Charts on job mobility from quarterly Labour Force statistics
Every three months, the Labour Force Survey collects information on whether respondents have lost or left their last job in the previous three months, and the reasons why.
This article provides insights for users on this data through a series of graphs, including how it compares to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The statistics presented in this analysis are in original terms.
| 2014 ('000) | 2015 ('000) | 2016 ('000) | 2017 ('000) | 2018 ('000) | 2019 ('000) | 2020 ('000) | 2021 ('000) | 2022 ('000) | 2023 ('000) | 2024 ('000) | 2025 ('000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | 177.8 | 170.4 | 191.0 | 211.6 | 216.4 | 224.7 | 218.4 | 333.1 | 344.3 | 288.1 | 249.2 | |
| May | 152.9 | 164.0 | 173.4 | 181.0 | 196.0 | 128.8 | 264.2 | 342.8 | 297.5 | 247.9 | ||
| Aug | 169.5 | 158.7 | 201.2 | 214.5 | 193.0 | 207.6 | 138.4 | 298.0 | 361.6 | 286.2 | 251.9 | |
| Nov | 150.0 | 167.1 | 181.3 | 197.5 | 214.3 | 217.5 | 184.1 | 305.6 | 331.8 | 292.9 | 227.4 |
Chart 1: Better job/wanted change
["","2014","2015","2016","2017","2018","2019","2020","2021","2022","2023","2024","2025"]
[["Feb","May","Aug","Nov"],[[null],[null],[169.48477550000001],[149.98723649999999]],[[177.7740076],[152.9336978],[158.72220770000001],[167.05516969999999]],[[170.44485130000001],[163.96863540000001],[201.18629519999999],[181.33648919999999]],[[190.95855119999999],[173.3517434],[214.5233901],[197.48261189999999]],[[211.61832000000001],[181.0471833],[193.01226510000001],[214.32145499999999]],[[216.35664639999999],[195.9749602],[207.63122250000001],[217.49810579999999]],[[224.65208659999999],[128.82881399999999],[138.44820530000001],[184.0546837]],[[218.39343890000001],[264.23323379999999],[298.0170134],[305.57371669999998]],[[333.07930800000003],[342.80402579999998],[361.58323360000003],[331.84518400000002]],[[344.26025320000002],[297.48273870000003],[286.20614970000003],[292.91484969999999]],[[288.14938749999999],[247.9107396],[251.8893406],[227.3830557]],[[249.20676779999999],[null],[null],[null]]]
[]
[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}][{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]Source: Longitudinal Labour Force, Australia
| 2014 ('000) | 2015 ('000) | 2016 ('000) | 2017 ('000) | 2018 ('000) | 2019 ('000) | 2020 ('000) | 2021 ('000) | 2022 ('000) | 2023 ('000) | 2024 ('000) | 2025 ('000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | 332.6 | 336.4 | 357.3 | 312.5 | 311.3 | 354.1 | 314.8 | 276.9 | 286.7 | 306.5 | 300.1 | |
| May | 289.6 | 265.1 | 237.0 | 271.5 | 264.3 | 703.4 | 238.4 | 224.2 | 248.8 | 263.2 | ||
| Aug | 335.6 | 304.1 | 306.5 | 252.2 | 274.9 | 292.1 | 386.9 | 309.1 | 264.1 | 273.1 | 288.1 | |
| Nov | 312.6 | 293.0 | 263.7 | 260.6 | 269.3 | 260.5 | 310.7 | 267.4 | 220.3 | 266.9 | 258.2 |
Chart 2: Involuntary job loss
["","2014","2015","2016","2017","2018","2019","2020","2021","2022","2023","2024","2025"]
