1367.0 - State and Territory Statistical Indicators, 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/03/2012  Final
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LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE

  • In February 2012, the trend labour force participation rate in WA was 68.6%, a slight increase on the previous month. The national rate in February 2012 was 65.2%.
  • In seasonally adjusted terms, the labour force participation rate was 68.8%, slightly down on the rate in January 2012.


Graph Image for Labour Force Participation Rate, WA


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How many people participate in the labour force in your state or territory?

The participation rate represents the labour force (total employed and unemployed who are actively looking for work) expressed as a percentage of the civilian population aged 15 years and over, in the same group. Labour force estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey component of the Monthly Population Survey. Information is obtained from the occupants of selected dwellings by specially trained interviewers using computer-assisted interviewing.

A person's experience of the labour market will vary according to a number of factors, including the economic conditions at any given time, and their age. For example, the chance of someone finding a job decreases during a recession, while the likelihood of participating in the labour force varies as circumstances change, particularly in relation to family and education commitments. Factors affecting someone's peer group can also have a similar influence on labour market activity - people of different generations may have different expectations and experiences.