5.4% ▼ -3.2%
Higher than 60% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 5.5%
- 2016: 6.8%
- 2021: 5.4%
Unemployed people as a share of the labour force (aged 15+).
Melbourne · Urban Centre
Jobs & Industry in Melbourne
Work across the area — who is in the labour force, in which industries and jobs.
More than 64% of adults in Melbourne are working or looking for work, a figure well above the national average. This high level of activity is seen across the city, where full-time employment is also common despite a slight dip since 2011. The local workforce is highly active and largely employed in professional and health-related roles.
Labour force
Employment, participation and unemployment.
A high number of adults are active in the workforce, with 64.2% working or seeking jobs. Full-time employment is a little above the national figure at 60.2%, while the unemployment rate sits at 5.4%, which is about the same as the figures for Victoria and Australia.
64.2% ▲ +2.9%
Higher than 82% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 62.4%
- 2016: 61.9%
- 2021: 64.2%
Share of people aged 15+ who are in the labour force.
60.2% ▼ -5.5%
Higher than 71% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 63.7%
- 2016: 62.3%
- 2021: 60.2%
Share of employed people who worked full-time.
Industries
The industries that employ local workers.
Health care and social assistance is the most common industry for local workers at 13.6%. Other major sectors include professional and technical services at 9.9% and retail trade at 9.4%.
Occupations
The kinds of jobs people do.
Professional roles are the most frequent occupation, accounting for 27.6% of the workforce. Managers make up 13.9%, followed by clerical and administrative workers at 12.8%.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Melbourne
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Jobs & Industry in Melbourne [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL201001/melbourne/topic/employment