Employment
Employment status
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.
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 Derby-West Kimberley (S), accounting for 94.3% (2,001 people). This share was lower than Regional WA (95.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which decreased by 323 people, while its share rose by 8.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Derby-West Kimberley (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Derby-West Kimberley (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional WA and change since 2016.
Chart view
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Derby-West Kimberley (S), with comparison markers for Regional WA.
Employed
Employed full-time
Employed part-time
Employed, away from work
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
Looking for full-time work
Looking for part-time work
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
-323
+8.4pp
Employed full-time
-280
+3.7pp
Employed part-time
-24
+3.5pp
Employed, away from work
-19
+1.0pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-256
-8.1pp
Looking for full-time work
-218
-7.4pp
Looking for part-time work
-49
-1.3pp
Data table
Employment status for Derby-West Kimberley (S). Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional WA.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | % | Regional WA% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 2,001 | 94.3% | 95.8% | 2,324 | 85.9% | 93.6% | -323 | +8.4pp |
| Employed full-time | 1,389 | 65.4% | 58.7% | 1,669 | 61.7% | 59.1% | -280 | +3.7pp |
| Employed part-time | 431 | 20.3% | 29.7% | 455 | 16.8% | 27.8% | -24 | +3.5pp |
| Employed, away from work | 172 | 8.1% | 7.4% | 191 | 7.1% | 6.7% | -19 | +1.0pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 129 | 6.1% | 4.2% | 385 | 14.2% | 6.4% | -256 | -8.1pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 71 | 3.3% | 2.4% | 289 | 10.7% | 4.3% | -218 | -7.4pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 54 | 2.5% | 1.7% | 103 | 3.8% | 2.1% | -49 | -1.3pp |
| Total labour force | 2,123 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2,707 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -584 | 0.0pp |