Unemployment rate hits 4.5 percent in April

The latest unemployment figures may give the Reserve Bank of Australia some cover to pause next month and take stock, but further rate rises later this year are likely.

Australia's unemployment has risen to 4.5 percent in April, the highest level since November 2021, according to the latest Labour Force figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). According to the ABS, the number of employed people fell by 19,000 in the month with the number of unemployed rising 33,000. Compared to what it usually sees in April, the ABS says that more people remain unemployed this month with both full-time and part-time employment recording falls. Furthe...

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Authors: Brendan Rynne

Published Date: 22 May 2026