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 The Hills Shire (A), accounting for 95.9% (96,477 people). This share was higher than Greater Sydney (94.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in Employed, which increased by 16,298 people and 0.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Labour force status
The Hills Shire (A) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)
This table summarises employment status for The Hills Shire (A) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Sydney and change since 2016.
Labour force status snapshot
2021 distribution by category for The Hills Shire (A), with comparison markers for Greater Sydney.
Employed
2021 count
96,477
% of total
95.9%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
96,477
95.9%
+0.5pp
Employed full-time
2021 count
59,284
% of total
58.9%
Change from 2016
-3.4pp
59,284
58.9%
-3.4pp
Employed part-time
2021 count
27,297
% of total
27.1%
Change from 2016
-2.3pp
27,297
27.1%
-2.3pp
Employed, away from work
2021 count
9,901
% of total
9.8%
Change from 2016
+6.0pp
9,901
9.8%
+6.0pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
2021 count
4,119
% of total
4.1%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
4,119
4.1%
-0.5pp
Looking for full-time work
2021 count
2,224
% of total
2.2%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
2,224
2.2%
0.0pp
Looking for part-time work
2021 count
1,897
% of total
1.9%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
1,897
1.9%
-0.5pp
Chart view
Labour force status change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Employed
+16,298
+0.5pp
Employed full-time
+6,950
-3.4pp
Employed part-time
+2,633
-2.3pp
Employed, away from work
+6,724
+6.0pp
Unemployed (Unemployment rate)
+282
-0.5pp
Looking for full-time work
+417
0.0pp
Looking for part-time work
-137
-0.5pp
Data table
Employment status for The Hills Shire (A). Labour force status. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Sydney.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | % | Greater Sydney% | Count | pp | |
| Employed | 96,477 | 95.9% | 94.9% | 80,179 | 95.4% | 94.0% | +16,298 | +0.5pp |
| Employed full-time | 59,284 | 58.9% | 55.5% | 52,334 | 62.3% | 61.2% | +6,950 | -3.4pp |
| Employed part-time | 27,297 | 27.1% | 27.7% | 24,664 | 29.4% | 28.2% | +2,633 | -2.3pp |
| Employed, away from work | 9,901 | 9.8% | 11.7% | 3,177 | 3.8% | 4.5% | +6,724 | +6.0pp |
| Unemployed (Unemployment rate) | 4,119 | 4.1% | 5.1% | 3,837 | 4.6% | 6.0% | +282 | -0.5pp |
| Looking for full-time work | 2,224 | 2.2% | 2.9% | 1,807 | 2.2% | 3.2% | +417 | 0.0pp |
| Looking for part-time work | 1,897 | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2,034 | 2.4% | 2.9% | -137 | -0.5pp |
| Total labour force | 100,595 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 84,017 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +16,578 | 0.0pp |