There is a growing belief that younger employees frequently jump between roles in search of meaning, flexibility or better pay. However, new figures show a different reality. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that job mobility for workers aged 15 to 24 has fallen to just 11.5%, well below the 23% seen in the mid-1990s. While people often assume Gen Z moves quickly from one employer to another in search of growth or purpose, they are changing jobs less than any previous generation.
This trend is reflected across the broader workforce. Only 8% of employed Australians switched either job or occupation last year, compared to 13% during the 1990s. Contributing factors include economic uncertainty, the rising cost of moving and the difficulty of relocating when both household members earn an income. At the same time, the number of forced job exits, including redundancies, has dropped noticeably. In the early 1990s, these accounted for close to 7% of job changes. Today, that figure sits below 2%, supported by tight labour market conditions and improved workplace protections.
Housing affordability has emerged as one of the main barriers to job mobility. In the past, workers could relocate more easily to access better opportunities. Now, with renting and buying property becoming more costly and unpredictable, many young people remain in their current area even if more appealing jobs are available elsewhere. Low vacancy rates, increasing rents and high stamp duties all make moving less practical. As a result, more young workers are waiting for openings close to home rather than seeking prospects in other cities.
Additionally, more careers now require formal certifications, licences or lengthy training programs, adding barriers to job movement. Jobs that once allowed for easy entry and exit have become more structured and regulated, which limits flexibility and discourages exploration. As this trend of professionalisation grows, job mobility naturally declines.
What we are seeing is a stickier labour market where young Australians are not just staying in the same role for longer but are also less likely to shift industries or locations. This challenges the widely held belief of job-hopping youth and raises questions about future workforce flexibility and national productivity. Until the housing market improves and career pathways become more adaptable, low job mobility is likely to persist.
