Australia’s unemployment rate is expected to remain at 4.4% in July, with economists forecasting roughly 20,000 new jobs and a stable participation rate. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which surveys about 0.5% of the population aged 15 and over, will release the labour force data at 11:30 AM AEST on Thursday, August 13, 2026. A fourth consecutive month at 4.4% would indicate that the labour market is cooling gradually rather than deteriorating sharply, following a rise from 3.9% in late 2023. The figures will be closely watched by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which is assessing interest rates amid elevated inflation. Underemployment (workers seeking more hours) has edged higher, while wage growth has moderated but remains above pre-pandemic levels. The release will be one of the last major economic inputs before the RBA’s early-September policy meeting and may influence expectations for future rate adjustments.