within the given time periods.

For a more information see Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2013 (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001).

See LABOUR FORCE STATUS




LABOUR FORCE STATUS

Labour Force Status classifies the in-scope population into three mutually exclusive categories at a given point in time: employed; unemployed and not in the labour force. The employed and unemployed categories together make up the labour force, which is a measure of the number of persons contributing to, or willing and able to contribute to, the supply of labour at a specific time. The remaining population is referred to as Not in the labour force. This group represents the balance of the in-scope population. For detailed description see Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2013 (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001).

Changes in the labour force status of people from month to month are described in terms of Labour force status - current month, and Labour force status - previous month. These variables are included in datacube GM1 in 6202.0.

Variables	Products
Employed total (‘000) Employed full-time (‘000) Employed part-time (‘000) Employment to population ratio (%) Unemployed total (‘000) Unemployed looked for full-time work (‘000) Unemployed looked for only part-time work (‘000) Unemployment rate (%) Unemployment rate looked for full-time work (%) Unemployment rate looked for only part-time work (%) Labour force total (‘000) Participation rate (%) Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) Civilian population aged 15 years and over (‘000)	6202.0 Tables 01, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 Datacubes LM1, LM3, LM4, LM5, LM7 6291.0.55.001 Tables 01, 02, 03
Employed total (‘000) Employed full-time (‘000) Employed part-time (‘000) Employment to population ratio (%) Unemployed total (‘000) Unemployment rate (%) Labour force total (‘000) Participation rate (%) Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) Civilian population aged 15-24 years (‘000)	6202.0 Tables 15, 16 6291.0.55.001 Datacubes RM1, RM3, FM1, FM2
Employed total (‘000) Underemployed total (‘000) Underemployment ratio (%) Unemployed total (‘000) Unemployment rate (%) Labour force total (‘000) Underutilisation rate (%)	6202.0 Tables 22, 23
Employed total (‘000) Employed full-time (‘000) Employed part-time (‘000)	6291.0.55.001 Table 08 Datacubes EM1a, EM1b, EM3a, EM3b, EM4a, EM4b, FM3 6291.0.55.003 Tables 05, 06, 07, 11, 12, 13, 17 Datacubes EQ02, EQ03, EQ04, EQ05, EQ06, EQ07a, EQ7b, EQ09, EQ10, EQ11, EQ12, EQ13, RQ1, RQ2
Employed total ('000)	6291.0.55.001 Tables 09, 10 6291.0.55.003 Table 04 Datacube EQ08.
Unemployed total (‘000)	6291.0.55.001 Table 14b Datacubes RM3, FM4
Unemployed total (‘000) Unemployed looked for full-time work (‘000) Unemployed looked for only part-time work (‘000)	6291.0.55.001 Table 14a Datacubes UM2, UM3 6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ2a, UQ2b, UQ3a, UQ3b
Employed total (‘000) Employment to population ratio (%) Unemployed total (‘000) Unemployment rate (%) Labour force total (‘000) Participation rate (%)	6291.0.55.001 Table 16
Employed total (‘000) Underemployed (‘000) Underemployment ratio (%)	6291.0.55.003 Table 19
Not in the labour force (NILF) ('000)	6291.0.55.001 Datacubes NM1, NM2
Labour force status - current month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – current month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1
Labour force status - previous month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – previous month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1

LABOUR FORCE STATUS IN CURRENT MONTH

Information about the labour force status of people in the most recent monthly labour force survey. This population is used in gross flows to show changes between the current month and the month immediately prior to that month. Gross flows information enables analysis of the transition between the different labour force status classifications from one point in time to the next.

The unmatched sample identifies those respondents who do not have a labour force status for the previous month, or those who do not have a labour force status for the current month.

Variables	Products
Labour force status - current month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – current month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1
Labour force status - previous month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – previous month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1

LABOUR FORCE STATUS IN PREVIOUS MONTH

Information about the labour force status of people in the month prior to the current month. This population is used in gross flows to show changes between the previous month and the current month. Gross flows information enables analysis of the transition between the different labour force status classifications from one point in time to the next.

The unmatched sample identifies those respondents who do not have a labour force status for the previous month, or those who do not have a labour force status for the current month.

Variables	Products
Labour force status - current month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – current month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1
Labour force status - previous month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – previous month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1

LABOUR FORCE UNDERUTILISATION RATE

The sum of the number of unemployed persons and the number of underemployed workers expressed as a percentage of the labour force.

Variables	Products
Labour force status -Employed total (‘000) -Underemployed total (‘000) -Underemployment ratio (%) -Unemployed total (‘000) -Unemployment rate (%) -Labour force total (‘000) -Underutilisation rate (%)	6202.0 Table 22, Table 23.

