Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Labour force status

Definition

Labour force status refers to whether a person was employed, unemployed or not in the labour force during the reference period. The labour force consists of persons who contribute or are available to contribute to the production of goods and services falling within the System of National Accounts production boundary.

Statistical unit(s)

• Person 15 years or over

Classification(s)

• Collapsed - Labour Force Status
• Employed Status
• Labour Force Status

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (25% sample); 2011^{Footnote 1} (30% sample); 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986 and 1981 (20% sample). For availability prior to 1981, please refer to Appendix 2.1.

Reported for

Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question number(s)

Derived variable: Questions 38 to 43

Responses

For the values for the Labour force status variable, please refer to Table 2.8.

Remarks

For more information, see the definitions for Employed person, Unemployed and Not in the labour force variables.

The Labour force status categories were derived from the responses to the following questions on the census questionnaire:

• Hours worked for pay or in self-employment (Question 38)
• On temporary lay-off or absent from job or business (Question 39)
• New job to start in four weeks or less from reference week (Question 40)
• Looked for paid work in past four weeks (full-or part-time work) (Question 41)
• Reasons unable to start a job (Question 42)
• When last worked for pay or in self-employment (Question 43).

See Figure 2.9 for the components of the population and the Labour force status variable.

For information on the comparability of the 2021 Census labour force status data with those of the Labour Force Survey, see Appendix 2.11.

Note(s)