Overall Australian unemployment and under-employment at 3.61 million in February; ‘Real Unemployment’ at 1.72 million
In February 2026, Australian ‘real’ unemployment dropped 97,000 to 1,721,000 (10.6% of the workforce, down 0.6%), although under-employment surged 216,000 to a record high of 1,892,000 (up 1.3% to 11.6%).
Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at a record high just above 16.2 million in February – 16,263,000 to be exact, up 51,000 on a month ago, and representing 69.8% of Australians aged 14+.
The increase in the workforce was driven entirely by an increase in employment, up 148,000 to 14,542,000. There was further good news with unemployment down 97,000 to 1,721,000. Driving the increase was a rise in part-time employment, up 169,000 to 5,242,000, but full-time employment fell 21,000 to 9,300,000. Overall employment represents 62.4% of Australians aged 14+.
Detailed Roy Morgan Employment Estimates in February 2026:
- Australian workforce increased by 51,000 in February to over 16.26 million:
In February the Australian workforce increased 51,000 to 16,263,000 driven by rising employment, which increased 148,000 to 14,542,000 while unemployment dropped by 97,000 to 1,721,000.
- Full-time employment dropped in February, but part-time employment surged:
The employment picture was mixed in February with part-time employment surging 169,000 to 5,242,000 and now equivalent to 36% of employed Australians. However, full-time employment dropped by 21,000 to 9,300,000, and equivalent to 64% of employed Australians. This led to overall employment increasing 148,000 to 14,542,000.
- Unemployment dropped by 0.6% to 10.6% in February driven by the surge in part-time jobs:
1,721,000 Australians were unemployed (10.6% of the workforce, up 0.6%), down 97,000 from January. There was a large drop in people looking for part-time work, down 144,000 to 1,012,000, however, there were more people looking for full-time work, up 47,000 to 709,000.
- Under-employment increased to a new record high in February; overall unemployment and under-employed was up 0.7% to 22.2% - the highest level for over five years:
In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.89 million Australians (11.6% of the workforce, up 1.3%) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work, up 216,000 from January. In total 3.61 million Australians (22.2% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in February.
- Comparisons with a year ago show that the population, workforce and employment have grown rapidly over the last year and unemployment has fallen; but under-employment is up significantly:
The Australian population aged 14+ in February 2026 was estimated at 23,290,000 (up 367,000 from February 2025 – above the long-term average annual growth of 303,000). The workforce in February 2026 was 16,263,000 (up 306,000 from a year ago) – comprising 14,542,000 employed Australians (up 419,000) and 1,721,000 unemployed Australians (down 113,000). Unfortunately, under-employment has surged and is up 265,000 from a year ago to 1,892,000.
The February Roy Morgan Unemployment estimates were obtained by surveying an Australia-wide cross section of people aged 14+. A person is classified as unemployed if they are looking for work, no matter when. The ‘real’ unemployment rate is presented as a percentage of the workforce (employed & unemployed).
Roy Morgan Unemployment & Under-employment (2019-2026)
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source January 2019 – February 2026. Average monthly interviews 5,000.
Note: Roy Morgan unemployment estimates are actual data while the ABS estimates are seasonally adjusted.
Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan, says the latest Roy Morgan employment estimates for February show combined unemployment and under-employment continuing at a high level above 3 million for a 15th straight month:
“The latest Roy Morgan employment estimates for February show overall Australian unemployment and under-employment increasing 119,000 to 3,613,000 (22.2% of the workforce, up 0.7%).
“This is the highest level of unemployment and under-employment since the early days of the pandemic in late March 2020. Concerningly, overall unemployment and under-employment have now been above 3 million Australians for 15 straight months.
“The increase in labour under-utilisation in February was driven by a sharp rise in under-employment, up 216,000 to 1,892,000 (11.6% of the workforce, up 1.3%). However, there was better news relating to unemployment, which fell 97,000 to 1,721,000 (10.6% of the workforce, down 0.6%).
“Despite the continuing high level of labour under-utilisation, there was some good news in February with overall employment increasing 148,000 to 14,542,000. The rise in employment was driven by surging part-time employment, up 169,000 to 5,242,000, although full-time employment was down by 21,000 to 9,300,000.
“Of course, it’s important to note the Roy Morgan employment estimates for February are a snapshot in time of the employment market before the beginning of the current Middle Eastern conflict which began with the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on the last day of February. The war has already led to a huge spike in the price of oil to over $100 USD a barrel – up from under $70 in February and set to cause a rapid increase in inflation in the weeks and months ahead.
“The global economic uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East has already caused sharp rises in energy costs for Australians at the pump and this is starting to flow through into higher costs for other goods and services.
“Looking forward the Albanese Government will need to adapt quickly to deal with the challenges created by the conflict in the Middle East and safeguarding Australia’s economic growth in a time of increasing global economic turbulence.”
This Roy Morgan survey on Australia’s unemployment and ‘under-employed’* is based on weekly interviews of 952,217 Australians aged 14 and over from January 2010 to February 2026 and includes 6,058 telephone and online interviews in February 2026. *The ‘under-employed’ are those people who are in part-time work or freelancers who are looking for more work.
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About Roy Morgan
Roy Morgan is Australia’s largest independent Australian research company, with offices in each state, as well as in the U.S. and U.K. A full-service research organisation, Roy Morgan has over 80 years’ experience collecting objective, independent information on consumers.
Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
