Australia’s unemployment rate: latest ABS figures explained
Published on August 20, 2026
Updated 30 September 2026
Latest figures
Australia’s unemployment rate was 4.6% in August 2026, up from 4.5% in July, according to ABS Labour Force figures released on 24 September 2026. That is the seasonally adjusted rate, and the trend rate was also 4.6%.
- 722,900 people unemployed, up 28,200 on July
- 39,500 more people in work, taking employment to 14,836,600
- Participation rate up 0.2 points to 67.1%
- Underemployment rate down 0.1 points to 6.2%
- Youth unemployment rate up 0.4 points to 10.8%
- September figures are due from the ABS on 15 October 2026
The unemployment rate in Australia rose again in August. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its latest Labour Force figures on 24 September 2026, and they show more people in work, more people looking for work, and a jobless rate that has been drifting up all year. Here is what the numbers say, what moved, and what it means if you are looking for a job right now.
What is the current unemployment rate in Australia?
The current unemployment rate in Australia is 4.6%. That is the seasonally adjusted figure for August 2026, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on 24 September. It is up from 4.5% in July and 4.2% in August 2025. Going by the ABS monthly series, it is the highest seasonally adjusted rate since late 2021.
The trend rate, which smooths out monthly noise, also rose to 4.6%. It has edged higher every month this year, from 4.3% in January, so August is not a one off. For context, the rate fell as low as 3.4% in late 2022, and it sat at around 5% or higher from 2016 to 2019.
Here is how the main measures moved between July and August, in seasonally adjusted terms.
| Measure | July 2026 | August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| Unemployed people | 694,700 | 722,900 |
| Employed people | 14,797,100 | 14,836,600 |
| Participation rate | 66.9% | 67.1% |
| Underemployment rate | 6.3% | 6.2% |
| Underutilisation rate | 10.8% | 10.8% |
| Employment to population ratio | 63.9% | 63.9% |
| Youth unemployment rate (15 to 24) | 10.4% | 10.8% |
| Monthly hours worked | 1,995 million | 2,009 million |
Source: ABS, Labour Force, Australia, August 2026, seasonally adjusted. July figures are as revised in the August release, so a few differ slightly from what was first published.
What changed in the August 2026 unemployment figures
At first glance the August numbers look contradictory. Unemployment went up, yet 39,500 more people had a job. Both happened because the labour force itself grew. More people started looking for work, and not all of them found it straight away.
The ABS said a higher share of people who had been outside the labour force moved into unemployment this August than in recent years. That lifted the participation rate 0.2 points to 67.1%, and the number of unemployed people rose by 28,200 to 722,900 (ABS media release).
The type of work shifted too. Part time employment rose by 45,800 to 4,642,600 people, while full time employment fell by 6,300 to 10,193,900. July’s first estimates showed the opposite, with full time jobs up and part time jobs down. If you are weighing up which kind of role suits you, our guide to casual vs part time vs full time work explains how pay, leave and hours differ.
Hours worked bounced back as well, up 0.7% (about 14 million hours) to 2,009 million. The ABS pointed out that July had more employed people than usual working zero hours, so part of the August rise is hours returning after an unusual month.
A note of caution on the August data
August 2026 is the first August under a new ABS method for the supplementary survey that runs alongside the Labour Force Survey. The ABS says this could have a small effect on the seasonally adjusted August estimates, though it expects any impact to be smaller than normal sampling variation and calls the data fit for purpose. Its advice is the usual one: use the trend figures for the underlying picture. Those also show 4.6%.
Underemployment rate in Australia
The unemployment rate only counts people with no paid work who are actively looking and available to start. It misses people who have a job but cannot get enough hours. That is what the underemployment rate measures.
In August 2026 the underemployment rate fell 0.1 points to 6.2%, seasonally adjusted, and the trend rate held at 6.3%. Add the unemployed and underemployed together and you get the underutilisation rate, which stayed at 10.8%. Put simply, roughly one in nine people in the labour force either had no work or wanted more of it.
Underemployment is still 0.5 points higher than a year ago, and it varies a lot by state. Tasmania (6.9%) and Victoria (6.8%) had the highest rates among the states in August. New South Wales had the lowest at 5.4%. If you are picking up casual shifts and hoping for more, this is the number to watch, because it shows how many people already in work want more hours.
Who is out of work: jobless numbers by state, age and gender
How many people are unemployed in Australia?
In August 2026, 722,900 people were unemployed in seasonally adjusted terms. That is 28,200 more than in July and 80,000 more than a year earlier. Over the same year, employment grew by 238,100 people to 14,836,600. So the economy is still adding jobs, just not fast enough to take in everyone who is joining the labour force.
Unemployment rate by state and territory
Victoria had the highest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of the states in August at 5.2%, followed by Tasmania at 5.0%. On trend figures the two swap places, with Tasmania at 5.2% and Victoria at 5.1%. New South Wales had the lowest at 4.3%, which is worth knowing if you are weighing up finding a job in Sydney. The biggest move was in South Australia, where the rate jumped 0.5 points to 4.6%. Queensland rose 0.3 points to 4.5%.
