Australia's unemployment rate stands at 4.7 per cent as employment falls by 39,000

15 October 2026

The Australian Bureau of Statistics put the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at 4.7 per cent for September 2026. The number of employed people fell by 39,000 over the month, while the number of unemployed people rose by 9,000. The participation rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 66.8 per cent. Hours worked rose 0.1 per cent, with full-time hours up 0.4 per cent and part-time hours down 1.5 per cent. The figures come from the ABS release Labour Force, Australia. Sean Crick, the ABS head of labour statistics, presented the result. The participation rate measures the share of the working-age population either employed or looking for work.