Why 1.2 Million Australians Are Struggling to Find Work: The Surprising Factors Revealed

More Than a Million Australians Looking for Work

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that 1.2 million people were seeking paid employment in the 2024-2025 financial year, highlighting significant challenges in the job market.

There were 1.2 million people looking for a job in Australia last year. (Louie Douvis)

Key Statistics and Availability

According to ABS head of labour statistics Sean Crick, "Almost half of the 1.2 million people who wanted a paid job in 2024-25 were unemployed. The rest were either not actively looking for work or not immediately available for work."

• 1.1 million people were available to start work immediately or within four weeks
• 130,000 people were not available to start work within the next four weeks

Gender Differences in Job Search Challenges

The difficulties in finding suitable employment varied significantly between women and men:

For Women:

• 33% cited part-time work flexibility as very important
• 33% emphasized finding a job that matches skills and experience
• 65% of those not available for work within four weeks were women
• 43% of unavailable women reported caring for children as the primary reason

For Men:

• 32% prioritized finding a job that matches skills and experience
• 24% valued support for training or study to improve skills
• 23% considered part-time work flexibility important
• 39% of unavailable men cited long-term health conditions or disabilities as the main reason

Additional Workforce Insights

• 800,000 people worked part-time but wanted more hours, with 89% available to increase hours within four weeks
• Among 5.1 million parents with children under 15, nearly 700,000 were without jobs, and 16% were actively looking
• Approximately 700,000 people with long-term health conditions wanted employment

While long-term health conditions were a common barrier, not all affected individuals were unable to work.

The 10 most in-demand jobs for 2025