Wage Price Index Survey

The Wage Price Index survey (WPI) runs every quarter.  We use results from the WPI survey to construct the Wage Price Index. This is a measure of the quarterly change in the price of wages and salaries.

We publish WPI statistics quarterly in the Wage Price Index, Australia.

For instructions, refer to how to complete your survey.

For technical support, visit one of our help pages:

• How to Create and log into your ABS account
• Trouble Accessing your survey form
• Reallocate your form to someone else in your business or organisation

If you need further assistance, you can contact us: 

Online: 

• Submit an enquiry using the Business Surveys Contact Form and we will get back to you.

Phone: 

• 1800 642 149
• +61 2 6252 8802 (outside Australia)

Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 7 pm AEST.

These businesses represent the wider Australian business community at the state, industry, and sector levels.

For more information on business selection refer to WPI: Concepts, Sources and Methods.

To create an accurate representation of wages in Australia, we ask a small sample of businesses for the details of a small number of jobs within their organisation. Because only a sample of businesses are selected, every response is important. Your response helps make sure the results accurately represent wage movements across Australia.

Your answers help create trusted wage statistics. WPI is used in the Fair Work Commission's annual wage review and helps the Reserve Bank set interest rates. It also helps guide wage reviews and contract updates.

This survey is compulsory.

If the business or organisation does not complete the survey, you may receive a notice in writing requiring you to do so. Under the Census and Statistics Act 1905, we can require you to complete the survey or answer questions.

You can find more details on legal obligations and consequences at Business Surveys Simplified Collection Notice.

The ABS takes the privacy and confidentiality of your information very seriously. 

You can find more details on how we collect personal information in the Business Surveys Simplified Collection Notice.

We manage your personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988. You can also view our Privacy Policy for Statistical Information.

Every quarter, the Wage Price Index survey gathers data on pay for selected jobs in your business or organisation.

When you first complete the survey, we will ask for information about a small number of jobs. We will also ask how pay is set for each job.

We track these jobs over time to see how wages change, even if someone else takes the position later.

The WPI survey collects data at a set reference date each quarter. This provides a consistent snapshot of wages across the Australian economy. 

You need to complete the survey each quarter when you receive a survey notice (letter or email) from us.

Smaller organisations will be in the quarterly survey for approximately five years.

Some larger organisations will remain in the survey on an ongoing basis. This is because of their significance to the survey results.

We require information to be as accurate as possible. Your information helps produce statistics for all Australian organisations within the same industry.

However, if accurate data is not readily available, we will accept careful estimates.

If you need a copy of your responses, please save them as you go using your preferred method, such as screenshots. After submission, you will not be able to access your survey again. This is a system limitation we are currently working to address. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

Some businesses operate without any employees. In this case, please call one of our team members on 1800 642 149 or +61 2 6252 8802 (outside Australia) and we will assist you.

The WPI survey follows the job each quarter, not the employee. 

If you previously reported for a job where the employee has changed, you should:

• complete the existing form for the new employee
• if the job is yet to be filled, document the intention for that job to be occupied in the next 6 months
• if the job will no longer be filled, follow the form to add a ‘Similar or New Job’ if appropriate. 

You can report updates to a job title, tasks or location at the end of the relevant section in the survey.

You can use the final comments box to tell us about future changes in your business operations and expectations.

Each year in August, we ask businesses to report how many employees received pay during the specified pay period. Of these employees, we ask how many are in seasonal or temporary jobs. 

This helps us make sure that our indexes are accurate.

If you have already completed your survey this cycle but received a reminder, no further action is needed. It is likely because you have returned the survey at the same time that we issued the reminder.

If you wish to confirm your completion, please contact us.

The ABS does not provide payment to businesses for providing statistical information. This is in line with other national statistical organisations.