December’s figure of 3.9 per cent was the first time the state’s unemployment rate has fallen below four per cent for the first time since records began in 1978.
The number of people in SA with a job fell by 7300 while those employed full time fell by 5800 to 569,800.
The participation rate – the percentage of work-aged people either in a job or looking for one – in the state was flat at 62.9 per cent, well below the national average of 66.2 per cent.
The ACT now has Australia’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.2 per cent, followed by Western Australia (3.7 per cent), Tasmania (3.8 per cent), Northern Territory (3.8 per cent), Victoria (4.1 per cent), New South Wales (4.2 per cent), Queensland (4.4 per cent) and SA (4.9 per cent).
South Australia has regained the unwanted mantle of having the highest unemployment rate in the nation – a title it held for six of the 12 months of 2021 but not since September.
Nationally, the youth unemployment rate for 15-24-year-olds rose 0.6 per cent to 10 per cent.
Total employment increased by 0.1 per cent, or 12,900 people, to 13,255,000 in Australia in January.
However, the total number of hours worked nationally for the month decreased by 159 million hours as underemployment grew to 6.7 per cent.
Head of labour statistics at the ABS Bjorn Jarvis said the large fall in hours worked in January reflected more people than usual taking annual leave and sick leave in the first two wxjmtzyweeks of the year.
