LABOUR FORCE


CONTENTS

Employed persons

Unemployment

Participation rate


EMPLOYED PERSONS

In trend terms, the total number of persons employed in South Australia in February 2010 (805,100) was 1.8% higher than the estimate for February 2009 (790,900) with most of the increase occurring in the last six months. The total number of persons employed in Australia in February 2010 was 10,971,600, an increase of 1.7% on the number employed in February 2009 (10,787,200).

The number of males employed full-time in South Australia in February 2010 was 355,600 (in trend terms); a 0.5% increase from the previous month (353,800). Looking at the composition of all male employees, those working full-time accounted for 81.1% of the male workforce, down from 84.3% in February 2009. The number of females employed full-time increased slightly to be 182,400 in February 2010. Despite increasing for the last 4 months, the estimate remains 1.7% below the peak recorded in May 2009 (185,500). At that time full-time female employees accounted for 49.9% of the female workforce. In February 2010, this proportion was 49.7%.


UNEMPLOYMENT

The trend estimate unemployment rate for South Australia fell to 4.7% in February 2010; the lowest level since July 2008. Australian unemployment fell marginally to 5.3% for the same period. South Australia's unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate since May 2009.

Having peaked at 6.2% in the middle of 2009, the trend unemployment rate for males in South Australia has fallen by 1.8 percentage points to be 4.4% in February 2010. This eclipses the previous low of 4.6% recorded in May 2008 and, for the third month running, sees the unemployment estimate for South Australian males lower than that for females. The recent trend unemployment rate for South Australian females has fallen slightly in each of the past four months to be 5.0% in February 2010.

Nationally the trend unemployment rate for both males and females was 5.3% in February 2010.

PARTICIPATION RATE

The trend estimate of the participation rate for South Australia has shown little movement over the last seven months and was 63.2% in February 2010. Australia's trend participation rate has also been relatively flat over the same period and was 65.2% in February 2010.

In South Australia, the participation rate for males remained steady at 70.1% in February 2010. The Australian participation rate for males rose slightly to 72.3% over the same period. From a peak of 57.9% in April and May 2009, the participation rate for South Australian females has fallen to be 56.6% in February 2010. The Australian female participation rate remained steady at 58.4% in February 2010.