More Aussies on companies’ books in major pandemic rebound

Covid-19 ravaged Australia’s job market, but fresh data from the ABS reveals which state is rebounding fastest from the pandemic.

New employment data has revealed which Aussie states are rebounding fastest jobs-wise from the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest weekly payroll jobs and wages data, the number of staff on payrolls rose 0.6 per cent to mid-March.

It follows a larger seasonable rise of 2.9 per cent over the month to mid-February.

The figures, released on Thursday, mark the first time since the survey began that data taken in the month to March was not impacted by Covid lockdowns, the ABS said.

“The pace of payroll jobs growth in early 2023 was similar to what we saw in early 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic,” head of labour statistics Bjorn Jarvis said.

“The middle of March 2023 marks three years since the start of the pandemic and is the first March without impacts from pandemic-related business disruptions.”

The number of staff on payrolls rose 0.6 per cent to mid-March. Picture: Generic

The data, taken straight from companies’ Single Touch Payroll (STP) software, looks at the salaries and wages paid to employees across the country.

Almost all large employers and eligible small employers report through STP.

Most states and territories experienced a rise in payroll jobs in the month to March, with Northern Territory (up 2.3 per cent) and South Australia (1.1 per cent) experiencing the largest growth.

But Western Australia has led the way in the pandemic recovery with the largest jump in payroll jobs since the start of the pandemic at 13.4 per cent.

“All jurisdictions have seen growth in payroll jobs since the start of the pandemic three years ago, ranging from an 8.9 per cent rise in NSW to 13.4 per cent in Western Australia,” Mr Jarvis said.

Overall, payroll jobs now sit at 10.5 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

However, the manufacturing (0.3 per cent) and transport, postal and warehouse industries (0.9 per cent) have fewer payroll jobs since the start of the pandemic.

The number of payroll jobs worked by persons aged 70 and over also lifted, up 3.9 per cent in the month to March.