Charts on casual employment, occupation, industry and job mobility, February 2023

Updated chart pack

Released

23/03/2023

Source

Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, February 2023

Casual employment, occupation, industry and job mobility

This article includes information on casual employment, occupation, industry and job mobility. It follows previous similar articles during the COVID period, including:

Insights into Industry and Occupation (May 2020, August 2020)
Insights into casual employment, occupation and industry (November 2020)
Charts on casual employment, occupation and industry (May 2021, August 2021, November 2021, February 2022 , and May 2022)
Insights into job mobility from quarterly Labour Force statistics (first in a non-quarter month December 2021, and then in February 2022).
Charts on casual employment, occupation, industry and job mobility (August 2022 and then in November 2022).

These can all be found in the Labour Force, Australia article archive.

The main indicator the ABS uses for casual employment is whether an employee is entitled to paid leave, which includes paid sick leave or paid annual leave. These entitlements are usually reserved for non-casual or permanent employment. Other measures of casual employment can be found in Working Arrangements.

Information in this article refers to a person’s ‘main job’, based on questions that are asked in the Labour Force Survey in February, May, August and November.

Employment by casual employees

Previous iterations of this article have focussed on COVID-19 related impacts on casual employment and hours worked patterns during the pandemic. As of February 2023, people have generally been able to work their normal hours without any major disruptions, such as widespread sickness or natural disasters.

Chart 1 compares the change in employment for casual employees, non-casual employees and owner managers, indexed to February 2020. Casual employment is now at similar levels to those seen prior to the pandemic. Non-casual employment has grown steadily and is now 10.3% above the pre-pandemic level, thus driving the majority of employment growth, particularly in recent quarters.

Chart 1: Employment index, Status in Employment, Original (Feb 2020 =100.0)
	Casual employees (February 2020 Index)	Employees with paid leave entitlements (February 2020 Index)	Owner managers (February 2020 Index)
Nov-19	99.9	99.1	101.1
Feb-20	100.0	100.0	100.0
May-20	79.4	97.4	95.2
Aug-20	88.1	98.4	97.8
Nov-20	94.4	100.0	98.6
Feb-21	95.2	100.8	102.0
May-21	99.1	101.6	101.8
Aug-21	92.6	100.7	101.5
Nov-21	96.7	103.1	102.4
Feb-22	98.9	105.2	102.5
May-22	101.5	106.3	101.2
Aug-22	103.2	105.5	101.6
Nov-22	103.8	108.2	101.2
Feb-23	98.3	110.3	102.6

Chart 1: Employment index, Status in Employment, Original (Feb 2020 =100.0)

["","Casual employees","Employees with paid leave entitlements","Owner managers"]

[["Nov-19","Feb-20","May-20","Aug-20","Nov-20","Feb-21","May-21","Aug-21","Nov-21","Feb-22","May-22","Aug-22","Nov-22","Feb-23"],[[99.900000000000006],[100],[79.400000000000006],[88.099999999999994],[94.400000000000006],[95.200000000000003],[99.099999999999994],[92.599999999999994],[96.700000000000003],[98.900000000000006],[101.5],[103.2],[103.8],[98.299999999999997]],[[99.099999999999994],[100],[97.400000000000006],[98.400000000000006],[100],[100.8],[101.59999999999999],[100.7],[103.09999999999999],[105.2],[106.3],[105.5],[108.2],[110.3]],[[101.09999999999999],[100],[95.200000000000003],[97.799999999999997],[98.599999999999994],[102],[101.8],[101.5],[102.40000000000001],[102.5],[101.2],[101.59999999999999],[101.2],[102.59999999999999]]]

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Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Datacube EQ04

Chart 2 shows a fall in the total weekly hours worked by casual employees, in line with the fall in casual employment between November 2022 and February 2023, while the average weekly hours worked remained steady and slightly above pre-pandemic levels.

