- The unemployment rate remained at 4.3% seasonally adjusted for November
- Underemployment jumped to 6.2%, up from 5.7% the previous month
- Australia's labour force shrank while the participation rate also dropped
The jobless rate remained steady in seasonally adjusted terms but underemployment jumped to 6.2%, up from 5.7% the previous month - its highest rate in more than a year.
The number of people employed fell by more than 21,000 last month while the number of unemployed also dropped by more than 2,000.
It shows Australia's labour force has shrunk, with the participation rate also falling slightly to 66.7%.
The losses have come in much higher than market expectations of extra jobs being created in November.
The number of people in full-time work also fell by 57,000 while the number of those in part-time jobs rose by 35,000.
What do the jobless figures mean?
The news comes after the Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate on hold on Tuesday.
The latest jobs figures show although the unemployment rate was steady, other numbers point to a weakening of labour market conditions.
After this week's RBA meeting, its monetary policy board referred to the labour market as appearing "a little tight" but said further modest easing was expected.
The jobless rate had dropped to 4.3% in October, down from its shock jump to 4.5% in September.
Last month, the RBA forecast the unemployment rate would hit 4.4% by the end of the year and remain around that level for two years.
Seasonal factors
The November data showing a shrinking of the labour market may also be a reflection of the run-in to the holiday season.
The December jobs data is due on 22 January with key inflation data scheduled for the next week on 28 January.
The RBA will consider both datasets closely in its next monetary policy meeting - the first of the year on 2-3 February 2026.
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