More information on Unemployed

Censuses:

2006 (1/5 sample), 2001 (1/5 sample), 1996 (1/5 sample), 1991 (1/5 sample), 1986 (1/5 sample), 1981 (1/5 sample), 1976 (1/3 sample), 1971 (1/3 sample), 1961 (1/5 sample)

Reported for:

Population 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents

Question numbers:

Derived variable: Questions 34 to 38

Responses:

Not applicable

Remarks:

1. The 'Unemployed' category consists of persons who, during the week prior to enumeration, were without paid work, were available for work, and had actively looked for paid work in the past four weeks.

There are two smaller components of the 'Unemployed': those persons who did not work during the week prior to enumeration because they had been laid off from a job to which they expected to return; and persons who did not work during the week prior to enumeration, but had definite arrangements to start a new job in four weeks or less. In both cases, the respondents had to be available for work in the week prior to enumeration.

'Availability for work', in the week prior to Census Day, is based on the individual's responses to Question 37 (Did this person look for paid work during the past four weeks?) and Question 38 (Could this person have started a job last week had one been available?), as well as Question 32 (School attendance).

2. For additional information, see the definition for Labour force activity.

3. For information on the comparability of 2006 Census labour force activity data with those of previous censuses and the Labour Force Survey, see Appendix E.