The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported a continued decline in job mobility, with 7.2% of employed people changing employers or businesses in the year to February 2026, down from 7.7% the previous year. This trend, observed since the 1970s, saw peaks during economic uncertainties like the 1980s and 1990s recessions and the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees (8%) had higher mobility than self-employed individuals (3%). Women’s mobility rate fell 0.8 percentage points to 7.1%, compared to a 0.2-point drop for men (7.4%). Younger workers (15–24 years) had the highest rate at 12.0%, while those aged 65+ saw 1.2%. High mobility industries included Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services (11%), Mining, and Construction (both 9%), while Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing had the lowest at 4.5%. The ABS also released updated underutilisation measures, including data on underemployed workers and potential labor force participants.
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This article is a summary of content originally published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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