CANBERRA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia's unemployment rate rose to 4.5 percent in April, as employment declined and more people remained out of work than are typical for the month, official data showed on Thursday.
Employment fell by 19,000 in April, with full-time jobs down 11,000 and part-time jobs down 8,000, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said in a statement.
The decline was driven by a fall in female employment, the first since August 2025, with full-time roles down 19,000 and part-time positions down 13,000, partly offset by gains in male employment, the statement said.
"Compared to what we usually see in April, more people remained unemployed this month," with increases in those seeking both full-time and part-time work, said Sean Crick, ABS head of labor statistics.
The number of unemployed increased by 33,000 in April, the ABS showed.
Despite weaker employment, total hours worked rose 0.8 percent in April, or 15.8 million hours, while average hours worked per person increased 0.9 percent, Crick said.
The trend unemployment rate remained at 4.3 percent, while the underemployment rate fell to 5.8 percent in April, he said, adding that the annual increase in hours worked outpaced employment growth. ■
