NDIS participants in full award wage employment

Population groups

• Indigenous status

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment vary for First Nations and non-Indigenous participants?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage, by Indigenous status. In 2025–26 Q2, 13% of First Nations NDIS participants and 26% of non-Indigenous participants in the labour force were in open employment at full award wage.

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  Indigenous status	% of NDIS participants in open employment
  First Nations	13%
  Non-Indigenous	26%
  All persons	25%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?', and answer 'Open employment market with full award wages' to 'What type of employment is it?'. The numerator excludes participants who answer 'Self-employed' to 'What type of employment is it?'. It also excludes participants answering 'Australian apprenticeship' or 'Other' (as well as those in the Supported Wage System and Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)).
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Indigenous status is voluntarily self-reported based on the ABS Indigenous Status Standard.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Sex and gender

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment vary by gender?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage, for males and females. In 2025–26 Q2, 21% of male NDIS participants in the labour force were in open employment at full award wage, compared with 30% of female participants.

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  Gender	% of NDIS participants in open employment
  Males	21%
  Females	30%
  All persons	25%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?', and answer 'Open employment market with full award wages' to 'What type of employment is it?'. The numerator excludes participants who answer 'Self-employed' to 'What type of employment is it?'. It also excludes participants answering 'Australian apprenticeship' or 'Other' (as well as those in the Supported Wage System and Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)).
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Age group

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment vary by age?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage, grouped by age. In 2025–26 Q2, 29% of NDIS participants aged 45–64 in the labour force were in open employment at full award wage, compared with 20% of those aged 15–24.

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  Age group	% of NDIS participants in open employment
  15–24	20%
  25–44	28%
  45–64	29%
  All ages	25%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?', and answer 'Open employment market with full award wages' to 'What type of employment is it?'. The numerator excludes participants who answer 'Self-employed' to 'What type of employment is it?'. It also excludes participants answering 'Australian apprenticeship' or 'Other' (as well as those in the Supported Wage System and Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)).
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2025–26 Q2, 26% of NDIS participants from CALD backgrounds in the labour force were in open employment at full award wage, compared with 25% among the non-CALD group.

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	% of NDIS participants in open employment
  CALD	26%
  Non-CALD	25%
  All persons	25%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?', and answer 'Open employment market with full award wages' to 'What type of employment is it?'.The numerator excludes participants who answer 'Self-employed' to 'What type of employment is it?'. It also excludes participants answering 'Australian apprenticeship' or 'Other' (as well as those in the Supported Wage System and Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)).
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people born in countries other than main English-speaking countries (Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Canada, Republic of Ireland, and South Africa), and/or those who mainly speak a language other than English at home.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Remoteness

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment vary by remoteness?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage, grouped by remoteness. In 2025–26 Q2, 26% of NDIS participants in major cities in the labour force were in open employment at full award wage, compared with 22% in both regional areas with populations between 15,000 and 50,000 and remote and very remote areas.

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  Remoteness	% of NDIS participants in open employment
  Major cities	26%
  Regional – population greater than 50,000	25%
  Regional – population between 15,000 and 50,000	22%
  Regional – population between 5,000 and 15,000	24%
  Regional – population less than 5,000	23%
  Remote and very remote	22%
  All areas	25%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?', and answer 'Open employment market with full award wages' to 'What type of employment is it?'. The numerator excludes participants who answer 'Self-employed' to 'What type of employment is it?'. It also excludes participants answering 'Australian apprenticeship' or 'Other' (as well as those in the Supported Wage System and Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)).
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Areas of remoteness are classified by the NDIS using the Modified Monash Model (MMM). Major cities includes Missing/Not stated.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview
  

• Disability group

  Does the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment vary by primary disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage, by disability group. In 2025–26 Q2, 64% of NDIS participants with a hearing impairment in the labour force were in open employment at full award wage, compared with 7.2% of participants with Down syndrome.

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  Primary disability	% of NDIS participants in open employment
  Acquired brain injury	13%
  Autism	25%
  Cerebral palsy	28%
  Down syndrome	7.2%
  Hearing impairment	64%
  Intellectual disability	12%
  Multiple sclerosis	59%
  Psychosocial disability	11%
  Spinal cord injury	39%
  Stroke	19%
  Visual impairment	40%
  Other neurological	37%
  Other physical	44%
  Other sensory/speech	22%
  Other	35%
  All with disability	25%

  Notes

  1. Denominator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?'.
  2. Numerator includes participants who answer either 'Yes' or 'No, but I would like one' to 'Are you currently working in a paid job?', and answer 'Open employment market with full award wages' to 'What type of employment is it?'.Tthe numerator excludes participants who answer 'Self-employed' to 'What type of employment is it?'. It also excludes participants answering 'Australian apprenticeship' or 'Other' (as well as those in the Supported Wage System and Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)).
  3. To be eligible for the NDIS, a person must meet the disability requirements or the early intervention requirements. Disability requirements include that the disability is caused by an impairment, is likely to be permanent and significantly impacts the individual's ability to perform everyday activities and is likely to need NDIS support for life. Early intervention requirements are that the individual has an impairment that is likely to be permanent or are a child younger than 9 with development delay and that early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs and be of benefit to the individual.
  4. Data are for participants aged 15–64.
  5. Disability group 'Other' includes missing.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Business Systems.

  Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems | Data source overview