Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 5.1 per cent in May, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). There was also an increase in the labour force participation rate of 0.3 percentage points in May to 65.5 per cent.


The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 38,900 to 11,537,900 in May. The increase in employment was driven by increased full-time employment, up 46,100 people to 8,107,900, and was offset by a decrease in part-time employment, down 7,200 people to 3,430,100. The increase in employment was driven by increases in both male and female full-time employment.

The number of people unemployed increased by 22,400 people to 622,800 in May, the ABS reported.

The ABS monthly aggregate hours worked series showed a decrease in May, down 4.7 million hours to 1,627.2 million hours. 

The seasonally adjusted underemployment rate was 7.4 per cent in May 2012. Combined with the unemployment rate of 5.1 per cent, the latest estimate of total seasonally adjusted labour force underutilisation was 12.6 per cent in May. For more information on underemployment and underutilisation, please refer to the article 'Understanding Labour Force,' which is published every month in Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).