Australia Participation Rate

Info

History

Chart

Impact:

High

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Latest Release:

Date:

Big Surprise:

0.3%

AUD

Actual:

67.1%

Forecast: 66.8%

Previous/Revision:

66.8%

Period: Apr

Next Release:

Date:

Forecast: 67%

Period: May

What Does It Measure?

The Australia Participation Rate measures the proportion of the working-age population (those aged 15 and above) that is either employed or actively seeking employment. It primarily assesses labor market engagement and provides insights into employment trends, economic health, and workforce dynamics, with key indicators including employment levels and unemployment rates; a higher rate indicates a robust job market, while a lower rate may signify economic challenges.

Frequency

This indicator is released monthly as part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ detailed labor force survey, typically published on the first Thursday of each month.

Why Do Traders Care?

Traders closely monitor the participation rate as it impacts overall economic growth and labor market strength, influencing financial markets across currencies, stocks, and bonds. A rising participation rate can be bullish for the Australian dollar (AUD) and equity markets, while a declining rate could negatively affect market sentiment and lead to perceptions of economic weakness.

What Is It Derived From?

The participation rate is calculated from the monthly labor force survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which involves sampling households across the country to gather data on employment status, job seeking behavior, and demographic information. The survey results are adjusted for seasonality and other factors to provide an accurate representation of labor market conditions.

Description

The Australia Participation Rate is particularly important for understanding labor market trends over time, with final figures reflecting more precise data than preliminary estimates released earlier. It provides a month-over-month (MoM) comparison to the previous month, displaying short-term shifts in labor market engagement that traders use to gauge emerging economic trends.

Additional Notes

The participation rate serves as a leading economic indicator, often correlated with levels of consumer spending and overall economic activity. Changes in this rate can mirror broader economic conditions, including shifts in demand for goods and services, and can also be compared to unemployment rates to assess labor market health comprehensively.

Bullish or Bearish for Currency and Stocks

Higher than expected: Bullish for AUD, Bullish for Stocks. Lower than expected: Bearish for AUD, Bearish for Stocks. Hawkish tone: Signaling potential economic strength and increased interest rates is usually good for the AUD but bad for Stocks due to higher borrowing costs.

Legend

High Potential Impact
This event has a strong potential to move markets significantly. If the 'Actual' value differs enough from the forecast or if the 'Previous' value is significantly revised, it signals new information that markets may rapidly adjust to.

Medium Potential Impact
This event may cause moderate market movement, especially if the 'Actual' deviates from the forecast or there's a notable revision to the 'Previous' value.

Low Potential Impact
This event is unlikely to affect market pricing unless there's an unexpected surprise or a major revision to prior data.

Surprise - Currency May Strengthen
Actual deviated from Forecast on a medium or high impact event and historically could strengthen the currency.

Surprise - Currency May Weaken
Actual deviated from Forcast on a medium or high impact event and historically could weaken the currency.

Big Surprise - Currency More Likely To Strengthen
'Actual' deviated from 'Forecast' more than 75% of historical deviations on a medium or high impact event and may likely strengthen the currency.

Big Surprise - Currency More Likely To Weaken
'Actual' deviated from 'Forecast' more than 75% of historical deviations on a medium or high impact event and may likely weaken the currency

Green Number	Better than forecast for the currency (or previous revise better)
Red Number	Worse than forecast for the currency (or previous revise better)
Hawkish	Supports higher interest rates to fight inflation, strengthening the currency but weighing on stocks.
Dovish	Favors lower rates to boost growth, weakening the currency but lifting stocks.