[["Feb","May","Aug","Nov"],[[null],[null],[335.56792560000002],[312.60926749999999]],[[332.59566100000001],[289.56807629999997],[304.13929430000002],[292.96833850000002]],[[336.35151739999998],[265.10903180000003],[306.48959170000001],[263.74627170000002]],[[357.296988],[236.9891341],[252.21209529999999],[260.5740169]],[[312.54324810000003],[271.46617889999999],[274.85079789999998],[269.25778930000001]],[[311.27296059999998],[264.27429380000001],[292.08550209999999],[260.45850080000002]],[[354.07670910000002],[703.35140620000004],[386.89179389999998],[310.70686860000001]],[[314.77011770000001],[238.4192396],[309.06563469999998],[267.35932609999998]],[[276.93342239999998],[224.24929610000001],[264.07629709999998],[220.2837389]],[[286.67490620000001],[248.82887629999999],[273.0565934],[266.89787619999998]],[[306.4840145],[263.15793100000002],[288.0718397],[258.19588750000003]],[[300.06611720000001],[null],[null],[null]]]
[]
[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}][{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]Source: Longitudinal Labour Force, Australia
| 2014 ('000) | 2015 ('000) | 2016 ('000) | 2017 ('000) | 2018 ('000) | 2019 ('000) | 2020 ('000) | 2021 ('000) | 2022 ('000) | 2023 ('000) | 2024 ('000) | 2025 ('000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | 19.0 | 20.3 | 17.2 | 21.6 | 23.5 | 18.1 | 26.5 | 26.9 | 27.2 | 25.5 | 32.1 | |
| May | 13.2 | 8.4 | 15.7 | 18.4 | 14.3 | 13.1 | 18.2 | 20.4 | 25.1 | 21.2 | ||
| Aug | 16.0 | 14.2 | 18.3 | 15.3 | 24.7 | 17.5 | 13.6 | 28.7 | 27.4 | 17.1 | 30.4 | |
| Nov | 16.9 | 15.2 | 11.4 | 17.1 | 21.4 | 17.4 | 14.0 | 17.8 | 21.6 | 19.4 | 25.4 |
Chart 3: Retiring
["","2014","2015","2016","2017","2018","2019","2020","2021","2022","2023","2024","2025"]
[["Feb","May","Aug","Nov"],[[null],[null],[16.032628679999998],[16.85338694]],[[18.953586189999999],[13.17284622],[14.18742454],[15.237998859999999]],[[20.2721968],[8.4187097000000009],[18.293619369999998],[11.42849069]],[[17.187817819999999],[15.749841030000001],[15.30667092],[17.075159759999998]],[[21.552773519999999],[18.39061293],[24.670913710000001],[21.359720880000001]],[[23.528090519999999],[14.269683150000001],[17.523351330000001],[17.37380778]],[[18.092972320000001],[13.146496020000001],[13.59654274],[13.96531957]],[[26.451692319999999],[18.18624994],[28.746864500000001],[17.829466069999999]],[[26.90348431],[20.350239349999999],[27.400472310000001],[21.56917309]],[[27.188790619999999],[25.088970230000001],[17.077812810000001],[19.417740819999999]],[[25.535369549999999],[21.197682220000001],[30.379169699999998],[25.402630420000001]],[[32.077701359999999],[null],[null],[null]]]
[]
[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}][{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]Source: Longitudinal Labour Force, Australia
| 2014 ('000) | 2015 ('000) | 2016 ('000) | 2017 ('000) | 2018 ('000) | 2019 ('000) | 2020 ('000) | 2021 ('000) | 2022 ('000) | 2023 ('000) | 2024 ('000) | 2025 ('000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | 163.2 | 171.7 | 192.6 | 180.7 | 181.1 | 164.8 | 153.1 | 175.6 | 186.5 | 187.8 | 154.6 | |
| May | 137.9 | 140.2 | 133.6 | 139.1 | 145.2 | 81.4 | 154.3 | 180.8 | 149.9 | 133.6 | ||
| Aug | 141.7 | 145.8 | 135.0 | 143.7 | 164.7 | 153.0 | 78.4 | 152.2 | 165.0 | 163.3 | 155.3 | |
| Nov | 135.6 | 128.4 | 126.7 | 134.8 | 144.2 | 143.5 | 97.6 | 139.4 | 183.6 | 156.1 | 131.9 |
Chart 4: Study, family and other personal reasons
["","2014","2015","2016","2017","2018","2019","2020","2021","2022","2023","2024","2025"]
