Unemployment edges higher in March to 4.1 per cent
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has edged higher to 4.1 per cent in March as 3000 people left the workforce.
New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed that despite unemployment increasing slightly, more than 32,000 people found work in March.
Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics, said the annual growth of people entering employment was at a 20-year high.
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Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has edged higher to 4.1 per cent in March as 3000 people left the workforce. Louie Douvis
"With employment increasing by 32,000 people and the number of unemployed increasing by 3000 people, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.1 per cent for March," Crick said.
"The employment-to-population ratio remained at 64.1 per cent in March, while the participation rate increased slightly to 66.8 per cent."
Crick said bad weather - including Cyclone Alfred - meant the total number of hours worked in March fell.
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"A higher than usual number of people reported working reduced hours this month due to bad weather, coinciding with ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and other major weather events in New South Wales and Queensland," he said.
The unemployment rate, along with headline inflation and the ongoing disruption caused by Trump-led global tariffs, will play into the RBA's decision when it hands down its next interest rate move on May 20.
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