16.04.202601:43:35UTC+00Australia Employment Rises Less than Expected

Australia’s employment rose by 17,900 in March 2026 to reach a record 14.76 million, a sharp slowdown from the upwardly revised gain of 49,600 in February and below market expectations for a 20,000 increase. This softer result marked the weakest monthly job growth since a contraction in November. Full-time employment remained robust, climbing by 52,500 to 10.17 million, while part-time employment fell by 34,600 to 4.59 million, partly offsetting the overall increase and indicating a shift in the composition of jobs. The employment-to-population ratio held steady at 64.0% for the fourth consecutive month, while the participation rate edged down to 66.8% from 66.9% previously. Year-on-year, total employment rose by 258,800, or 1.8%.