Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) labour force figures show the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.9 per cent, the equal lowest level since December 2008, with more Australians in work than ever before.

Total employment has increased by 284,100 over the year, to a record high of 12,763,400. Full-time employment is 210,000 higher than it was a year ago.

The level of female total employment reached another new record high of 6,002,400. Female full-time employment also stands at a record high, at 3,249,100.

The trend unemployment rate increased in Tasmania, decreased in Queensland, and remained steady in all other states and territories.

The ABS data also shows that Australia’s annualised population growth rate increased, albeit by just 0.01% to 1.6% in the September 2018 quarter.

It shows changes to visas for skilled workers at the beginning of 2017 have made an impact on overseas migration with Australia’s population growth slowing considerably throughout 2017 and early 2018.

Australia’s overseas migration fell 7.5 per cent in the year to September 2018 compared with the previous year, with the rate of decline in overseas migration, which had reached 9.9 per cent earlier in 2018, appearing to ease.

AREEA will provide sector-specific analysis on jobs growth in the mining and energy industries when the next detailed labour force figures are released by the ABS in coming weeks.