Chart 2: Hours worked by casual employees, Original
	Total weekly hours worked (right) (million hours)	Average weekly hours worked (left) (hours/week)
Nov-19	60.5	23.1
Feb-20	60.3	23.0
May-20	43.7	21.0
Aug-20	50.5	21.9
Nov-20	57.4	23.2
Feb-21	57.2	22.9
May-21	59.6	23.0
Aug-21	51.4	21.2
Nov-21	59.0	23.3
Feb-22	61.4	23.7
May-22	61.2	23.0
Aug-22	63.0	23.3
Nov-22	64.2	23.6
Feb-23	60.7	23.6

Chart 2: Hours worked by casual employees, Original

["","Total weekly hours worked (right)","Average weekly hours worked (left)"]

[["Nov-19","Feb-20","May-20","Aug-20","Nov-20","Feb-21","May-21","Aug-21","Nov-21","Feb-22","May-22","Aug-22","Nov-22","Feb-23"],[[60.5],[60.299999999999997],[43.700000000000003],[50.5],[57.399999999999999],[57.200000000000003],[59.600000000000001],[51.399999999999999],[59],[61.399999999999999],[61.200000000000003],[63],[64.200000000000003],[60.700000000000003]],[[23.100000000000001],[23],[21],[21.899999999999999],[23.199999999999999],[22.899999999999999],[23],[21.199999999999999],[23.300000000000001],[23.699999999999999],[23],[23.300000000000001],[23.600000000000001],[23.600000000000001]]]

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[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Hours per week","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(hours\/week)","table_units":"(hours\/week)","axis_min":"20","axis_max":"25","tick_interval":"1","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Millon hours ","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(million hours)","table_units":"(million hours)","axis_min":"40","axis_max":"65","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Source: Labour Force Australia, Detailed, Datacube EQ04

Occupation

Chart 3 shows changes in employment and average hours worked in each of the major groups of occupations from November 2022 to February 2023.

Chart 3: Change in employed people and average hours worked, by Occupation, November 2022 to February 2023, Original
	Employed (%)	Average hours worked (%)
Managers	2.0	0.5
Professionals	0.8	1.3
Technical and trades workers	1.3	1.9
Community and personal service workers	-0.4	3.6
Clerical and administrative workers	-0.3	2.4
Sales workers	-3.2	1.3
Machinery operators and drivers	-2.1	0.0
Labourers	2.8	1.9

Chart 3: Change in employed people and average hours worked, by Occupation, November 2022 to February 2023, Original

["","Employed","Average hours worked"]

[["Managers","Professionals","Technical and trades workers","Community and personal service workers","Clerical and administrative workers","Sales workers","Machinery operators and drivers","Labourers"],[[2],[0.80000000000000004],[1.3],[-0.40000000000000002],[-0.29999999999999999],[-3.2000000000000002],[-2.1000000000000001],[2.7999999999999998]],[[0.5],[1.3],[1.8999999999999999],[3.6000000000000001],[2.3999999999999999],[1.3],[0],[1.8999999999999999]]]

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Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed Table 12

Industry

Chart 4 shows changes in employment and average hours worked in each of the industry divisions from November 2022 to February 2023.

Chart 4: Change in employed people and average hours worked, by Industry, November 2022 to February 2023, Original
	Employed (%)	Average hours worked (%)
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	3.4	-3.6
Mining	2.5	1.6
Manufacturing	-0.8	1.6
Electricity, gas, water and waste services	2.1	1.1
Construction	1.5	1.6
Wholesale trade	1.4	1.1
Retail trade	1.8	1.4
Accommodation and food services	-1.1	1.1
Transport, postal and warehousing	-5.2	-0.5
Information media and telecommunications	6.8	2.3
Financial and insurance services	-5.3	2.6
Rental, hiring and real estate services	0.3	-0.6
Professional, scientific and technical services	1.5	0.1
Administrative and support services	-7.9	1.4
Public administration and safety	4.9	1.7
Education and training	-2.6	5.8
Health care and social assistance	2.7	2.9
Arts and recreation services	-0.6	2.6
Other services	2.6	1.5

Chart 4: Change in employed people and average hours worked, by Industry, November 2022 to February 2023, Original

["","Employed","Average hours worked"]

