Total employment decreased by 80 000 or -0,8% quarter-on-quarter, from 10 548 000 in December 2025 to 10 468 000 in March 2026.
The workforce shrank by a staggering 80,000 positions in the first quarter of the year, wiping out previous gains and underscoring a deepening crisis in key sectors of the economy. Total employment fell by 0.8 per cent between December 2025 and March 2026, dropping from 10,548,000 to 10,468,000, according to the latest official statistical release. This quarterly downturn caps a bleak year for the labour market, which has shed 121,000 jobs—a 1.1 per cent contraction—since March 2025.
The widespread decline was primarily driven by severe contractions in community services, which shed 53,000 jobs, and the trade sector, which saw a reduction of 40,000 positions. Minor losses were also recorded in transport and electricity, which fell by 3,000 and 1,000 jobs respectively. These heavy casualties easily overwhelmed modest employment gains reported in manufacturing and business services, which both added 7,000 jobs, alongside minor increases in mining and construction.
A closer look at the data reveals that part-time workers bore the brunt of the volatility, with part-time employment collapsing by 5.0 per cent over the quarter to 1,059,000. This represented a loss of 56,000 part-time roles, largely due to a massive 10.5 per cent reduction in community services staff and a 4.8 per cent drop in trade, despite a notable 10.5 per cent surge in part-time manufacturing roles.
