The seasonally adjusted Australian unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points to 5.3 per cent in November, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

The ABS reported the number of people employed decreased by 6,300 to 11,457,100 in November. The decrease in employment was driven by a decrease in full-time employment, down 39,900 people to 8,026,300, and was offset by an increase in part-time employment, up 33,600 people to 3,430,800.

The number of people unemployed increased by 9,400 people to 635,800 in November, reported the ABS.

The ABS monthly aggregate hours worked series showed a decrease in November, down 11.3 million hours to 1,616.8 million hours.

The ABS reported a decrease in the labour force participation rate of 0.1 percentage points in November to 65.5 per cent.

The ABS reported the labour force underutilisation rate was 12.6 per cent in November, up 0.2 percentage points from August.

More details are in the November 2011 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0), as well as the upcoming November 2011 issues of Labour Force, Australia, Detailed (cat. no. 6291.0.55.001) and Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly (cat. no. 6291.0.55.003),