As at 13 October 2026 · official data unless labelled
Unemployment rate
What the numbers are telling us
Unemployment rate was 4.65% in August 2026, up 0.16 pts on the previous reading (4.48%).
It is above its average since September 2021 of 4.03%, which is a worse reading than usual.
Across 38 OECD countries (2025), Australia ranks 11th best of 38 on unemployment rate, below the median of 5.44%.
Why it matters
The share of the labour force looking for work; the RBA's mandate includes full employment, and a rising rate is usually the first sign of a slowdown.
What it should be
There is no official target for this measure, so it is judged against its own average since September 2021 of 4.03%: lower is better. The OECD median is 5.44%.
Every figure on this page is calculated from the stored official series (ABS, LF (ABS Data API)); the summary is written from the numbers, not edited by hand.