Employment rate in Australia
Australia: Employment rate was 63.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
63.8%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
43rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
64.6%
in 2023
All-time low
55.8%
in 1993
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Employment rate in Australia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment rate in Australia is 63.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Australia peaked at 64.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 55.8%, in 1993.
Australia ranks 43rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 57.2% | — |
| 1992 | 56.2% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 55.8% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 56.9% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 58.3% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 58.2% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 58.0% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 58.3% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 58.6% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 59.3% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 59.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 59.5% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 59.9% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 60.1% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 61.3% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 61.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 62.4% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 62.8% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 61.9% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 62.1% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 62.2% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 61.8% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 61.3% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 60.8% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 61.1% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 61.2% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 61.6% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 62.3% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 60.9% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 62.8% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 64.4% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 64.1% | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 63.8% | -0.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 63.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 58.9%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Australia's 63.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 61.9%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.5% | 55.8% | 58.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 60.8% | 59.2% | 62.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.7% | 60.8% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.4% | 60.9% | 64.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Australia?
- Employment rate in Australia was 63.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.8% in 1993.
- How does Australia rank for employment rate?
- Australia ranks 43rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.