Why More Australians Are Juggling Multiple Jobs: Latest Data Reveals Surprising Trends

Rise in Multiple Job Holders in Australia

New government data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that the number of people holding multiple jobs in Australia increased slightly in the December quarter of 2025. According to the latest Labour Account figures, there were 976,400 individuals juggling multiple jobs, up 0.4% from the previous quarter. However, this growth rate is slower than the 2.4% recorded in the September quarter and is 9,800 fewer than in the same period in 2024.

Employment and Hours Worked on the Rise

This rise in multiple job-holders coincides with an overall increase in employment in Australia. The number of employed people reached 15 million in the December quarter of 2025, following an increase of 99,800 people. Sean Crick, head of the ABS labour statistics, noted in a statement that "the number of employed people rose by 0.7% in line with the 0.7% rise in hours worked this quarter." The total hours worked increased by 45 million hours to 6.1 billion hours.

Industry-Specific Growth in Hours Worked

ABS data indicates that hours worked grew in 16 out of 19 industries. The Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing industry saw the largest growth, with a 5.4% rise. Crick attributed this to "a strong harvest season and bouncing back from the 6.3% fall in September quarter 2025."

Increase in Filled Jobs

Filled jobs also saw an uptick, rising by 60,700 jobs (0.4%) to reach 16.1 million jobs in the December quarter. This reflects increases in both main jobs (56,400) and secondary jobs (4,300). The construction industry was a key driver, with a 0.9% increase in December and the largest growth over the last 12 months, adding 57,700 jobs (4.5%). Crick highlighted that "construction is now the third largest employing industry in Australia, accounting for 8.2% of total filled jobs in December quarter 2025."