This is courtesy of MNI via the FXWW chatroom:
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is making changes to the way it reports unemployed numbers in its monthly Labor Force survey that could have an impact on the unemployment rate in the months ahead. Starting July ABS will change some of the steps in the survey to better reflect the nature of job search practices in Australia and to better align it with international standards. The survey will include two new active job search steps: whether the respondent has had an interview with a prospective employer and whether the respondent has taken steps to purchase or start a business. The additions could lead to an increase in unemployment and in the labor force. Currently, such respondents are considered as “not in the labor force.” In addition, two steps that currently mean the respondent is actively looking for work will no longer be sufficient for the classification. A change from the active to the passive job search category would decrease the number of people classified as unemployed, and push them out of the labor force, putting downward pressure on unemployment. The ABS says the change would “slightly increase” or “slightly decrease” the number of people classified as unemployed depending on responses.