Unemployment gap

Population groups

• Indigenous status

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary for First Nations 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 Indigenous status. In 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 3.7 percentage points for non-Indigenous Australians. Available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related unemployment gap for First Nations people.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  First Nations	8.1%	(5.2%–11.0%)	15%	(6.0%–25.0%)	##7.4%	((-2.6%)–17.3%)
  Non-Indigenous	2.9%	(2.6%–3.2%)	6.6%	(5.4%–7.9%)	3.7%	(2.4%–5.1%)
  All persons	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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. Data source does not cover very remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

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

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

• Sex at birth

  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 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 5.4 percentage points for males and 2.8 percentage points for females.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Males	2.9%	(2.5%–3.3%)	8.3%	(6.6%–10.1%)	5.4%	(3.7%–7.2%)
  Females	3.2%	(2.7%–3.6%)	5.9%	(4.0%–7.8%)	2.8%	(0.8%–4.7%)
  All persons	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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. The data are reported based on sex recorded at birth, determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or infancy. Total includes people whose sex at birth was recorded as ‘Another term’.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

  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 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 13 percentage points for the 15–24 age group, compared with 2.8 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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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  15–24	7.6%	(6.2%–8.9%)	21%	(14.8%–26.6%)	13%	(6.9%–19.3%)
  25–44	2.1%	(1.7%–2.5%)	6.0%	(3.8%–8.3%)	3.9%	(1.7%–6.1%)
  45–64	2.2%	(1.6%–2.7%)	5.0%	(3.4%–6.7%)	2.8%	(1.0%–4.7%)
  65 and over	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  All ages	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  Notes

  • n.p. (not published) Data have 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) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

  n.p. (not published) Data have been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  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 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 4.2 percentage points for the non-CALD group. Available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related unemployment gap for people from CALD backgrounds.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  CALD	4.1%	(3.4%–4.8%)	7.5%	(3.7%–11.3%)	##3.4%	((-0.4%)–7.3%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	3.9%	(3.1%–4.7%)	7.1%	(2.5%–11.7%)	##3.2%	((-1.4%)–7.8%)
  Non-CALD	2.6%	(2.3%–2.9%)	6.8%	(5.5%–8.1%)	4.2%	(2.9%–5.5%)
  All persons	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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) Data have 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) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

  ## 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) Data have been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  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 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 5.0 percentage points in inner regional areas, and 3.5 percentage points in major cities.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Major cities	3.2%	(2.8%–3.6%)	6.7%	(5.2%–8.2%)	3.5%	(2.0%–5.1%)
  Inner regional	2.6%	(1.9%–3.3%)	7.6%	(5.0%–10.2%)	5.0%	(2.3%–7.7%)
  Outer regional and remote	1.8%	(1.1%–2.6%)	6.6%	(2.7%–10.5%)	4.7%	(0.8%–8.7%)
  All areas	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

  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 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 11 percentage points for people with psychosocial disability, compared with 3.5 percentage points for people with physical restriction. Available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related unemployment gap for people with sensory or speech disability.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Sensory and speech	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	4.1%	(2.4%–5.7%)	##1.1%	((-0.6%)–2.8%)
  Learning and understanding	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	13%	(10.0%–17.0%)	10%	(7.0%–14.0%)
  Physical restriction	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.4%	(4.9%–8.0%)	3.5%	(1.9%–5.0%)
  Psychosocial	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	14%	(10.4%–18.1%)	11%	(7.4%–15.1%)
  Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	11%	(3.9%–18.7%)	8.3%	(0.9%–15.7%)
  Other	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	8.7%	(6.3%–11.2%)	5.7%	(3.3%–8.2%)
  All with disability	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

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

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

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary for Autistic and non-Autistic people with 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, by whether they have autism, and compared with people without disability. In 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 15 percentage points for Autistic people with disability, compared with 3.5 percentage points for non-Autistic people with disability.

  Please note that, in this data source, not all Autistic people are considered to have disability. Some Autistic people who do not report significant limitations, impairments or restrictions are considered to not have disability; these people are included in the ‘Without disability’ group in the graph and table.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Autistic people with disability	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	18%	(8.1%–27.5%)	15%	(5.1%–24.5%)
  Non-Autistic people with disability	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.5%	(5.3%–7.8%)	3.5%	(2.3%–4.8%)
  All with disability	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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. Autistic people are those who reported that they have a long-term condition in the group 'Autism and related disorders (including Rett's syndrome and Asperger's syndrome)'. In this data source, not all Autistic people are considered to have disability. In 2022, according to the definition of disability used in this data source, 91% of Autistic people had disability.

  Source:

  1. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

  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 2022, the disability unemployment gap for people with severe or profound disability was 7.4 percentage points, compared with 3.2 percentage points for people with other disability status.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  Severe or profound disability	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	10%	(6.9%–14.0%)	7.4%	(3.9%–11.0%)
  Other disability status	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.1%	(4.7%–7.6%)	3.2%	(1.6%–4.7%)
  All with disability	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  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.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

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

• Education

  Does the disability unemployment gap vary by education level?

  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 highest level of education. In 2022, the disability unemployment gap was 9.4 percentage points for people who completed Year 12 or equivalent, and 8.2 percentage points for people whose highest education was Year 10/11. Available data cannot confirm with confidence that there is a disability-related unemployment gap for other levels of education.

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  Disability status	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Gap	95% Confidence Interval
  None or below Year 10 (incl. Certificate I/II)	10%	(6.4%–14.1%)	#16%	(4.2%–27.7%)	##5.7%	((-6.2%)–17.6%)
  Year 10/11	6.3%	(4.8%–7.9%)	14%	(9.2%–19.7%)	8.2%	(2.6%–13.7%)
  Year 12 or equivalent	4.0%	(3.0%–5.0%)	13%	(8.5%–18.3%)	9.4%	(4.3%–14.5%)
  Certificate III/IV or Diploma	1.8%	(1.3%–2.2%)	2.8%	(1.0%–4.6%)	##1.0%	((-0.8%)–2.9%)
  Bachelor Degree or higher	1.9%	(1.5%–2.3%)	3.4%	(1.6%–5.1%)	##1.5%	((-0.3%)–3.3%)
  All persons	3.0%	(2.7%–3.3%)	6.9%	(5.6%–8.2%)	3.9%	(2.6%–5.2%)

  Notes

  • # Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points and/or proportion ± MoE equals <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. Education category ‘None or below Year 10’ includes Certificate I and II, Year 9 and below, and persons with no educational attainment. Total includes level not determined (non-school only) and Certificate not further defined.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2024. Microdata: Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, 2022, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 6 September 2024.

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

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