Australia's unemployment rate increased to 4.5 percent in April 2023, the highest level in roughly four and a half years, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The number of employed people fell by 18,600, marking the first monthly decline in 2023 and the first drop in female employment. The rate remains below pre-pandemic levels above 5 percent and aligns with the federal budget forecast of a 4.5 percent peak by mid-2023.