[["Agriculture, forestry and fishing","Mining","Manufacturing","Electricity, gas, water and waste services","Construction","Wholesale trade","Retail trade","Accommodation and food services","Transport, postal and warehousing","Information media and telecommunications","Financial and insurance services","Rental, hiring and real estate services","Professional, scientific and technical services","Administrative and support services","Public administration and safety","Education and training","Health care and social assistance","Arts and recreation services","Other services"],[[3.3999999999999999],[2.5],[-0.80000000000000004],[2.1000000000000001],[1.5],[1.3999999999999999],[1.8],[-1.1000000000000001],[-5.2000000000000002],[6.7999999999999998],[-5.2999999999999998],[0.29999999999999999],[1.5],[-7.9000000000000004],[4.9000000000000004],[-2.6000000000000001],[2.7000000000000002],[-0.59999999999999998],[2.6000000000000001]],[[-3.6000000000000001],[1.6000000000000001],[1.6000000000000001],[1.1000000000000001],[1.6000000000000001],[1.1000000000000001],[1.3999999999999999],[1.1000000000000001],[-0.5],[2.2999999999999998],[2.6000000000000001],[-0.59999999999999998],[0.10000000000000001],[1.3999999999999999],[1.7],[5.7999999999999998],[2.8999999999999999],[2.6000000000000001],[1.5]]]

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Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed Table 4 and Table 11

Job mobility

Chart 5 shows the reasons people left or lost a job in the past three months. In February, the number of people who indicated they left a job in the past three months for a ‘better job’ or ‘wanted a change’ increased by around 14,200 to 343,200 people. This follows the first fall (November 2022) since the early stages of the pandemic.

Chart 5: People who lost or left job in past three months, by reason, Original
	Better job/wanted change ('000)	Involuntary ('000)	Other reasons ('000)	Retiring ('000)	Study/family/other personal ('000)	Total ('000)
Feb-16	170.4	336.4	71.3	20.3	171.7	770.1
May-16	164.0	265.1	53.5	8.4	140.2	631.2
Aug-16	201.2	306.4	60.4	18.3	135.1	721.4
Nov-16	181.5	263.8	69.2	11.0	127.2	652.8
Feb-17	190.4	358.9	60.4	16.9	195.3	821.9
May-17	172.5	234.5	52.9	15.7	133.0	608.7
Aug-17	214.9	251.6	73.1	15.0	143.9	698.5
Nov-17	199.1	260.3	60.1	16.3	135.4	671.2
Feb-18	213.7	313.3	63.6	20.8	181.6	793.0
May-18	180.9	270.6	60.6	17.5	142.2	671.9
Aug-18	192.4	276.6	65.1	24.6	167.1	725.9
Nov-18	215.9	267.4	53.7	20.6	145.6	703.2
Feb-19	215.4	311.3	76.9	23.0	181.9	808.5
May-19	195.1	261.0	65.1	13.7	144.5	679.4
Aug-19	207.6	289.9	71.9	16.9	151.7	737.9
Nov-19	219.7	259.0	77.2	16.8	144.1	716.8
Feb-20	225.5	358.8	84.6	17.6	166.6	853.1
May-20	129.4	711.5	266.8	12.7	79.1	1,199.4
Aug-20	137.4	387.9	149.1	13.0	77.6	765.0
Nov-20	184.3	310.1	108.5	13.4	96.3	712.7
Feb-21	219.8	315.9	102.8	25.8	155.1	819.4
May-21	266.1	237.5	73.8	17.6	153.8	748.8
Aug-21	300.8	307.9	163.3	28.9	150.7	951.5
Nov-21	305.2	264.7	142.1	17.5	138.2	867.7
Feb-22	332.1	276.3	129.5	27.3	174.8	940.0
May-22	344.3	220.2	95.8	20.2	182.3	862.8
Aug-22	361.7	258.9	89.2	27.7	163.2	900.8
Nov-22	329.0	214.6	82.1	21.7	181.2	828.5
Feb-23	343.2	281.4	114.2	27.2	185.1	951.1

Chart 5: People who lost or left job in past three months, by reason, Original

["","Better job\/wanted change","Involuntary","Other reasons","Retiring","Study\/family\/other personal","Total"]