In trend terms the ACT had the lowest rate in the country at 4.0%, and the Northern Territory was at 4.8%. Both territories also have much higher participation than the rest of the country, at 72.8% in the Northern Territory and 71.6% in the ACT, against 67.0% nationally in trend terms.
| State or territory | Unemployment rate (change since July) | Underemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 4.3% up 0.1 pts |
5.4% |
| Victoria | 5.2% up 0.1 pts |
6.8% |
| Queensland | 4.5% up 0.3 pts |
6.4% |
| South Australia | 4.6% up 0.5 pts |
6.4% |
| Western Australia | 4.5% up 0.1 pts |
5.8% |
| Tasmania | 5.0% no change |
6.9% |
| Northern Territory (trend) | 4.8% no change |
4.9% |
| Australian Capital Territory (trend) | 4.0% no change |
6.3% |
| Australia | 4.6% up 0.2 pts |
6.2% |
Source: ABS, Labour Force, Australia, August 2026. States and Australia are seasonally adjusted. The ABS does not publish seasonally adjusted figures for the Northern Territory or the ACT, so those rows use trend estimates, as the ABS recommends.
The national figure only tells you so much. What matters is demand for your skills where you live, or where you are willing to move. Our Adelaide job market guide is a good example of how local conditions differ from the headline.
Youth unemployment rate
The youth unemployment rate, covering 15 to 24 year olds, rose from 10.4% in July to 10.8% in August. The trend rate was 10.6%. That is more than double the overall rate. If you are starting out, hospitality and tourism jobs and retail jobs are common first steps, and our guide to places hiring now in Australia shows where to look.
Men and women
The unemployment rate for men rose to 4.8% in August, while the rate for women stayed at 4.4%. Participation rose for both, to 71.0% for men and 63.3% for women.
What the unemployment rate means for Jobseekers
A 4.6% unemployment rate is still below the levels of the late 2010s, but the direction has changed. A year ago it was 4.2%. In practice, you may be up against more applicants for each role than you were in 2025, and with part time work growing faster than full time, the jobs on offer may not always come with the hours you want.
A few things help when the market loosens:
- Apply early. When more people are looking, good roles close faster
- Tailor every application. A generic resume gets lost in a bigger pile, so use these resume tips to sharpen yours
- Treat part time or casual work as a way in, especially if it gives you local experience and references
- Look past your own postcode. Rates differ between states, and so does demand for particular skills
- Check the next release. The ABS publishes September figures on 15 October 2026
If you are thinking about retraining, read what to know before a career change. And if pay matters as much as security, our list of the highest paying jobs in Australia shows which roles earn the most on tax office data.
Where Workinitiatives can help
Workinitiatives lists roles across Australia and matches Jobseekers with employers by skills. Start with your city:
- Jobs in Sydney
- Jobs in Melbourne
- Jobs in Brisbane
- Jobs in Perth
- Jobs in Adelaide
- Jobs in Hobart
- Jobs in Canberra
- Jobs in Darwin
Or search by field. Browse healthcare and medical jobs, community services jobs or trades and services jobs, then narrow down to titles like support worker, registered nurse or electrician. In Victoria, which has the highest seasonally adjusted rate of the states, you can go straight to healthcare and medical jobs in Melbourne.
Moving from overseas? Our guide to finding a job in Australia from overseas covers visas and skills recognition, and where to find a job in Australia lists the legitimate job websites worth using alongside Workinitiatives. For the wider picture, see our overview of the Australian job market.
How to read Australia’s unemployment figures
The ABS publishes Labour Force figures every month. Before you react to a headline number, keep three things in mind:
- The headline is seasonally adjusted. Trend figures smooth out the monthly swings, and the ABS says they give the best read of the underlying market
- Earlier months get revised. July’s unemployed count was first published as 691,500 and now stands at 694,700
- The unemployment rate is a share of the labour force, not the whole population. People who stop looking for work drop out of the count, which is why the participation rate matters too
The next release, covering September 2026, is due on 15 October 2026. We will update this page when it lands.
FAQs
What is the current unemployment rate in Australia?
4.6% in August 2026, seasonally adjusted, according to ABS figures released on 24 September 2026. It was 4.5% in July. The trend rate was also 4.6%.
What is the underemployment rate in Australia?
6.2% in August 2026, down from 6.3% in July. It counts people who have a job but want, and are available for, more hours. Combined with unemployment, the underutilisation rate was 10.8%.
How many people are unemployed in Australia?
722,900 people in August 2026, seasonally adjusted. That is up 28,200 on July and 80,000 on August 2025.
Which state has the highest unemployment rate in Australia?
Victoria, at 5.2% in August 2026 in seasonally adjusted terms, followed by Tasmania at 5.0%. On trend figures Tasmania is slightly higher at 5.2%, with Victoria at 5.1%. New South Wales had the lowest rate of the states at 4.3%, and in trend terms the ACT was lowest in the country at 4.0%.
What is the youth unemployment rate in Australia?
10.8% in August 2026 for 15 to 24 year olds, seasonally adjusted, up from 10.4% in July. The trend rate was 10.6%.
Why did unemployment rise in August 2026 when jobs grew?
More people joined the labour force and started looking for work. Employment rose by 39,500, but the number of unemployed people rose by 28,200 as the participation rate climbed to 67.1%.
When is the next unemployment rate released?
The ABS will publish Labour Force figures for September 2026 on 15 October 2026.
