LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

The March 2011 estimate of the total number of persons employed in South Australia (in trend terms) has risen to 817,200, up from 816,200 the previous month. The March estimate is 1.3% above the estimate recorded in March 2010 (807,100). Nationally, a total of 11,448,500 persons were employed in March 2011; an increase of 3.0% over the corresponding month of the previous year (11,112,700).

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia in March 2011 was 364,500 (in trend terms), up slightly from the previous month (364,200). Looking at the composition of all male employees, those working full-time accounted for 82.9% of the male workforce, up from 81.6% in March 2010. The number of females employed full-time fell in March 2011 to 186,700; 1.9% below the peak recorded in October 2010 (190,300). At that time full-time female employees accounted for 50.6% of the female workforce. In March 2011, this proportion was 49.5%.


UNEMPLOYMENT

South Australia's trend unemployment rate held steady in March 2011 at 5.5%. The estimate remains above the national unemployment rate for the tenth consecutive month. The Australian unemployment rate fell to 4.9% in March 2011.

The trend unemployment rate for South Australian males fell to 5.4% in March 2011; below the female unemployment rate for the third consecutive month. The March 2011 estimate of the female unemployment rate remained steady at 5.6%.

Nationally, the March 2011 trend unemployment rate for males fell to 4.6%, while the female unemployment rate held steady at 5.3%.

PARTICIPATION RATE

The trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia has shown very little movement over recent months and in March 2011 was 63.5%. Australia's trend participation rate has followed a similar trend remaining relatively steady over recent months and in March 2011 was 65.8%.

The South Australian participation rate for males has shown very little movement over recent months and in March 2011 was 69.7%. The Australian participation rate for males remained relatively stable over the same time and in March 2011 was 72.7%. Following a period of growth, the participation rate for South Australian females has plateaued, with the March 2011 estimate at 57.6%. Similarly, the Australian female participation rate held steady at 59.1% in March 2011.

*DATA NOTES

Please refer to the article Impact of the floods on the Labour Force Survey in Labour Force, Australia, Jan 2011 (cat. no. 6202.0).