Condition
Women in the workforce
Are more women working or looking for work than when the government took office?
Women in the workforce: 62.1% in May 2022, 63.3% in Aug 2026.
- Latest
- 63.3%
- Since the government took office
- Better+1.2 pts
- Over the past year
- little changed+0.07 pts
Women in the workforce
- Seasonally adjusted
- Women, participation rate (seasonally adjusted)
- Men, participation rate (seasonally adjusted)
What this is
The share of women aged 15 and over who have a job or are actively looking for one.
Why it matters
More women in paid work lifts household incomes and the economy's capacity. Child care costs, paid parental leave and flexible work all affect it.
More from the figures
- The female participation rate was 63.3% in August 2026, against 62.1% in May 2022. The record high is 63.5%.
- For men the rate was 71.0%, against 70.8% in May 2022.
- The participation rate counts people who have a job or are actively looking for one, as a share of everyone aged 15 and over.
How it’s calculated
ABS Labour Force survey, participation rate by sex, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, monthly.