Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia
Australia: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 9.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia, 1979–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia is 9.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia peaked at 19.3% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2023.
Australia ranks 112th of 160 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, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 13.0% | — |
| 1980 | 12.5% | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 11.4% | -8.8% |
| 1982 | 13.8% | +21.3% |
| 1983 | 18.3% | +32.2% |
| 1984 | 16.8% | -8.4% |
| 1985 | 15.2% | -9.7% |
| 1986 | 15.0% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 14.9% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 13.4% | -10.2% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | -16.8% |
| 1990 | 13.0% | +16.7% |
| 1991 | 17.5% | +34.3% |
| 1992 | 19.3% | +10.3% |
| 1993 | 18.5% | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | -9.0% |
| 1995 | 15.2% | -9.9% |
| 1996 | 15.7% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 15.9% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | -8.7% |
| 1999 | 13.1% | -9.3% |
| 2000 | 12.1% | -7.8% |
| 2001 | 13.5% | +11.5% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | -5.0% |
| 2003 | 12.0% | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 11.4% | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 10.0% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | -6.6% |
| 2008 | 8.8% | -5.9% |
| 2009 | 11.5% | +30.0% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 11.7% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 12.2% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | +8.9% |
| 2015 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 12.7% | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 12.7% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 11.9% | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 11.4% | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 14.2% | +23.6% |
| 2021 | 11.2% | -21.2% |
| 2022 | 8.4% | -24.3% |
| 2023 | 8.3% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 9.3% | +11.9% |
| 2025 | 9.5% | +2.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 9.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 68% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Australia's 9.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.0%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.0% | 13.0% | 13.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 14.3% | 11.2% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 13.0% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.2% | 8.8% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.2% | 11.4% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.2% | 8.3% | 14.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 109 Faroe Islands 9.9% compare
- 110 Bangladesh 9.6% compare
- 111 Malta 9.6% compare
- 113 Iceland 9.5% compare
- 114 Jamaica 9.1% compare
- 115 Netherlands 8.8% 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, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Australia was 9.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 1992.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2023.
- How does Australia rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Australia ranks 112th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. 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, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.