Gradual recovery in payroll jobs continues

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today show total payroll jobs increased 1.0 per cent between mid-May and mid-June.

Head of Labour Statistics at the ABS, Bjorn Jarvis, said: “This continued the gradual recovery in payroll jobs since mid-April (when total job losses were 8.8 per cent). However, payroll jobs are still 6.4 per cent below mid-March, when Australia recorded its 100th confirmed case of COVID-19.”

“The recovery in payroll jobs between mid-April and mid-June represents around 30 per cent of the jobs initially lost,” Mr Jarvis said.

“Between mid-May and mid-June, the easing of restrictions saw payroll jobs increasing faster for the under 20s, up by 4.1 per cent.”

"Payroll jobs in the Accommodation and food services industry recovered by more than other impacted industries between mid-May and mid-June (3.8 per cent), but remained 28.6 per cent lower than in mid-March."

“Western Australia (2.3 per cent) had the largest increases in jobs between mid-May and mid-June, and their total payroll job losses since mid-March were also the lowest, at 4.4 per cent.”

Mr Jarvis added: “Looking at the week to week changes, payroll jobs showed no change in the week ending 13 June. This follows an increase of 0.2 per cent in the week ending 6 June.”

Further information is available in Weekly Payroll Jobs and Wages in Australia (cat. no. 6160.0.55.001).

The ABS would like to acknowledge the continued support from the Australian Taxation Office in enabling the ABS to produce these statistics, providing weekly insight into the Australian labour market.