The Survey of Education and Work (SEW) was run during the first two weeks of May (3 May to 16 May) as part of the Monthly Population Survey (MPS).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, various restrictions were in place at this time, which are likely to have impacted the survey results.
Initiatives to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and support the economy included international travel restrictions, border control measures for some states and territories, shutting down of non-essential services, economic stimulus packages, free childcare for working parents, and social distancing rules.
In particular, international travel restrictions and the impact on net overseas migration resulted in decreases in some key sub-populations of the survey (for example, the number of people currently studying for a non-school qualification).
Care should be taken when comparing SEW 2020 data with results from previous survey years, particularly for populations that are likely to have been impacted by COVID-19.
See Methodology and Labour Force, Australia, May 2020 for more information on the impact of COVID-19 on SEW 2020.