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Independent Contractors of Australia is frequently asked for statistics on the numbers of independent contractors. The following statistics have been collated in response to those requests.
Summary
- 20 per cent of the Australian workforce are independent contractors, which equates to 1.9 million persons.
When this is analysed further:
- 28 per cent of the private-sector workforce are independent contractors.1
Growth has been steady both in terms of numbers and percentages, although the growth may have flattened in recent times.
| |
1978
Feb2 |
1998
Aug2 |
1998
Aug3 |
2004
Nov4 |
2004
Nov4 |
| Employers (or) Owner managers of incorporated enterprises
|
6.7% |
8.6% |
7.0% |
7.2% |
687,200 |
| Own account workers (or) Owner managers of unincorporated
enterprises |
9.7% |
11.8% |
12.8% |
12.7% |
1,220,700 |
| Total independent contractors |
16.4% |
20.4% |
19.8% |
19.9% |
1,907,900 |
References
(1) Institute of Public Affairs: Just How Many Are There?
(2) Productivity Commission of Australia, Pub 2001, ISBN 1 74037 053 8
(3) Australian Bureau of Statistics, Pub 2000, Forms of Employment 6359.0
(4) Australian Bureau of Statistics, Pub 2005, Forms of Employment 6359.0
Note
ICA considers that independent contractors are persons who earn their livings by utilizing the commercial contract instead of the employment contract---in other words, they are not employees. Statisticians have tended to vary their descriptions a little as surveys have evolved. The foregoing table incorporates 2 major subsets identified in the statistics to arrive at an overall figure.
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