Date	Actual	Forecast	Previous	Surprise
May 15, 2025	67.1%	66.8%	66.8%	0.3%
Apr 17, 2025	66.8%	67%	66.7%	-0.2%
Mar 20, 2025	66.8%	67.3%	67.2%	-0.5%
Feb 20, 2025	67.3%	67.1%	67.2%	0.2%
Jan 16, 2025	67.1%	67%	67%	0.1%
Dec 12, 2024	67%	67.1%	67.1%	-0.1%
Nov 14, 2024	67.1%	67.2%	67.2%	-0.1%
Oct 17, 2024	67.2%	67.1%	67.1%	0.1%
Sep 19, 2024	67.1%	67.1%	67.1%
Aug 15, 2024	67.1%	66.9%	66.9%	0.2%
Jul 18, 2024	66.9%	66.8%	66.8%	0.1%
Jun 13, 2024	66.8%	66.7%	66.8%	0.1%
May 16, 2024	66.7%	66.6%	66.6%	0.1%
Apr 18, 2024	66.6%	66.5%	66.7%	0.1%
Mar 21, 2024	66.7%	66.8%	66.6%	-0.1%
Feb 15, 2024	66.8%	66.9%	66.8%	-0.1%
Jan 18, 2024	66.8%	67.1%	67.3%	-0.3%
Dec 14, 2023	67.2%	66.9%	67%	0.3%
Nov 16, 2023	67%	66.7%	66.8%	0.3%
Oct 19, 2023	66.7%	67%	67%	-0.3%
Sep 14, 2023	67%	66.7%	66.9%	0.3%
Aug 17, 2023	66.7%	66.8%	66.8%	-0.1%
Jul 20, 2023	66.8%	66.9%	66.9%	-0.1%
Jun 15, 2023	66.9%	66.7%	66.7%	0.2%
May 18, 2023	66.7%	66.7%	66.8%
Apr 13, 2023	66.7%	66.6%	66.7%	0.1%
Mar 16, 2023	66.6%	66.6%	66.5%
Feb 16, 2023	66.5%	66.6%	66.6%	-0.1%
Jan 19, 2023	66.6%	66.8%	66.8%	-0.2%
Dec 15, 2022	66.8%	66.6%	66.5%	0.2%
Nov 17, 2022	66.5%	66.6%	66.5%	-0.1%
Oct 20, 2022	66.6%	66.6%	66.6%
Sep 15, 2022	66.6%	66.6%	66.4%
Aug 18, 2022	66.4%	66.8%	66.8%	-0.4%
Jul 14, 2022	66.8%	66.7%	66.7%	0.1%
Jun 16, 2022	66.7%	66.4%	66.4%	0.3%
May 19, 2022	66.3%	66.4%	66.4%	-0.1%
Apr 14, 2022	66.4%	66.5%	66.4%	-0.1%
Mar 17, 2022	66.4%	66.3%	66.2%	0.1%
Feb 17, 2022	66.2%	66%	66.1%	0.2%
Jan 20, 2022	66.1%	66.2%	66.1%	-0.1%
Dec 16, 2021	66.1%	65.5%	64.6%	0.6%
Nov 11, 2021	64.7%	64.9%	64.5%	-0.2%
Oct 14, 2021	64.5%	64.7%	65.2%	-0.2%
Sep 16, 2021	65.2%	65.7%	66%	-0.5%
Aug 19, 2021	66%	66%	66.2%
Jul 15, 2021	66.2%	66.3%	66.2%	-0.1%
Jun 17, 2021	66.2%	66.1%	65.9%	0.1%
May 20, 2021	66%	66.3%	66.3%	-0.3%
Apr 15, 2021	66.3%	66.1%	66.1%	0.2%
Mar 18, 2021	66.1%	66.2%	66.1%	-0.1%
Feb 18, 2021	66.1%	66.2%	66.2%	-0.1%
Jan 21, 2021	66.2%	66.2%	66.1%
Dec 17, 2020	66.1%	66%	65.8%	0.1%
Nov 19, 2020	65.8%	64.7%	64.9%	1.1%
Oct 15, 2020	64.8%	64.8%	64.9%
Sep 17, 2020	64.8%	64.7%	64.7%	0.1%
Aug 13, 2020	64.7%	64.4%	64.1%	0.3%
Jul 16, 2020	64%	63.6%	62.7%	0.4%