[["Feb-16","May-16","Aug-16","Nov-16","Feb-17","May-17","Aug-17","Nov-17","Feb-18","May-18","Aug-18","Nov-18","Feb-19","May-19","Aug-19","Nov-19","Feb-20","May-20","Aug-20","Nov-20","Feb-21","May-21","Aug-21","Nov-21","Feb-22","May-22","Aug-22","Nov-22","Feb-23"],[[170.40000000000001],[164],[201.19999999999999],[181.5],[190.40000000000001],[172.5],[214.90000000000001],[199.09999999999999],[213.69999999999999],[180.90000000000001],[192.40000000000001],[215.90000000000001],[215.40000000000001],[195.09999999999999],[207.59999999999999],[219.69999999999999],[225.5],[129.40000000000001],[137.40000000000001],[184.30000000000001],[219.80000000000001],[266.10000000000002],[300.80000000000001],[305.19999999999999],[332.10000000000002],[344.30000000000001],[361.69999999999999],[329],[343.19999999999999]],[[336.39999999999998],[265.10000000000002],[306.39999999999998],[263.80000000000001],[358.89999999999998],[234.5],[251.59999999999999],[260.30000000000001],[313.30000000000001],[270.60000000000002],[276.60000000000002],[267.39999999999998],[311.30000000000001],[261],[289.89999999999998],[259],[358.80000000000001],[711.5],[387.89999999999998],[310.10000000000002],[315.89999999999998],[237.5],[307.89999999999998],[264.69999999999999],[276.30000000000001],[220.19999999999999],[258.89999999999998],[214.59999999999999],[281.39999999999998]],[[71.299999999999997],[53.5],[60.399999999999999],[69.200000000000003],[60.399999999999999],[52.899999999999999],[73.099999999999994],[60.100000000000001],[63.600000000000001],[60.600000000000001],[65.099999999999994],[53.700000000000003],[76.900000000000006],[65.099999999999994],[71.900000000000006],[77.200000000000003],[84.599999999999994],[266.80000000000001],[149.09999999999999],[108.5],[102.8],[73.799999999999997],[163.30000000000001],[142.09999999999999],[129.5],[95.799999999999997],[89.200000000000003],[82.099999999999994],[114.2]],[[20.300000000000001],[8.4000000000000004],[18.300000000000001],[11],[16.899999999999999],[15.699999999999999],[15],[16.300000000000001],[20.800000000000001],[17.5],[24.600000000000001],[20.600000000000001],[23],[13.699999999999999],[16.899999999999999],[16.800000000000001],[17.600000000000001],[12.699999999999999],[13],[13.4],[25.800000000000001],[17.600000000000001],[28.899999999999999],[17.5],[27.300000000000001],[20.199999999999999],[27.699999999999999],[21.699999999999999],[27.199999999999999]],[[171.69999999999999],[140.19999999999999],[135.09999999999999],[127.2],[195.30000000000001],[133],[143.90000000000001],[135.40000000000001],[181.59999999999999],[142.19999999999999],[167.09999999999999],[145.59999999999999],[181.90000000000001],[144.5],[151.69999999999999],[144.09999999999999],[166.59999999999999],[79.099999999999994],[77.599999999999994],[96.299999999999997],[155.09999999999999],[153.80000000000001],[150.69999999999999],[138.19999999999999],[174.80000000000001],[182.30000000000001],[163.19999999999999],[181.19999999999999],[185.09999999999999]],[[770.10000000000002],[631.20000000000005],[721.39999999999998],[652.79999999999995],[821.89999999999998],[608.70000000000005],[698.5],[671.20000000000005],[793],[671.89999999999998],[725.89999999999998],[703.20000000000005],[808.5],[679.39999999999998],[737.89999999999998],[716.79999999999995],[853.10000000000002],[1199.4000000000001],[765],[712.70000000000005],[819.39999999999998],[748.79999999999995],[951.5],[867.70000000000005],[940],[862.79999999999995],[900.79999999999995],[828.5],[951.10000000000002]]]

[]

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Source: Longitudinal Labour Force Microdata

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