LABOUR MARKET REGION

Labour market regions reflect the labour markets within each state and territory. Labour market regions are equivalent to Statistical Areas Level 4 (SA4s) and are smallest geographical output of Labour Force Survey data.

The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) is used to classify geographical areas of Australia for statistical purposes. In the Labour Force Survey, geographical areas relate to a person's usual residence, classified according to the ASGS.

The ASGS is constructed of approximately 347,000 mesh blocks covering the whole of Australia. The main structure of the ASGS is a hierarchy of Statistical Areas which are built from whole mesh blocks. Statistical Areas Level 1 to 3 have populations that are too small to support Labour Force Survey outputs. Statistical Areas Level 4 (SA4s) are the largest sub-state regions of the main structure of the ASGS. They are specifically designed to perform as the smallest geographical output of Labour Force Survey data. Geographical classifications in standard labour force outputs use the ASGS from July 1991 onwards. Where older time series are presented old classifications are used. These are clearly marked in the outputs. For more information see Information Paper: Regional Labour Force Statistics, 2014 (cat. no. 6262.0).

See GEOGRAPHY

LAST WORKED TWO OR MORE YEARS AGO

Unemployed people who have not worked in the last 2 years are categorised as those who have never worked before (looking for first job) or those who last worked 2 or more years ago (former worker). These categories are presented as part of the Industry of last job and Occupation of last job variables.

Variables

Products

Industry division of last job (ANZSIC) Last worked part-time (for 2 weeks or more) less than 2 years ago (recent part-time worker) [1991-2001] Last worked (for 2 weeks or more) 2 years ago (former worker) [1991-2001] Last worked 2 years ago or more (former worker) [2014-current] Has never worked for 2 weeks or more but has worked (for less than 2 weeks) [1991-2001] Has never worked (for 2 weeks or more) before (looking for first job) [2001-2014] Has never worked before (looking for first job) [1991-2001, 2014-current]

6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ2a, UQ2b

Occupation major group of last job (ANZSCO) Last worked part-time (for 2 weeks or more) less than 2 years ago (recent part-time worker) [1991-2001] Last worked (for 2 weeks or more) 2 years ago (former worker) [1991-2001] Last worked 2 years ago or more (former worker) [2014-current] Has never worked for 2 weeks or more but has worked (for less than 2 weeks) [1991-2001] Has never worked (for 2 weeks or more) before (looking for first job) [2001-2014] Has never worked before (looking for first job) [1991-2001, 2014-current]

6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ3a, UQ3b.

LEFT LAST JOB

Unemployed people who have worked in the past two years are classified by whether they left or lost their job.

People who provided one of the following reasons for ceasing their last job are categorised as leaving their last job:

• unsatisfactory work arrangements/pay/hours;
• the job was a holiday job;
• they left the job to return to studies; or
• their last job was running their own business which closed down or sold, for reasons other than financial difficulties.

People who provide one of the following reasons ceasing their last job are categorised as losing their last job:

• laid off or retrenched from that job;
• left that job because of their own ill-health or injury;
• job was seasonal or temporary; or
• they were running their own business and the business closed down because of financial difficulties.

Variables	Products
Reason left or lost last job -Lost last job -Left last job	6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ2a, UQ3a.

LOOKING FOR FIRST JOB

Unemployed people who have not worked in the last 2 years are categorised as those who have never worked before (looking for first job) or those who last worked 2 or more years ago (former worker). These categories are presented as part of the Industry of last job and Occupation of last job variables.

Variables

Products

Industry division of last job (ANZSIC) Last worked part-time (for 2 weeks or more) less than 2 years ago (recent part-time worker) [1991-2001] Last worked (for 2 weeks or more) 2 years ago (former worker) [1991-2001] Last worked 2 years ago or more (former worker) [2014-current] Has never worked for 2 weeks or more but has worked (for less than 2 weeks) [1991-2001] Has never worked (for 2 weeks or more) before (looking for first job) [2001-2014] Has never worked before (looking for first job) [1991-2001, 2014-current]

6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ2a, UQ2b

Occupation major group of last job (ANZSCO) Last worked part-time (for 2 weeks or more) less than 2 years ago (recent part-time worker) [1991-2001] Last worked (for 2 weeks or more) 2 years ago (former worker) [1991-2001] Last worked 2 years ago or more (former worker) [2014-current] Has never worked for 2 weeks or more but has worked (for less than 2 weeks) [1991-2001] Has never worked (for 2 weeks or more) before (looking for first job) [2001-2014] Has never worked before (looking for first job) [1991-2001, 2014-current]

6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ3a, UQ3b

LONE PARENT

A person with a parent-child relationship with at least one child usually resident in the household, and no husband, wife or partner usually resident in the household. The child may be either dependent or non-dependent. Previously referred to as sole parents.