Jun 18, 2020	62.9%	63.7%	63.5%	-0.8%
May 14, 2020	63.5%	65.2%	66%	-1.7%
Apr 16, 2020	66%	65.9%	66%	0.1%
Mar 19, 2020	66%	66.1%	66.1%	-0.1%
Feb 20, 2020	66.1%	66%	66%	0.1%
Jan 23, 2020	66%	66%	66%
Dec 19, 2019	66%	66%	66%
Nov 14, 2019	66%	66.1%	66.1%	-0.1%
Oct 17, 2019	66.1%	66.2%	66.2%	-0.1%
Sep 19, 2019	66.2%	66.1%	66.1%	0.1%
Aug 15, 2019	66.1%	66%	66%	0.1%
Jul 18, 2019	66%	66%	66%
Jun 13, 2019	66%	65.8%	65.9%	0.2%
May 16, 2019	65.8%	65.7%	65.6%	0.1%
Apr 18, 2019	65.7%	65.6%	65.6%	0.1%
Mar 21, 2019	65.6%	65.7%	65.7%	-0.1%
Feb 21, 2019	65.7%	65.6%	65.6%	0.1%
Jan 24, 2019	65.6%	65.7%	65.7%	-0.1%
Dec 20, 2018	65.7%	65.6%	65.5%	0.1%
Nov 15, 2018	65.6%	65.5%	65.5%	0.1%
Oct 18, 2018	65.4%	65.7%	65.7%	-0.3%
Sep 13, 2018	65.7%	65.6%	65.6%	0.1%
Aug 16, 2018	65.5%	65.7%	65.7%	-0.2%
Jul 19, 2018	65.7%	65.5%	65.5%	0.2%
Jun 14, 2018	65.5%	65.6%	65.6%	-0.1%
May 17, 2018	65.6%	65.5%	65.5%	0.1%
Apr 19, 2018	65.5%	65.7%	65.6%	-0.2%
Mar 22, 2018	65.7%	65.6%	65.6%	0.1%
Feb 15, 2018	65.6%	65.6%	65.7%
Jan 18, 2018	65.7%	65.4%	65.5%	0.3%
Dec 14, 2017	65.5%	65.1%	65.2%	0.4%
Nov 16, 2017	65.1%	65.2%	65.2%	-0.1%
Oct 19, 2017	65.2%	65.2%	65.2%
Sep 14, 2017	65.3%	65.1%	65.1%	0.2%
Aug 17, 2017	65.1%	65%	65%	0.1%
Jul 20, 2017	65%	64.9%	64.9%	0.1%
Jun 15, 2017	64.9%	64.8%	64.8%	0.1%
May 18, 2017	64.8%	64.7%	64.8%	0.1%
Apr 13, 2017	64.8%	64.6%	64.6%	0.2%
Mar 16, 2017	64.6%	64.6%	64.6%
Feb 16, 2017	64.6%	64.7%	64.7%	-0.1%
Jan 19, 2017	64.7%	64.6%	64.6%	0.1%
Dec 15, 2016	64.6%	64.5%	64.4%	0.1%
Nov 17, 2016	64.4%	64.6%	64.4%	-0.2%
Oct 20, 2016	64.5%	64.8%	64.7%	-0.3%
Sep 15, 2016	64.7%	64.9%	64.9%	-0.2%
Aug 18, 2016	64.9%	64.9%	64.9%
Jul 14, 2016	64.9%	64.8%	64.8%	0.1%
Jun 16, 2016	64.8%	64.9%	64.8%	-0.1%
May 19, 2016	64.8%	64.9%	64.9%	-0.1%
Apr 14, 2016	64.9%	65%	64.9%	-0.1%
Mar 17, 2016	64.9%	65.2%	65.1%	-0.3%
Feb 18, 2016	65.2%	65.2%	65.2%
Jan 14, 2016	65.1%	65.2%	65.3%	-0.1%
Dec 10, 2015	65.3%	65%	65%	0.3%
Nov 12, 2015	65%	64.9%	64.9%	0.1%
Oct 15, 2015	64.9%	65%	65%	-0.1%
Sep 10, 2015	65%	65%	65.1%
Aug 06, 2015	65.1%	64.8%	64.8%	0.3%
Jul 09, 2015	64.8%	64.7%	64.7%	0.1%
Jun 11, 2015	64.7%	64.8%	64.7%	-0.1%
May 07, 2015	64.8%	64.8%	64.8%