Unemployment gap

Population groups

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap was 4.6 percentage points for non-Indigenous Australians (please note that the available data cannot confirm with confidence the existence and size of the disability unemployment gap for Indigenous Australians).

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  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Indigenous	*24%	(7.3%-39.7%)	14%	(10.2%-18.6%)	†9.1%	(-7.9%-26.2%)
  Non-Indigenous	8.9%	(7.4%-10.4%)	4.3%	(4.0%-4.6%)	4.6%	(3.1%-6.2%)
  All persons	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.
  • † Gap small or not significant: available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related gap for this group.

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Data source does not cover very remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 29 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview
  

• Sex and gender

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by sex?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, for males and females. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap was 5.0 percentage points for males and 4.1 percentage points for females.

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  Sex	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Males	9.1%	(7.1%-11.2%)	4.2%	(3.7%-4.6%)	5.0%	(2.8%-7.1%)
  Females	8.9%	(7.1%-10.7%)	4.8%	(4.4%-5.2%)	4.1%	(2.2%-5.9%)
  All persons	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 20 May 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview
  

• Age group

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by age group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, grouped by age. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap was 13 percentage points for the 15–24 age group, compared with 3.7 percentage points in the 45–64 age group (please note that some categories were not published due to small sample numbers and to protect confidentiality).

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  Age group	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  15–24	24%	(18.4%-30.5%)	12%	(10.3%-12.7%)	13%	(6.7%-19.1%)
  25–44	11%	(8.1%-13.8%)	3.5%	(3.1%-3.8%)	7.5%	(4.6%-10.4%)
  45–64	6.4%	(5.0%-7.9%)	2.7%	(2.3%-3.1%)	3.7%	(2.2%-5.3%)
  65 and over	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  All ages	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  • n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 20 May 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview
  

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap was 4.9 percentage points for the non-CALD group (please note that the available data cannot confirm with confidence the existence and size of the disability unemployment gap for people from CALD backgrounds).

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  CALD	8.9%	(3.5%-14.4%)	5.5%	(4.8%-6.2%)	†3.5%	(-2.1%-9.0%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	10%	(5.7%-14.2%)	5.4%	(4.6%-6.1%)	4.6%	(0.2%-9.0%)
  Non-CALD	9.0%	(7.5%-10.5%)	4.1%	(3.8%-4.5%)	4.9%	(3.4%-6.5%)
  All persons	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  • † Gap small or not significant: available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related gap for this group.
  • n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people not born in a main English-speaking country and/or who mainly speak a language other than English at home.
  4. English proficiency is reported for people in the CALD cohort only. Low English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'not well' or 'not at all'. High English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak English at home, and those who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'well' or 'very well'.
  5. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 29 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview
  

• Remoteness

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by remoteness?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, grouped by remoteness. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap was 5.0 percentage points in major cities, and 4.0 percentage points in inner regional areas.

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  Remoteness	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Major cities	9.6%	(7.8%-11.3%)	4.6%	(4.2%-4.9%)	5.0%	(3.2%-6.8%)
  Inner regional	8.2%	(5.4%-11.0%)	4.2%	(3.4%-5.0%)	4.0%	(1.1%-6.8%)
  Outer regional and remote	8.9%	(5.2%-12.6%)	4.3%	(3.0%-5.5%)	4.6%	(0.7%-8.6%)
  All areas	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Remoteness is classified according to Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia. Data source does not cover very remote areas.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 29 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview
  

• Disability group

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by disability group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, by disability group. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap was 19 percentage points for people with psychosocial disability, compared with 1.6 percentage points for people with sensory and speech disability.

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  Disability group	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Sensory and speech	6.1%	(3.8%-8.3%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	†1.6%	(-0.7%-3.9%)
  Intellectual	16%	(9.5%-22.6%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	12%	(5.0%-18.1%)
  Physical restriction	9.0%	(6.9%-11.1%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.6%	(2.4%-6.7%)
  Psychosocial	23%	(18.3%-28.3%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	19%	(13.8%-23.8%)
  Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	11%	(2.8%-20.0%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	†6.9%	(-1.7%-15.5%)
  Other	11%	(7.7%-13.5%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	6.1%	(3.2%-9.0%)
  All with disability	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  • † Gap small or not significant: available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related gap for this group.

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Components will not add to total as people may report impairments related to more than one disability group. In such cases, people are counted separately for each disability group but are only counted once in the aggregated total.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 29 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview
  

• Severity of disability

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by severity of disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the gap in proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with people without disability, grouped by disability severity. In 2018, the disability unemployment gap for people with severe or profound disability was 6.3 percentage points, compared with 4.3 percentage points for people with other disability status.

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  Severity of disability	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Severe or profound disability	11%	(6.4%-15.1%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	6.3%	(1.9%-10.7%)
  Other disability status	8.8%	(7.4%-10.2%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.3%	(2.8%-5.8%)
  All with disability	9.2%	(7.7%-10.7%)	4.5%	(4.2%-4.8%)	4.7%	(3.2%-6.2%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people with disability aged 15 and over living in households who are in the labour force.
  2. Proportion unemployed is calculated as the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed). Gap in proportion unemployed is calculated by subtracting the proportion for people without disability from the proportion for people with disability.
  3. Severe or profound disability means always or sometimes needing assistance or supervision with self-care, mobility, and/or communication.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2018, ABS cat. no. 4430.0.30.002, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 29 September 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview