Persons Not in the Labour Force

NAME OF ORGANISATION
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

OVERVIEW

The Persons Not in the Labour Force (PNILF) survey was first conducted in November 1975 and then in May 1977. The survey has been conducted annually since 1989. The survey collects information about persons who are neither employed nor unemployed.

PURPOSE

Data from this survey are used to measure potential labour not reflected in employment and unemployment statistics, and in particular to measure the number and characteristics of discouraged job seekers and others marginally attached to the labour force. The policy context for the data includes labour market programs for the jobless, income support programs, retirement policies, and child care policies.

SCOPE

This survey is conducted as part of the Monthly Population Survey, which comprises the Labour Force Survey and, in most months, a supplementary survey topic.

SCOPE -- Labour Force Survey

The Labour Force Survey includes all usual residents of Australia¹ aged 15 and over except:

• members of the permanent defence forces;
• certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from census and estimated populations;
• overseas residents in Australia; and
• members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia.

SCOPE -- Labour Force Supplementary Surveys

In addition to those already excluded from the Labour Force Survey, the following persons are excluded from most supplementary surveys:

• persons living in private dwellings in remote and sparsely settled parts of Australia;
• institutionalised persons; and
• boarding school pupils.

SCOPE - Persons Not In The Labour Force Survey

Prior to September 2005 the scope of this survey was restricted to persons aged 15--69 years. From September 2005 on persons aged 15 years and over are included.

The standard scope restrictions for supplementary surveys (see above) also apply to this survey

COVERAGE - Labour Force Survey

Coverage rules are applied to ensure that each person is associated with only one dwelling, and hence has only one chance of selection. The chance of a person being enumerated at two separate dwellings in the one survey is considered to be negligible. Persons who are away from their usual residence for six weeks or less at the time of interview are enumerated at their usual residence (relevant information may be obtained from other usual residents present at the time of the survey).

DATA DETAIL

Conceptual framework

The conceptual framework used in Australia's Labour Force Survey aligns closely with the standards and guidelines set out in Resolutions of the International Conference of Labour Statisticians. Descriptions of the underlying concepts and structure of Australia's labour force statistics, and the sources and methods used in compiling these estimates, are presented in Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods (Cat. no. 6102.0).

The labour force framework classifies the civilian population into three mutually exclusive groups: employed; unemployed; and not in the labour force. The employed and unemployed categories together make up the labour force. The third category (i.e. the residual) represents persons not in the labour force.

In this survey, the main populations of interest are persons not in the labour force, persons marginally attached to the labour force, and discouraged job seekers.

Persons who are marginally attached may satisfy some, but not all, of the criteria required to be classified as unemployed. Persons not in the labour force are considered to be marginally attached to the labour force if they:

• want to work and are actively looking for work but not available to start work in the reference week; or
• want to work and are not actively looking for work but are available to start work within four weeks, or could start work within four weeks if child care was available.

• considered to be too young/too old by employers;
• lacked necessary schooling, training, skills or experience; or
• difficulties because of language or ethnic background; or
• no jobs in their locality or line of work; or
• no jobs available at all.

Main outputs

Data from the survey are published in Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia (Cat. no. 6220.0). More detailed estimates are available on request.

Data from the survey relate to persons aged 15-69. The main populations of interest are persons not in the labour force, persons marginally attached to the labour force, and discouraged job seekers. Estimates are produced on an original basis only (i.e. not seasonally adjusted) and include:

Classifications

Demographics: Sex, age, marital status, household/family relationship, State or Territory of usual residence, birthplace, year of arrival in Australia, number of children and age of youngest child.

Country of Birth: Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), 1998 (cat. no. 1269.0)

Occupation: ANZSCO Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0)

Other concepts (summary)

Data collected in the survey are compiled according to concepts and definitions outlined in Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2001 (cat. no. 6102.0).

GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
ACT
Part of State Metropolitan
Part of State Extra-Metropolitan

Comments and/or Other Regions

Not all data available for all areas.

COLLECTION FREQUENCY
Annually

Frequency comments

First conducted in November 1975.

COLLECTION HISTORY

Over the time the survey has been conducted there have been some changes to the collection frequency and timing, and publication format.

Data availability comments

Publication Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6220.0)