Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Australia
Australia: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 4.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Australia, 1979–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Australia recorded 4.2% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 6.5% on the previous year and down 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Australia peaked at 10.9% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2023.
Australia ranks 123rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 47 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 6.3% | — |
| 1980 | 6.1% | -2.6% |
| 1981 | 5.8% | -5.3% |
| 1982 | 7.2% | +23.8% |
| 1983 | 10.0% | +39.1% |
| 1984 | 9.0% | -9.8% |
| 1985 | 8.3% | -8.1% |
| 1986 | 8.1% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 8.1% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 7.2% | -10.9% |
| 1989 | 6.2% | -14.5% |
| 1990 | 6.9% | +12.2% |
| 1991 | 9.6% | +38.3% |
| 1992 | 10.7% | +12.0% |
| 1993 | 10.9% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 9.7% | -10.6% |
| 1995 | 8.5% | -12.9% |
| 1996 | 8.5% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 7.7% | -8.2% |
| 1999 | 6.9% | -10.5% |
| 2000 | 6.3% | -8.6% |
| 2001 | 6.7% | +7.3% |
| 2002 | 6.4% | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 5.4% | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | -6.7% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 4.4% | -8.5% |
| 2008 | 4.2% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | +31.3% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 5.7% | +8.4% |
| 2014 | 6.1% | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 6.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 5.3% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 5.1% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | +24.3% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -21.5% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -25.8% |
| 2023 | 3.7% | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | +7.5% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | +6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.3% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 7.6% | 5.8% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.8% | 6.9% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 4.2% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.5% | 5.1% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 3.7% | 6.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 120 Sri Lanka 4.3% compare
- 121 United States of America 4.3% compare
- 122 Cayman Islands 4.2% compare
- 124 Faroe Islands 4.0% compare
- 125 Trinidad and Tobago 4.0% compare
- 126 Ghana 4.0% compare
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 unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Australia?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Australia was 4.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.9% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2023.
- How does Australia rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Australia ranks 123rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.