5.7% of the resident workforce of Cairns were unemployed in 2021, compared to 5.4% in Queensland.
The local unemployed resident includes all people who are residents in the local area who are looking for part-time or full-time work. This is an important resource for the local economy, their characteristics inform us about the skills that are available locally, even if they are not currently employed in the local economy.
For an overview of unemployment levels and trends in Cairns go to the Unemployment page.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2021 and 2016 – by usual residence
Current benchmark:
| Characteristics of the unemployed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns | 2021 | 2016 | change | ||||||
| Name | number | % | % Queensland | number | % | % Queensland | 2016 to 2021 | ||
| Key statistics | |||||||||
| Total persons | 4,853 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 6,055 | 100.0 | 100.0 | -1,202 | ||
| Males | 2,699 | 55.6 | 54.3 | 3,368 | 55.6 | 53.6 | -669 | ||
| Females | 2,158 | 44.5 | 45.7 | 2,686 | 44.4 | 46.4 | -528 | ||
| Unemployment rate | -- | 5.7 | 5.4 | -- | 7.7 | 7.6 | -2.0% | ||
| Age structure | |||||||||
| 15 - 24 years | 1,449 | 29.9 | 34.1 | 1,798 | 29.7 | 35.6 | -349 | ||
| 25 - 54 years | 2,495 | 51.4 | 49.7 | 3,287 | 54.3 | 50.8 | -792 | ||
| 55 - 64 years | 757 | 15.6 | 13.3 | 822 | 13.6 | 11.9 | -65 | ||
| 65 years and over | 159 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 147 | 2.4 | 1.7 | +12 | ||
| Looking for | |||||||||
| Full-time work | 2,727 | 56.2 | 55.0 | 3,750 | 61.9 | 60.1 | -1,023 | ||
| Part-time work | 2,127 | 43.8 | 45.0 | 2,305 | 38.1 | 39.9 | -178 | ||
| Qualifications | |||||||||
| Bachelor or higher degree | 628 | 12.9 | 16.3 | 634 | 10.5 | 13.7 | -6 | ||
| Advanced diploma or diploma | 405 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 504 | 8.3 | 8.1 | -99 | ||
| Certificate level | 1,273 | 26.2 | 24.5 | 1,612 | 26.6 | 24.6 | -339 | ||
| No qualifications | 2,410 | 49.7 | 48.3 | 3,011 | 49.7 | 50.4 | -601 | ||
| Highest level of schooling | |||||||||
| Year 12 | 2,528 | 52.1 | 56.6 | 3,024 | 49.9 | 54.3 | -496 | ||
| Year 11 | 636 | 13.1 | 10.8 | 826 | 13.6 | 11.5 | -190 | ||
| Under Year 10 | 1,619 | 33.4 | 31.3 | 2,018 | 33.3 | 32.2 | -399 | ||
| Education institute attending | |||||||||
| Not Attending | 3,694 | 76.1 | 73.4 | 4,782 | 79.0 | 73.8 | -1,088 | ||
| University | 269 | 5.5 | 9.0 | 352 | 5.8 | 10.3 | -83 | ||
| TAFE | 329 | 6.8 | 6.2 | 272 | 4.5 | 5.3 | +57 | ||
| Other | 86 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 156 | 2.6 | 2.3 | -70 | ||
| Secondary school | 442 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 407 | 6.7 | 7.1 | +35 | ||
| Field of qualification | |||||||||
| Natural and Physical Sciences | 56 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 60 | 1.0 | 1.4 | -4 | ||
| Information Technology | 64 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 87 | 1.4 | 1.9 | -23 | ||
| Engineering and Related Technologies | 351 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 557 | 9.2 | 8.3 | -206 | ||
| Architecture and Building | 164 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 219 | 3.6 | 2.9 | -55 | ||
| Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies | 78 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 83 | 1.4 | 1.2 | -5 | ||
| Health | 187 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 190 | 3.1 | 3.1 | -3 | ||
| Education | 107 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 128 | 2.1 | 1.9 | -21 | ||
| Management and Commerce | 535 | 11.0 | 12.2 | 613 | 10.1 | 11.8 | -78 | ||
| Society and Culture | 356 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 408 | 6.7 | 7.3 | -52 | ||
| Creative Arts | 103 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 122 | 2.0 | 2.4 | -19 | ||
| Food, Hospitality and Personal Services | 250 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 277 | 4.6 | 4.1 | -27 | ||
| Mixed Field Programmes | 12 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 18 | 0.3 | 0.2 | -6 | ||
| Other characteristics | |||||||||
| Speaks a language other than English at home | 950 | 19.6 | 18.3 | 1,094 | 18.1 | 17.4 | -144 | ||
| Born overseas | 1,262 | 26.0 | 28.2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Arrived between 2016 to 2021 | 271 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 437 | 7.2 | 8.6 | -166 | ||
| Has child care responsibilities (own or others) | 1,219 | 25.1 | 25.9 | 1,796 | 29.7 | 29.6 | -577 | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions). Please refer to specific data notes for more information | |||||||||