In November 2025, Australian real (Morgan methodology) unemployment was virtually unchanged at 1,628,000 (10.2% of the workforce), but under-employment increased 63,000 to 1,709,000 (up 0.3% to 10.7%).
Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at just under 16 million in October – 15,967,000 to be exact, up 110,000 on a month ago, and representing 68.8% of Australians aged 14+.
The increase in the workforce was by a rise in employment, up 119,000 to 14,339,000. The good news is that full-time employment increased significantly, up 210,000 to 9,203,000, although part-time employment was down 91,000 to 5,136,000. Now overall employment represents 61.8% of Australians aged 14+.
Detailed Roy Morgan Employment Estimates in November:
Australian workforce increased by 110,000 in November to just under 16 million:
In November the Australian workforce increased 110,000 to 15,967,000 driven by rising employment, up 119,000 to 14,339,000 with unemployment virtually unchanged at 1,628,000, down 9,000.
Overall employment increased in November driven by a jump in full-time employment:
Australian employment increased 119,000 to 14,339,000 driven by a jump in full-time employment, up 210,000 to 9,203,000, and equivalent to 64.2% of employed Australians. However, part-time employment dropped by 91,000 to 5,136,000, and equivalent to 35.8% of employed Australians.
Unemployment was virtually unchanged in November at 10.2%:
1,628,000 Australians were unemployed (10.2% of the workforce, down 0.1%), down 9,000 from October. There were fewer people looking for full-time work, down 89,000 to 599,000, which was largely offset by the rise in people looking for part-time work, up 80,000 to 1,029,000.
Under-employment was up in November; overall unemployment and under-employed at 20.9%:
In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.71 million Australians (10.7% of the workforce, up 0.3%) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work, up 63,000 from October. In total 3.34 million Australians (20.9% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in November.
Comparisons with three years ago, during the early days of the Albanese Government (Nov. 2022), show a rapidly increasing population and workforce driving employment growth:
The Australian population aged 14+ in November 2025 was estimated at 23,220,000 (up 1,809,000 from November 2022 – more than double the pre-pandemic average growth of 840,000 over a three-year period).
The workforce in November 2025 was 15,967,000 (up 1,049,000 from three years ago) – comprising 14,339,000 employed Australians (up 759,000) and 1,628,000 unemployed Australians (up 290,000).
The November 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).