Australian Bureau of Statistics data released today showed the state’s unemployment rate dropping from 3.8 per cent in February to 3.7 per cent last month (seasonally adjusted).

SA has the third highest unemployment rate of the states and territories, with the national rate remaining static at 3.5 per cent.

The figure was the lowest recorded by the ABS, beating the record set in February.

South Australia’s participation rate – the percentage of working-age people in the workforce – edged up to 64.5 per cent.

The underemployment rate increased to 7.3 per cent – the second-highest in the country.

Nationally, around 53,000 jobs were estimated to be added over the month, with the participation rate holding at 66.7 per cent.

“With employment increasing by around 53,000 people, and the number of unemployed decreasing by 1600 people, the unemployment rate remained at a near 50-year low of 3.5 per cent,” ABS head of labour statistics Lauren Ford said.

She said the figures reflected ongoing tightness in the labour market and they explained why employers were finding it hard to fill roles.

The March labour force figures follow a few months of see-sawing results driven by an abnormally large number of people waiting to start new jobs in January and then taking up those roles in February.

more to come

– InDaily with AAP