Bill Mitchell – Billy Blog

Australian Labour Market – Largely Stable but Dark Clouds Present

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that March 2026 saw modest employment growth of 17,900 jobs, driven primarily by a 52,500‑person rise in full‑time positions while part‑time work fell by 34,600. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3 % as the participation rate slipped 0.1 percentage points to 66.8 %, leaving the labour‑under‑utilisation rate at 10.2 %. Under‑employment remained at 5.9 %, indicating that over one‑tenth of the labour force is idle. Teenage employment also contracted, with male participation dropping sharply.