Employment
Employment status
About this topic
Employment status shows whether people aged 15 years and over are employed full-time or part-time, unemployed, or not in the labour force. It is one of the main Census indicators of labour market participation and economic engagement.
This topic is useful for understanding workforce participation, unemployment, and the broader socio-economic profile of an area. Results from 2021 should be read carefully because COVID-19 restrictions increased the number of people who were employed but away from work around Census time.
Interpretation notes
- Labour force status is based on the week before Census night for people aged 15 years and over.
- In 2021, lockdown instructions could shift more people into 'employed, away from work', so over-time comparisons need care.
- The 'away from work' group also includes people who reported having a job but did not state hours worked.
Key insight
In 2021, Employed was the most common category among residents aged 15 and over in Sunshine West, accounting for 91.3% (7,499 people). This share was lower than Brimbank (C) (92.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 7,213 people, while its share fell by 5.3 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Sunshine West - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Sunshine West in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Brimbank (C) and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Sunshine West, with comparison markers for Brimbank (C).
Employed
2021 count
7,499
% of total
91.3%
Change from 2016
-5.3pp
7,499
91.3%
-5.3pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
4,464
% of total
54.4%
Change from 2016
+2.7pp
4,464
54.4%
+2.7pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
2,497
% of total
30.4%
Change from 2016
-8.1pp
2,497
30.4%
-8.1pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
538
% of total
6.6%
Change from 2016
-0.8pp
538
6.6%
-0.8pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
715
% of total
8.7%
Change from 2016
+4.6pp
715
8.7%
+4.6pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
412
% of total
5.0%
Change from 2016
+2.6pp
412
5.0%
+2.6pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
300
% of total
3.7%
Change from 2016
+2.7pp
300
3.7%
+2.7pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+7,213
-5.3pp
Employed full-time
+4,311
+2.7pp
Employed part-time
+2,383
-8.1pp
Employed, away from work
+516
-0.8pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
+703
+4.6pp
Looking for full-time work
+405
+2.6pp
Looking for part-time work
+297
+2.7pp
Data table
Employment status for Sunshine West. Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Brimbank (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Brimbank (C)% | Count | % | Brimbank (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 7,499 | 91.3% | 92.1% | 286 | 96.6% | 89.6% | +7,213 | -5.3pp |
| Employed full-time | 4,464 | 54.4% | 53.3% | 153 | 51.7% | 54.3% | +4,311 | +2.7pp |
| Employed part-time | 2,497 | 30.4% | 31.9% | 114 | 38.5% | 30.1% | +2,383 | -8.1pp |
| Employed, away from work | 538 | 6.6% | 6.9% | 22 | 7.4% | 5.3% | +516 | -0.8pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 715 | 8.7% | 7.9% | 12 | 4.1% | 10.4% | +703 | +4.6pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 412 | 5.0% | 4.3% | 7 | 2.4% | 5.9% | +405 | +2.6pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 300 | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3 | 1.0% | 4.5% | +297 | +2.7pp |
| Total labour force | 8,213 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 296 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +7,917 | 0.0pp |