The unemployment rate was 1.7 per cent in the three months ended February 28, the same as in the trimester ended January 31, although the number of workers unemployed rose by 200 to 6,900,official data show. The Statistics and Census Service says the underemployment rate was also steady, at 0.4 per cent. The labour force numbered 403,400 and the labour force participation rate increased by 0.6 percentage point to 74 per cent. The number of workers in employment fell by 1,300 to 396,500 as the hospitality and construction industries got by with fewer employees.
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