Report
Employment and disability in Australia
Publisher
Workplace support
Labour force participation
Transition to work
Disability employment
People with disability
Australia
Description
People with disability make up a significant share of Australia’s working-age population but continue to face challenges in the labour market. This report highlights these challenges, identifies a sizeable job‑ready cohort, and outlines opportunities to unlock their potential through inclusive employment and targeted support.
Key findings
- The participation rate for people with disability has increased from 53% in 2018 to 60% in 2022.
- People with disability have a lower participation rate (60%) and higher unemployment rate (7%) than those without disability.
- Around 260,000 people with disability are not employed but are potentially job ready.
- Commonly cited barriers include limited suitable jobs, transport problems and a lack of workplace adjustments, rather than reasons related to their disability.
Publication Details
Copyright:
Commonwealth of Australia 2026
License type:
CC BY
Access Rights Type:
open
Post date:
7 Apr 2026
