# Australia loses 39,300 jobs in September, with unemployment at 4.7%

> The ABS reports employment fell by 39,300 in September 2026 to 14,782,700. The unemployment rate was 4.7%, and the participation rate slipped to 66.8%.

- Canonical URL: https://forextradingcommunity.com/news/australia-employment-falls-39-300-september-2026/
- Type: Data
- Published: 2026-10-23
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- Publisher: Forex Trading Community (https://forextradingcommunity.com), FTC Editorial Team
- Currencies: AUD

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on 15 October 2026 that employment fell by 39,300 in September, to 14,782,700 people. The unemployment rate was 4.7%, and the participation rate slipped to 66.8%.

## The figures

- **Employment**: 14,782,700 in September, down from 14,822,000 in August
- **Unemployment rate**: 4.7%
- **Participation rate**: 66.8%

Employment figures can be volatile, and the ABS publishes a trend series alongside the seasonally adjusted one. Both are useful, but the trend is the steadier guide to direction.

## Reading it

Because participation also slipped, part of the drop in jobs did not show up as higher unemployment: some people left the labour force. The Reserve Bank raised its cash rate to 4.60% in September ([report](/news/rba-raises-cash-rate-4-60-percent-september-2026/)), so the labour data are one input to its next decision.

For inflation, see [Australia's August CPI](/news/australia-cpi-august-2026-4-0-percent/). For the previous labour report, see [Australia's unemployment in August](/news/australia-unemployment-rises-4-6-percent-august-2026/). Live prices: [AUD/USD](/markets/aud-usd/).

## Sources

- [Australian Bureau of Statistics: Labour Force, Australia, September 2026, 15 October 2026](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/latest-release)

## Common questions

### How many jobs did Australia lose in September 2026?

Employment fell by 39,300 to 14,782,700, according to the ABS.

### What was Australia's unemployment rate in September 2026?

The unemployment rate was 4.7%, with the participation rate at 66.8%.

### Why does the participation rate matter?

It shows how many people are working or looking for work, so a fall can keep the unemployment rate lower than the jobs figure suggests.

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