Unemployment rate, Australia
The unemployment rate in Australia was 4.72% in , up 0.07 pp from and up 0.29 pp from a year earlier. Over the latest 12 readings it moved between 4.08% and 4.72%. The next reading is for October 2026. Source: ABS, Labour Force, Australia (6202.0); history from .
Key takeaways
- The unemployment rate at 4.72% in beats 36% of readings since (ABS).
- Against a ten-year average of 4.82%, the unemployment rate is below that norm by 0.10 pp (ABS).
- On the unemployment rate, Australia ranks 3rd highest of 4 countries (national publishers).
What this indicator is and why it matters
The unemployment rate is the share of Australia's labor force aged 15 and over that is out of work and looking for a job, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' monthly Labour Force survey. The ABS publishes it around the middle of the following month; this page shows the seasonally adjusted rate.
It is the main gauge of the Australian labor market and central to the RBA's assessment of inflation pressure: the Bank has argued that unemployment needs to be near a sustainable level for inflation to settle in its target range. For banks, rising unemployment is the main driver of mortgage arrears, since most borrowers keep paying while they have a job.
The survey has known quirks. Each month one eighth of the sample is replaced, so a new group with different characteristics can move the rate by a tenth or two without any change in the economy; the ABS warns against reading too much into one month and publishes trend estimates for that reason. Changes in how people move between jobs at the start of the year, and in when new workers start, can also make January and February readings noisy.
Where it sits in history
The unemployment rate is at its highest since , when it stood at 5.23%. Within ten years, the unemployment rate beats 50% of readings; earlier years held the unemployment rate higher.
| Window | Latest is higher than | Average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since January 2006 | 36% of readings | 5.04% | 7.45% | 3.43% |
| Last ten years | 50% of readings | 4.82% | 7.45% | 3.43% |
| Last five years | 98% of readings | 4.04% | 5.23% | 3.43% |
- Unemployment rate 4.7%
Recent readings
Last five years
- Unemployment rate 4.7%
Latest readings
| Period | Value | Change from previous |
|---|---|---|
| 4.72% | +0.07 pp | |
| 4.65% | +0.16 pp | |
| 4.49% | +0.04 pp | |
| 4.45% | +0.06 pp | |
| 4.39% | -0.11 pp | |
| 4.50% | +0.21 pp | |
| 4.29% | -0.02 pp | |
| 4.31% | +0.23 pp | |
| 4.08% | -0.03 pp | |
| 4.12% | -0.20 pp | |
| 4.31% | 0.00 pp | |
| 4.32% | -0.11 pp | |
| 4.43% | +0.20 pp |
Annual averages
By calendar-year average, the unemployment rate peaked in (6.48%) and bottomed in (3.70%). 2026 to date: 4.43%, after 4.21% in 2025.
| Year | Average | Low | High | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part year) | 4.43% | 4.08% | 4.72% | 9 |
| 2025 | 4.21% | 4.06% | 4.43% | 12 |
| 2024 | 4.02% | 3.74% | 4.21% | 12 |
| 2023 | 3.70% | 3.53% | 3.99% | 12 |
| 2022 | 3.72% | 3.43% | 4.17% | 12 |
| 2021 | 5.13% | 4.21% | 6.28% | 12 |
| 2020 | 6.48% | 5.12% | 7.45% | 12 |
| 2019 | 5.18% | 5.00% | 5.30% | 12 |
| 2018 | 5.31% | 5.00% | 5.58% | 12 |
| 2017 | 5.61% | 5.41% | 5.90% | 12 |
| 2016 | 5.72% | 5.60% | 6.04% | 12 |
| 2015 | 6.06% | 5.74% | 6.35% | 12 |
| 2014 | 6.07% | 5.81% | 6.36% | 12 |
| 2013 | 5.67% | 5.39% | 5.90% | 12 |
| 2012 | 5.23% | 5.00% | 5.49% | 12 |
| 2011 | 5.08% | 4.92% | 5.26% | 12 |
| 2010 | 5.21% | 4.88% | 5.50% | 12 |
| 2009 | 5.57% | 4.91% | 5.86% | 12 |
| 2008 | 4.24% | 3.98% | 4.57% | 12 |
| 2007 | 4.37% | 4.21% | 4.63% | 12 |
| 2006 | 4.77% | 4.46% | 5.16% | 12 |
Same measure in other countries
The unemployment rate in Australia is above 1 of the other 3 comparable readings. Four countries compared.
| Country | Series | Latest | Period | Change on a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Unemployment rate | 4.72% | +0.29 pp | |
| United States | Unemployment rate | 4.20% | September 2026 | -0.20 pp |
| Canada | Unemployment rate | 6.50% | September 2026 | -0.60 pp |
| United Kingdom | Unemployment rate | 4.90% | June 2026 | +0.20 pp |
How is it measured?
Unemployment rate, persons, 15 years and over, seasonally adjusted.
ABS publishes the unemployment rate monthly in Labour Force, Australia (6202.0), in percent and is seasonally adjusted. Code: ABS,LF,1.0.0:M13.3.1599.20.AUS.M. Method for the unemployment rate.
Questions
How high is the unemployment rate in Australia now?
4.72% in (ABS), up 0.29 pp on a year earlier.
Is the unemployment rate high by historical standards?
The unemployment rate beats 36% of readings since ; its peak was 7.45% (), its low 3.43% ().
When is the unemployment rate updated?
Monthly, in Labour Force, Australia (6202.0). Next reading: October 2026.
Where can I check the unemployment rate at the source?
ABS data, code ABS,LF,1.0.0:M13.3.1599.20.AUS.M.