The Census is the largest survey of workers that Australian unions have ever conducted and is around thirty times larger than the standard national opinion polls used by the media and political parties.

The aim of the Working Australia Census 2011 was to be one of the biggest surveys of workers in Australian history. The purpose was to engage with Australian workers and give them a chance to make their voice heard.

The questions were chosen in order to collect information on how people are working, why they working, how they feel about their work and also what they see as the big issues facing them and the country.