In August 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment increased 132,000 to 1,776,000 (up 0.8% to 11.1% of the workforce) while under-employment was virtually unchanged at 1,742,000 (unchanged at 10.9%).
This is the first time over 1.7 million Australians have been unemployed and over 1.7 million Australians have been under-employed in the same month.
Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at almost 16 million in August – 15,992,000 to be exact, up 62,000 on a month ago, and representing 69.2% of Australians aged 14+.
The workforce rise was driven by rising unemployment, up by 132,000. In contrast, overall employment fell 70,000 to 14,216,000 due to falling part-time employment, down 105,000 to 4,992,000. Full-time employment was up 35,000 to 9,224,000. Overall employment represents 61.5% of Australians aged 14+.
Detailed Roy Morgan Employment Estimates in August:
Australian workforce increased by 62,000 in August to almost 16 million:
In August the Australian workforce increased 62,000 to 15,992,000 driven by an increase in unemployment, up 132,000 to 1,776,000 while employment fell by 70,000 to 14,216,000.
Australian employment dropped 70,000 to 14,216,000 driven by a drop in part-time employment, down 105,000 to 4,992,000. However, full-time employment increased 35,000 to 9,224,000.
Unemployment increased 0.8% in August to 11.1%:
1,776,000 Australians were unemployed (11.1% of the workforce, up 0.8%), up 132,000 from July. The rise in unemployment was driven by more people looking for part-time work, up 152,000 to 1,101,000, although there were fewer people looking for full-time work, down 20,000 to 675,000.
In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.74 million Australians (10.9% of the workforce, unchanged) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work, up 5,000 from July. In total 3.52 million Australians (22.0% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in August.
This is the first time since late March 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic that overall unemployment and under-employment has exceeded 3.5 million and the highest rate of unemployment and under-employment since October 2020 (22.2% of the workforce).
Comparisons with three years ago, during the early days of the Albanese Government (August 2022), show a rapidly increasing population and workforce driving employment growth:
The Australian population aged 14+ in August 2025 was estimated at 23,112,000 (up 1,753,000 from August 2022 – more than double the pre-pandemic average of 840,000 over an average three-year period since 1999).
The workforce in August 2025 was 15,992,000 (up 1,142,000 from August 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic average growth of 689,000) – comprising 14,216,000 employed Australians (up 729,000) and 1,776,000 unemployed Australians (up 413,000) – so every indicator has increased rapidly.
The August Roy Morgan Unemployment estimates were obtained by surveying an Australia-wide cross section of people aged 14+. A person is classified as unemployed if they are looking for work, no matter when. The ‘real’ unemployment rate is presented as a percentage of the workforce (employed & unemployed).