Payroll jobs in mid-February slightly down on last year

Payroll jobs in mid-February were 0.5 per cent lower than a year earlier, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. 

Bjorn Jarvis, head of Labour Statistics at the ABS, said: “Payroll jobs remained steady in the fortnight between the end of January and mid-February. As a result, over this period payroll jobs went from being around their 2020 level to being slightly below.

“Payroll jobs in mid-February 2021 remained 1.3 per cent below the start of the pandemic. Around 85 per cent of payroll jobs lost in the first month of the pandemic had been regained.”

All states and territories, other than Victoria and Western Australia, saw an increase in payroll jobs in the fortnight to 13 February. The largest increase was in the Northern Territory (up 1.4 per cent). 

Payroll jobs decreased by 0.4 per cent in both Victoria and Western Australia, with the latter affected by lockdown restrictions in the first week of February.

Differences were also seen across industries in early February.

“Amongst the five largest employing industries, payroll jobs rose across the fortnight in two; Education and training and Retail trade (up 2.8 per cent and 0.2 per cent),” Mr Jarvis said.

“These increases were offset by falls in the three other large employing industries; Professional, scientific and technical services, Accommodation and food services and Health care and social assistance (down 2.0 percent, 0.3 per cent and 0.2 per cent).” 

The ABS acknowledges the continued support from the Australian Taxation Office in enabling the ABS to produce the statistics providing weekly insights into the Australian labour market.