See RELATIONSHIP IN HOUSEHOLD




LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED

People who search for a job for 52 weeks or more are classified as long term unemployed. Duration of job search is measured by the elapsed number of weeks to the end of the reference week since an unemployed person began looking for work, or since that person last worked, whichever is the shorter. For people who began looking for work while still employed, it is the period from the time the person last worked to the end of the reference week.

Variables	Products
Duration of job search - summary variables -Number of weeks searching for a job ('000 weeks) -Average duration of job search (weeks) -Median duration of job search (weeks) Duration of job search - detailed duration -Under 52 weeks ---Under 4 weeks (under 1 month) ----4 weeks and under 13 weeks (1-3 months) ----13 weeks and under 26 weeks (3-6 months) ----26 weeks and under 52 weeks (6-12 months) -52 week and over (Long-term unemployed) ----52 weeks and under 104 weeks (1-2 years) ----104 weeks and over (2 years and over) Long-term unemployment ratio	6291.0.55.001 Table 14a
Duration of job search - summary variables -Number of weeks searching for a job ('000 weeks) -Average duration of job search (weeks) -Median duration of job search (weeks) Duration of job search - detailed duration -Under 52 weeks ---Under 4 weeks (under 1 month) ----4 weeks and under 13 weeks (1-3 months) ----13 weeks and under 26 weeks (3-6 months) ----26 weeks and under 52 weeks (6-12 months) -52 week and over (Long-term unemployed) ----52 weeks and under 104 weeks (1-2 years) ----104 weeks and over (2 years and over)	6291.0.55.001 Datacube UM2, UM3
Duration of job search - summary variables -Number of weeks searching for a job ('000 weeks) -Average duration of job search (weeks) -Median duration of job search (weeks) Duration of job search - detailed duration -Under 52 weeks (under 1 year) -Long-term unemployed ----52 weeks and over (Long-term unemployed) ----52 weeks and under 104 weeks (1-2 years) ----104 weeks and over (2 years and over)	6291.0.55.001 Datacube FM4
Duration of job search - detailed duration -Under 52 weeks (under 1 year) -Long-term unemployed ----52 weeks and over (Long-term unemployed) ----52 weeks and under 104 weeks (1-2 years) ----104 weeks and over (2 years and over)	6291.0.55.001 Table 14b
Duration of job search - summary variables -Number of weeks searching for a job ('000 weeks) -Average duration of job search (weeks) -Median duration of job search (weeks) Duration of job search - detailed duration -Under 52 weeks (under 12 months) ----Under 13 weeks (under 3 months) ----13 weeks and under 52 weeks (3-12 months) -52 weeks and over (Long-term unemployed)	6291.0.55.001 Datacube RM3

LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT RATIO

People who search for a job for 52 weeks or more are classified as long-term unemployed. Duration of job search is measured by the elapsed number of weeks to the end of the reference week since an unemployed person began looking for work, or since that person last worked, whichever is the shorter. For people who began looking for work while still employed, it is the period from the time the person last worked to the end of the reference week.

The long-term unemployment ratio is the number of long-term unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the total unemployed population.

Variables

Products

Duration of job search - summary variables -Number of weeks searching for a job ('000 weeks) -Average duration of job search (weeks) -Median duration of job search (weeks) Duration of job search - detailed duration -Under 52 weeks ---Under 4 weeks (under 1 month) ----4 weeks and under 13 weeks (1-3 months) ----13 weeks and under 26 weeks (3-6 months) ----26 weeks and under 52 weeks (6-12 months) -52 week and over (Long-term unemployed) ----52 weeks and under 104 weeks (1-2 years) ----104 weeks and over (2 years and over) Long-term unemployment ratio (%)

6291.0.55.001 Table 14a

LOST LAST JOB

Unemployed people who have worked in the past two years are classified by whether they left or lost their job.

People who provided one of the following reasons for ceasing their last job are categorised as leaving their last job:

• unsatisfactory work arrangements/pay/hours;
• the job was a holiday job;
• they left the job to return to studies; or
• their last job was running their own business which closed down or sold, for reasons other than financial difficulties.

People who provide one of the following reasons ceasing their last job are categorised as losing their last job:

• laid off or retrenched from that job;
• left that job because of their own ill-health or injury;
• job was seasonal or temporary; or
• they were running their own business and the business closed down because of financial difficulties.

Variables	Products
Reason left or lost last job -Lost last job -Left last job	6291.0.55.003 Datacubes UQ2a, UQ3a.

MAIN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

See COUNTRY OF BIRTH




MAIN JOB

The job in which the person usually works the most hours. Variables such as industry and occupation are only collected in relation to a person's main job, and not each job they hold.




