Australia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in September 2025, up from an upwardly revised 4.3% in the previous month and above market expectations of 4.3%. It marked the highest jobless rate since November 2021, as the number of unemployed people increased by 33,900, bringing the total to 684,000 - the highest since October 2021. Among them, those seeking part-time jobs advanced by 23,500 to 229,400, while those looking for full-time jobs increased by 10,400 to 454,500. Meanwhile, employment rose by 14,900 to a fresh high of 14.64 million, falling short of forecasts for a 17,000 increase, following an upwardly revised loss of 11,800 in August, which was the first decline in three months. Full-time employment increased by 8,700 to 10.08 million, while part-time employment climbed by 6,300 to 4.56 million. The participation rate edged up to 67.0%, surpassing market expectations of 66,8%. The underemployment rate rose to 5.9% from 5.7%.