Upcoming changes to Labour Force Survey outputs

Outlines changes to Labour Force Survey outputs during April to August 2026 as the ABS modernises its collection model

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Released
19/03/2026
Release date and time
19/03/2026 11:30am AEDT

Introduction

The ABS is improving how we collect the Labour Force Survey to ensure the data maintains its high quality, that the survey is easier for people to complete, and that response rates are maintained. The new collection model will update the design of the survey, including the grouping of questions and topics, as well as how and to whom they are asked. It will also have an update to the content, and systems and tools used to collect the data, significantly improving the digital experience for survey participants. 

Changes to the Labour Force Survey will be implemented progressively from April 2026. This modernisation will take place over the period of April to August 2026 inclusive, referred to as the ‘transition period’. Undertaking the transition progressively will allow us to monitor and manage any statistical impact as survey rotation groups gradually transition onto the new infrastructure. 

Key questions asked in the Labour Force Survey that are used to calculate headlines estimates will not be changed. Small improvements will be made to the supporting information that provides guidance to respondents about how to correctly answer the survey questions. During the transition period, headline estimates such as employment, unemployment and the unemployment rate will continue to be produced monthly. Other outputs however will be impacted. 

This article provides detail about the changes to Labour Force Survey outputs during the transition period. Table shells reflecting the spreadsheets that will be produced during the transition period are provided under Data Downloads section.

A subsequent article that will be published in mid-2026 will provide more detail about outputs following the end of the transition period (i.e. from the September 2026 reference period onwards).

More information on the modernisation of the Labour Force Survey is provided in Modernising the Labour Force Survey.

The ABS will also be making improvements to the suite of underemployed and underutilisation statistics produced from the Labour Force Survey, Please see the Underemployment and underutilisation article for more information.

Labour Force Survey release dates during transition

The ABS has made the decision to delay the release of the headline Labour Force, Australia publication for the April to August 2026 reference periods by a week compared to usual timeframes. This small delay is to allow additional time for quality assurance checks on the data.

During the transition period, the Labour Force Survey publication will be consolidated into a single release. This consolidated release will combine most information previously included in Labour Force, Australia (Headline release) and Labour Force, Australia, Detailed releases.

The release dates for the consolidated Labour Force, Australia release during the transition will be as follows:

  • Labour Force, Australia, April – Released 21 May 2026
  • Labour Force, Australia, May – Released 25 June 2026
  • Labour Force, Australia, June – Released 23 July 2026
  • Labour Force, Australia, July – Released 20 August 2026
  • Labour Force, Australia, August – Released 24 September 2026.

Overview of Labour Force Survey outputs during transition

As part of Modernising the Labour Force Survey, a number of mostly minor changes to the Labour Force Survey questionnaire were made to:

  • Improve outdated wording, coding, and conceptual issues for specific items
  • Optimise the survey for online response
  • Apply changes to the overall model of the survey, whereby some topics will be collected monthly instead of quarterly, and other topics will now be asked in the new Labour Supplementary Survey instead of the core survey.

As a result of these improvements some spreadsheets will not be able to be produced during the transition, and in some cases will be retired permanently, for the following reasons:

  • Content is impacted by method, concept or coding changes e.g. the retrenchment module will not be published during the transition.
  • Content will move to being collected in the new Labour Supplementary Survey e.g. core educational items previously collected in the Survey of Education and Work.
  • Lower utility, duplication across tables or very detailed content that will be provided through alternative sources e.g. the expanded analytical series for underutilisation.

A full list of impacted spreadsheets is provided in the sections below.

As a result of the factors above, all labour force topics in longitudinal microdata will not be updated for the April to August 2026 reference periods, including a two-quarter gap in the provision of the Labour Force Survey TableBuilder product (see Changes to other Labour Force products below). The Labour Force Survey-PLIDA linkages will continue to be available, however will only include items being published during the transition period.

Table name changes

Labour Force Survey modernisation provides an opportunity to re-name the labour force tables using more understandable and streamlined numbering. 

  • The main labour force status tables for Australia, by state/territory, and by age and sex, as well as headline hours worked and status in employment, are numbered from 001 to 019.
  • Pivot tables start with three letters e.g. HRS for the pivot tables with data for employed persons by hours worked in all jobs. 

The concordance for the new table names is available in the Data Downloads section.

List of Labour Force, Australia spreadsheets to be published during transition

The following tables will be produced during the transition period (table shells and concordance to existing tables are provided under Data Downloads section):

Tables to be published during transition

Detail of changes to Labour Force Survey outputs

Changes to Labour Force, Australia (Headline release) spreadsheets

Changes to Labour Force, Australia, Detailed spreadsheets

Spreadsheets on hold during the transition

Spreadsheets no longer published from April 2026

Content moving from the Labour Force Survey to the new Labour Supplementary Survey

Changes to other Labour Force products

Table shells and concordance

Transition period

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Data files

If you would like to provide feedback or seek clarification on any of the output changes, please email labour.statistics@abs.gov.au.