MAJOR COUNTRY GROUP (SUBCONTINENT) OF BIRTH: SACC

See COUNTRY OF BIRTH




MARITAL STATUS

See SOCIAL MARITAL STATUS




MARKET SECTOR AND NON-MARKET SECTOR

The market sector includes the industries: Agriculture, forestry and fishing; Mining; Manufacturing; Electricity, gas, water and waste services; Construction; Wholesale trade; Retail trade; Accommodation and food services; Transport, postal and warehousing; Information media and telecommunications; Financial and insurance services; Rental, hiring and real estate services; Professional, scientific and technical services; Administrative and support services; Arts and recreation services; and Other services.

The non-market sector includes the industries: Education and training; Public administration & safety; and Health care and social assistance.

Industries are grouped into the market or non-market sector at the ANZSIC Division level. For more information see Australian System of National Accounts: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2014 (cat. no. 5216.0).

Variable	Products
Market sector -Agriculture, forestry and fishing -Market excluding agriculture (rest of market) Non-market sector -Education and training -Non-market excluding education and training (rest of non-market)	6202.0 Table 21 6291.0.55.003 Datacubes EQ03, EQ05, EQ06, EQ09, EQ10, EQ11, EQ12, RQ1

MATCHED SAMPLE

Gross flows examines the transition between different labour force status classifications from one point in time to the next. Respondents who report in consecutive months make up the common or matched sample from which gross flow figures are derived.

After taking account of the sample rotation and varying non-response in each month, the common or matched sample is approximately 80 percent of the original dataset for any month. The figures presented in gross flows do not align with published labour force estimates. The unmatched sample identifies those respondents who do not have a labour force status for the previous month, or those who do not have a labour force status for the current month.

Variables	Products
Labour force status - current month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – current month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1
Labour force status - previous month -Employed total (‘000) -Employed full-time (‘000) -Employed part-time (‘000) -Unemployed (‘000) -Labour force (‘000) -Not in the labour force (NILF) (‘000) -Matched sample (‘000) -Unmatched sample (‘000) -Unmatched in common sample (responded in current month but not in previous) (‘000) -Incoming rotation group (‘000) -Civilian population aged 15 years and over – previous month (‘000)	6202.0 Datacube GM1

MONTHLY HOURS WORKED IN ALL JOBS

Monthly hours worked in all jobs measures the total number of actual hours worked by employed persons in a calendar month. Monthly hours worked estimates can be aggregated across time to produce quarterly and annual estimates.

Monthly hours worked in all jobs was previously referred to as aggregate monthly hours worked.

For more information about this measure see: Information Paper: Expansion of Hours Worked Estimates from the Labour Force Survey, 2009 (cat. no. 6290.0.55.001).

See also QUARTERLY HOURS WORKED IN ALL JOBS

Variables	Products
Monthly hours worked in all jobs Monthly hours worked in all jobs (employed full-time) Monthly hours worked in all jobs (employed part-time)	6202.0 Table 19

NON-MARKET SECTOR

The market sector includes the industries: Agriculture, forestry and fishing; Mining; Manufacturing; Electricity, gas, water and waste services; Construction; Wholesale trade; Retail trade; Accommodation and food services; Transport, postal and warehousing; Information media and telecommunications; Financial and insurance services; Rental, hiring and real estate services; Professional, scientific and technical services; Administrative and support services; Arts and recreation services; and Other services.

The non-market sector includes the industries: Education and training; Public administration & safety; and Health care and social assistance.

Industries are grouped into the market or non-market sector at the ANZSIC Division level. For more information see Australian System of National Accounts: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2014 (cat. no. 5216.0).

Variable	Products
Market sector -Agriculture, forestry and fishing -Market excluding agriculture (rest of market) Non-market sector -Education and training -Non-market excluding education and training (rest of non-market)	6202.0 Table 21 6291.0.55.003 Datacubes EQ03, EQ05, EQ06, EQ09, EQ10, EQ11, EQ12, RQ1

NOT IN THE LABOUR FORCE (NILF)

Persons not in the labour force are those people who were not employed or unemployed during the reference week. For detailed description see Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2013 (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001).

See LABOUR FORCE STATUS




NUMBER OF MONTHS WITH CURRENT EMPLOYER OR BUSINESS

The elapsed period to the end of the reference week that an employed person has held their current job.

Variable	Products
Detailed number of months with current employer or business -Fewer than 12 months -Fewer than 3 months -3-5 months -6-11 months -12 months or more -1-2 years -3-5 years -6-9 years -10-19 years -20 years or more	6291.0.55.003 Datacube EQ02
Number of months with current employer or business -With current employer or business for fewer than 12 months -With current employer or business for 12 months or more	6291.0.55.003 Table 17

NUMBER OF WEEKS SEARCHING FOR A JOB

Aggregate number of weeks since a currently unemployed person began looking for work, or since a person last worked for two weeks or more, whichever is shorter.

Number of weeks searching for a job was previously referred to as aggregate duration of unemployment.

See DURATION OF JOB SEARCH