[["Feb","May","Aug","Nov"],[[null],[null],[141.71658919999999],[135.60732100000001]],[[163.20251479999999],[137.9001562],[145.76497380000001],[128.42916009999999]],[[171.74254289999999],[140.23786269999999],[134.97007439999999],[126.69715600000001]],[[192.5716807],[133.5927394],[143.6918823],[134.8137313]],[[180.73891829999999],[139.11335639999999],[164.70290829999999],[144.22893790000001]],[[181.1366203],[145.20465630000001],[153.0356506],[143.48901860000001]],[[164.79118030000001],[81.370459659999995],[78.415484059999997],[97.599104019999999]],[[153.10898879999999],[154.3456114],[152.15250159999999],[139.41554249999999]],[[175.5871545],[180.77779799999999],[164.95468260000001],[183.64177219999999]],[[186.53526220000001],[149.9271742],[163.28849740000001],[156.0542768]],[[187.77723649999999],[133.62680779999999],[155.31464260000001],[131.92838639999999]],[[154.57197590000001],[null],[null],[null]]]
[]
[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}][{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]Source: Longitudinal Labour Force, Australia
| 2014 ('000) | 2015 ('000) | 2016 ('000) | 2017 ('000) | 2018 ('000) | 2019 ('000) | 2020 ('000) | 2021 ('000) | 2022 ('000) | 2023 ('000) | 2024 ('000) | 2025 ('000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | 62.9 | 71.3 | 61.0 | 63.0 | 77.7 | 84.1 | 100.1 | 128.7 | 117.4 | 114.8 | 106.0 | |
| May | 52.6 | 53.5 | 53.4 | 61.6 | 65.8 | 263.7 | 73.9 | 98.7 | 96.1 | 109.9 | ||
| Aug | 62.6 | 48.9 | 60.0 | 72.9 | 64.5 | 71.7 | 148.6 | 162.8 | 91.6 | 108.4 | 101.6 | |
| Nov | 55.0 | 59.7 | 69.3 | 60.2 | 54.1 | 75.6 | 108.8 | 144.6 | 85.2 | 103.6 | 93.0 |
Chart 5: Other reasons left or lost last job
["","2014","2015","2016","2017","2018","2019","2020","2021","2022","2023","2024","2025"]
[["Feb","May","Aug","Nov"],[[null],[null],[62.592484509999998],[55.006463500000002]],[[62.948335999999998],[52.633593849999997],[48.894106350000001],[59.693542970000003]],[[71.333698909999995],[53.497431599999999],[60.01470733],[69.33264149]],[[61.046990809999997],[53.391090939999998],[72.892293019999997],[60.167344929999999]],[[62.993186690000002],[61.633072239999997],[64.545175360000002],[54.05874421]],[[77.70580957],[65.757705009999995],[71.673192889999996],[75.631885130000001]],[[84.062166410000003],[263.66271019999999],[148.62354790000001],[108.797059]],[[100.09913400000001],[73.931606160000001],[162.82701560000001],[144.56856060000001]],[[128.7226043],[98.700359710000001],[91.602113090000003],[85.172692380000001]],[[117.3861596],[96.057159479999996],[108.4360798],[103.6322777]],[[114.81469130000001],[109.8917158],[101.56961],[92.987157120000006]],[[105.9587492],[null],[null],[null]]]
[]
[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}][{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"('000)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"('000)","table_units":"('000)","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]Source: Longitudinal Labour Force, Australia
The ABS always seeks to provide guidance and advice to users to assist in interpreting changes in Labour Force data over time.
If you have a question or have any feedback on additional explanatory that would be useful, please contact us at labour.statistics@abs.gov.au.