Australia's national jobless rate has fallen to the lowest monthly figure on record after an unexpected surge in employment growth.

During the month of May the official figures show 56,000 additionall jobs were created, 47,000 of them in New South Wales.

Despite there being more people looking for work, the jobless rate has dropped from 5.1 to 4.9 per cent, seasonally adjusted.

All but 200 of the net new positions around Australia have been full-time.

There has never been a lower monthly figure and it matches the quarterly rate registered in November 1976.