In August Australian unemployment increased 0.8% to 11.1%, while under-employment was unchanged at 10.9%

In August 2025, Australian ‘real’ unemployment increased 132,000 to 1,776,000 (up 0.8% to 11.1% of the workforce) while under-employment was virtually unchanged at 1,742,000 (unchanged at 10.9%).

This is the first time over 1.7 million Australians have been unemployed and over 1.7 million Australians have been under-employed in the same month.

Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at almost 16 million in August – 15,992,000 to be exact, up 62,000 on a month ago, and representing 69.2% of Australians aged 14+.

The workforce rise was driven by rising unemployment, up by 132,000. In contrast, overall employment fell 70,000 to 14,216,000 due to falling part-time employment, down 105,000 to 4,992,000. Full-time employment was up 35,000 to 9,224,000. Overall employment represents 61.5% of Australians aged 14+.

Detailed Roy Morgan Employment Estimates in August:

• Australian workforce increased by 62,000 in August to almost 16 million:

In August the Australian workforce increased 62,000 to 15,992,000 driven by an increase in unemployment, up 132,000 to 1,776,000 while employment fell by 70,000 to 14,216,000.

• Overall employment fell in August driven by a fall in part-time employment:

Australian employment dropped 70,000 to 14,216,000 driven by a drop in part-time employment, down 105,000 to 4,992,000. However, full-time employment increased 35,000 to 9,224,000.

• Unemployment increased 0.8% in August to 11.1%:

1,776,000 Australians were unemployed (11.1% of the workforce, up 0.8%), up 132,000 from July. The rise in unemployment was driven by more people looking for part-time work, up 152,000 to 1,101,000, although there were fewer people looking for full-time work, down 20,000 to 675,000.

• Under-employment unchanged in August; overall unemployment and under-employed at 22.0%:

In addition to the unemployed, a further 1.74 million Australians (10.9% of the workforce, unchanged) were under-employed, i.e. working part-time but looking for more work, up 5,000 from July. In total 3.52 million Australians (22.0% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in August.

This is the first time since late March 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic that overall unemployment and under-employment has exceeded 3.5 million and the highest rate of unemployment and under-employment since October 2020 (22.2% of the workforce).

• Comparisons with three years ago, during the early days of the Albanese Government (August 2022), show a rapidly increasing population and workforce driving employment growth:

The Australian population aged 14+ in August 2025 was estimated at 23,112,000 (up 1,753,000 from August 2022 – more than double the pre-pandemic average of 840,000 over an average three-year period since 1999). The workforce in August 2025 was 15,992,000 (up 1,142,000 from August 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic average growth of 689,000) – comprising 14,216,000 employed Australians (up 729,000) and 1,776,000 unemployed Australians (up 413,000) – so every indicator has increased rapidly.

The August 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 (2019-2025)

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source January 2019 – August 2025. 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 August show a spike in unemployment and the highest level of overall unemployment and under-employment for over five years since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic:

This Roy Morgan survey on Australia’s unemployment and ‘under-employed’* is based on weekly interviews of 974,479 Australians aged 14 and over between December 2008 and August 2025 and includes 7,077 telephone and online interviews in August 2025. *The ‘under-employed’ are those people who are in part-time work or freelancers who are looking for more work.

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