Australia Employment Change

Employment in Australia fell by 2,500 in May 2025 to 14.62 million, defying market expectations for a 25,000 increase and marking the first decline since February. The decline followed a downwardly revised 87,600 surge in April. Part-time employment decreased sharply by 41,200 to 4.52 million, reversing a marginally revised 29,000 increase in April. In contrast, full-time employment rose by 38,700 to a new record high of 10.10 million, although the pace slowed from a downwardly revised 58,600 gain in April. The overall employment-to-population ratio dipped by 0.1 percentage point to 64.2%, even as the female employment-to-population ratio edged up 0.1 percentage point to a record high of 60.9%. On an annual basis, total employment in May expanded by 329,100, or 2.3%, stronger than the pre-pandemic, 10-year average annual growth of 1.7%.