Cairns employment remains strong

This is the second month for which we are using the new Enhanced Regional Labour Force data from the ABS. This is now providing a more robust and less volatile data-set which we can utilise to estimate our Conus/CBC Staff Selection Trend series.

Given this new, more stable dataset, the run of positive months for employment growth in Cairns has now extended right back to 2020 with another 1,100 being added in May. The region has now seen an additional 5,500 people employed in the past year and this month we see the increase being split quite evenly between part-time and full-time positions. While over the course of the last 12 months we see employment up 5,500 we should also note that there are an additional 700 people registered as unemployed. This apparent paradox comes not only from the fact that population growth in the region is strong, but also that the participation rate has increased (especially for females) significantly over that period and now sits at a decade-high. As a result, despite employment growth running at 3.9% pa (which compares well with the State 4.3% or National 2.7% rates) we see the unemployment rate has lifted slightly during the year.


The May Trend unemployment rate sits at 4.5% (down from 4.7% at the start of the year) which remains higher than the State level (4.1%). The underlying picture is still one of a general tightness. The fact that since the start of 2024 we have seen an additional 3,400 full-time positions (while part-time positions are up just 100) supports this view of a strong labour market.

The full Conus/CBC Staff Selection Regional Employment Trend data set is available for download here. Feel free to use this resource, but kindly acknowledge Conus/CBC Staff Selection when you do so.

Leave a Response

  • © Conus Business Consultancy Services 2024

    Website created by RJ New Designs