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 Wantirna, accounting for 95.3% (6,713 people). This share was lower than Knox (C) (95.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which decreased by 188 people, while its share rose by 0.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
Wantirna - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for Wantirna in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Knox (C) and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Wantirna, with comparison markers for Knox (C).
Employed
2021 count
6,713
% of total
95.3%
Change from 2016
+0.9pp
6,713
95.3%
+0.9pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
3,915
% of total
55.6%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
3,915
55.6%
+0.7pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
2,406
% of total
34.1%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
2,406
34.1%
+0.1pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
400
% of total
5.7%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
400
5.7%
+0.3pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
325
% of total
4.6%
Change from 2016
-1.1pp
325
4.6%
-1.1pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
150
% of total
2.1%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
150
2.1%
-0.7pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
173
% of total
2.5%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
173
2.5%
-0.4pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
-188
+0.9pp
Employed full-time
-99
+0.7pp
Employed part-time
-81
+0.1pp
Employed, away from work
+3
+0.3pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
-90
-1.1pp
Looking for full-time work
-55
-0.7pp
Looking for part-time work
-38
-0.4pp
Data table
Employment status for Wantirna. Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Knox (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Knox (C)% | Count | % | Knox (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 6,713 | 95.3% | 95.6% | 6,901 | 94.4% | 94.4% | -188 | +0.9pp |
| Employed full-time | 3,915 | 55.6% | 57.7% | 4,014 | 54.9% | 58.4% | -99 | +0.7pp |
| Employed part-time | 2,406 | 34.1% | 32.2% | 2,487 | 34.0% | 31.5% | -81 | +0.1pp |
| Employed, away from work | 400 | 5.7% | 5.7% | 397 | 5.4% | 4.4% | +3 | +0.3pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 325 | 4.6% | 4.4% | 415 | 5.7% | 5.6% | -90 | -1.1pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 150 | 2.1% | 2.1% | 205 | 2.8% | 2.9% | -55 | -0.7pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 173 | 2.5% | 2.3% | 211 | 2.9% | 2.7% | -38 | -0.4pp |
| Total labour force | 7,046 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 7,310 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -264 | 0.0pp |