Earnings and working conditions

In March 2026, total wages and salaries paid by employers totalled $110,560 million,

• increasing by 1.4% or $1,490 million in the month from February 2026
• increasing by 6.0% or $6,247 million in the year from March 2025
• representing payments to 15.5 million employee jobs

• In December 2025, 351,000 people had a job in Labour supply services, and for 297,800 (84.8%) it was their main job.
• 2.3% of all employed people had a job in Labour supply services in December 2025.
• 68.1% of labour hire workers worked full-time (August 2024).
• 73.6% of labour hire workers did not have paid leave entitlements, and 25.8% would prefer to work more hours (August 2024).
• In 2022-23, 59.2% of people in Labour supply services were men, and 24.6% were Labourers.

In the December quarter 2025, there were:

• 77 disputes, 10 less than the previous quarter.
• 49,500 employees involved, an increase from 41,800 in the previous quarter.
• 69,600 working days lost, an increase from 54,600 in the previous quarter.
• Disputes occurred in eight industries and in eight states and territories.

Estimates for average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults (seasonally adjusted):

• Increased by 3.8% annually to $2,051.10 in November 2025.
• For males were $2,347.50 (public), and $2,109.10 (private).
• For females were $2,101.60 (public), and $1,813.30 (private).

• Median weekly earnings were $1,436.00 for all employees, $1,674.00 for males and $1,250.00 for females.
• Occupations with the highest hourly earnings were Managers ($69.20) and Professionals ($64.50).
• Individual arrangement was the most common method of setting pay (38.5%), followed by collective agreement (34.6%).

In August 2025:

• There were 2.4 million casual employees (19% of all employees, and 17% of all employed people).
• There were 1.1 million independent contractors (7.6% of all employed).
• 36% of employed people usually worked from home.
• Median employee earnings in main job was $1,425 per week, up $26 (1.9%) since August 2024.
• Median hourly earnings in main job was $42.90 per hour, up $2.90 since August 2024.

In August 2025:

• There were 2.4 million casual employees (19% of all employees, and 17% of all employed people).
• 17% of employees didn't have minimum guaranteed hours, down from 18% in August 2024.
• There were 1.1 million independent contractors (7.6% of all employed).
• 36% of employed people usually work from home.
• 3.7% of employees were employed on a fixed-term contract.
• 78% of employees were entitled to employer provided paid parental leave.

In August 2025:

• Median employee earnings in main job was $1,425 per week, up $26 (1.9%) since August 2024.
• Median hourly earnings in main job was $42.90 per hour, up $2.90 since August 2024.

During 2022-23:

• Total personal income was $1.3 trillion.
• Median personal income was $58,216, up 5.7% on 2021-22.
• Employee income comprised 83.1% of total personal income.

In August 2024:

• 13.1% of employees (1.6 million) were trade union members in their main job, an increase on the 12.5% recorded in August 2022.
• Trade union membership was slightly more common amongst women (14%) than men (12%).
• The Education and training industry (27%) and the Professionals occupation group (20%) had the highest rates of trade union membership.
• Since 1992, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 40%.

• 7 million people (7,095,103) were working full-time and 4 million people (3,962,550) were working part-time in the week before the Census.
• The median hours worked in Australia was 38 hours per week.
• Health Care and Social Assistance was the largest employing industry in Australia (14.5 per cent of the workforce), followed by Retail Trade (9.1 per cent) and Construction (8.9 per cent).
• The top three reported occupations were Sales Assistants (General) (514,084), Registered Nurses (262,742) and General Clerks (244,849).
• The national median personal income was $805 per week. This was a $143 increase since 2016. This included the adult population from 15 years to over 85 years, including those who are unemployed or retired.
• There were over 9.6 million people earning below the national median personal income or earning no income.

• 497,300 people had a work-related injury or illness (3.5% of people who worked at some time during the year).
• The most common cause of injury or illness was 'Lifting, pushing, pulling or bending' (24%).
• 66% had time off as a result of the injury or illness.
• 31% received workers compensation for the injury or illness.