Regional Labour Market Indicator

The Regional Labour Market Indicator (RLMI) combines key indicators of labour market capacity, from both an employee and an employer perspective, into a single measure of regional labour market performance. These results highlight both progress made and the ongoing challenges facing regional and remote labour markets.

The December 2025 releases has been upgraded to include 10 indicators, making it the most comprehensive assessment of regional labour markets to date. The release also introduces a combined Northern Australia rating, recognising the region’s cross‑border labour market.

Results show a clear divide, with nearly half of regional SA4s rated below average or poor and all remote SA4s rated poor, while almost three‑quarters of major city regions performed strongly.

For further information, download the December results.

A minor improvement (decline) occurs when a region’s rating improves (declines) by 1 RLMI rating category. A major improvement (decline) occurs when a region’s rating improves (declines) by 2 or more RLMI rating categories.