Australia’s Unemployment Edges Up to 4.1% in March

Australia’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 4.1 percent in March, rising from 4.0 percent in February, according to data released Thursday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

While the seasonally adjusted jobless rate saw a minor increase, the broader trend measure—which smooths out short-term fluctuations—held steady at 4.0 percent for the fifth consecutive month.

The ABS noted that the labor market remains resilient overall, with employment growing by 308,000 people (2.2 percent) over the past year—just above the pre-pandemic 20-year average of 2.0 percent.

Between February and March, the number of employed Australians rose by 32,200. This was slightly counterbalanced by an increase of 3,000 in the number of unemployed individuals.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers welcomed the figures, calling them a sign of continued economic strength. “These job numbers are really powerful and a demonstration of the progress that we’ve made together on the economy,” he said during a campaign event in Brisbane ahead of the May 3 general election.

Sean Crick, head of labour statistics at the ABS, reported that the employment-to-population ratio remained steady at 64.1 percent in March. Meanwhile, the participation rate—reflecting the share of working-age Australians who are employed or actively seeking work—rose slightly to 66.8 percent.

Despite the overall job gains, total hours worked across the country fell by 0.3 percent in March. Crick attributed the drop to disruptions caused by severe weather events, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which impacted parts of New South Wales and Queensland.