Jobs and work

Information on how many people are working or looking for work tells us a lot about what is happening in society and the economy.

Answers to these questions tell us about employment and unemployment at a local level and among particular groups.

Information about the type of work that people do is used to plan education and other services. For example, information about people’s occupations shows how many health professionals work in country areas.

It is important to collect information about people who are not working (for example, people who are looking for work, retired, or studying full-time) as well as those who are working. This gives us a complete picture of Australia's existing and potential workforce.

These questions are only asked of people aged 15 years and over. 

(Q38 in the Census Household Form)

This tells us about employment at a local level among different groups. Data from this question, and following questions, also shows how people spend their time working and studying.

This question is only asked of people aged 15 years and over. 

• 'Last week' refers to the week before Census Test night – Tuesday 5 August 2025.
• A 'job' means any type of work, including casual, temporary, full-time or part-time work if it was for one hour or more.
• ‘Pay’ includes wages or salary, tips, commissions, and payment in kind.
• Do not include any unpaid voluntary work.

Business owners and family businesses

• If a person owns their own business and worked for that business in the last week and was paid, select ‘Yes, worked for payment or profit’.
• If a person worked in a family business and they were paid, select ‘Yes, worked for payment or profit’.
• If a person worked in a family business and they were not paid, select ‘Yes, unpaid work in a family business’.

People who work from home

• For people who work from home and get paid, select the appropriate 'Yes' response.
• For people who work from home and do not get paid (other those who work in a family business and are not paid), select 'No, did not have a job'.

People who are casual, freelance, or work irregular shifts

• If the person worked in the week before Census Test night select 'Yes, worked for payment or profit'.
• If the person did not work last week but worked at some stage in the four weeks before Census Test night, select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on leave, no rostered shifts, or any other reason’.
• If the person did not work in the four weeks before Census Test night, select 'No, did not have a job'.

People who are only working for the dole

• People who are only working for the dole should select 'No, did not have a job'.

People who are on workers' compensation           

• For people who are on workers’ compensation and are planning to return to work select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on leave, no rostered shifts, or any other reason’.
• For people who are on workers’ compensation and won’t be returning to work select 'No, did not have a job'.

People on unpaid leave

• For people who have been on unpaid leave for less than four weeks, select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on leave, no rostered shifts, or any other reason’.
• For people who have been on unpaid leave for four weeks or more, select 'No, did not have a job'.

People on paid leave

• For people on paid leave, select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on leave, no rostered shifts, or any other reason’.
• Paid leave can include:
  • holiday leave
  • employer provided parental leave
  • sick leave
  • long service leave.

People with more than one job

• If the person had more than one job, fill out all employment questions for the job they work the most hours in.

People without a paid job

• If the person did not have a job, select ‘No, did not have a job’. This also applies to people who have never had a job.

People who are retired 

• If the person is retired, select 'No, did not have a job'. This also applies to people who have never had a job.

People with a paid job

• If the person worked for one hour or more in the last week and was paid, select ‘Yes, worked for payment or profit’.

• Working for an employer

• Working in own business

(Q39 in the Census Household Form)

Questions about a person’s employer or their business are used to find out about employment arrangements in Australia.

This question is only asked of people aged 15 years and over. 

• If the person had more than one job last week, then ‘main job’ refers to the job in which the person usually works the most hours.
• People should select 'Working in own business' if they run their own business. This includes people with their own incorporated (for example, Pty Ltd) company, sole traders, partnerships and independent contractors.
• If the person worked in their own business and also worked for an employer, they should answer for the job where they worked the most hours.

• Unincorporated

• Incorporated (for example, Pty Ltd)

(Q40 in the Census Household Form)

The person only needs to answer this question if they answered ‘Yes, Working in own business’ to Q39.

This information is used to find out about the way self-employed people set up their business(es).

This question is only asked of people aged 15 years and over. 

Incorporated means a limited liability company.

People should select 'Unincorporated' if they are:

• a sole trader
• in a partnership.

If the person’s business is incorporated as a separate legal entity with limited liability (for example, Pty Ltd company), select ‘Incorporated (for example, Pty Ltd)’.

(Q41 in the Census Household Form)

This information is used to find out about the size of businesses in Australia.

This question is only asked of people aged 15 years and over. 

• Include all people working for the business at the time of the Census Test.
• Select the number of people employed in the person’s business. This does not include the owner/s of the business.
• Do not include contractors and sub-contractors, unless they are engaged as an employee of your business.