Newcastle's employment data hit two historic highs in November as cost-of-living pressures pushed thousands of workers into a labour market with plenty of room to accommodate them.
Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force estimates show the number of people in work in November in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie surged to 227,900.
The record jobs figure was up 6600 on October and marked the third month in a row employment numbers have broken the previous high of 219,000, set in June.
The number of people in employment is 23,500 higher than in November 2019, before COVID-19 turned the labour market upside down.
In November 2020, 185,000 people were in work across the two council areas, 42,000 fewer than now.
The workforce participation rate, a key measure of people working or looking for jobs, surged past 70 per cent in November in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie for the first time.
The 70.8 per cent participation rate was up from 69.4 per cent in October and seven points higher than in November 2020. It is also four points higher than the NSW and national rates.
The record job numbers coincide with a steep rise in interest rates and the annual influx of school leavers into the labour market.
Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes said the broader Hunter region workforce had grown by more than 35,000 compared with pre-pandemic levels, including 9 per cent growth in full-time jobs and 12 per cent growth in part-time work.
"We foresee the trend of continuing underlying strength in the employment market into early 2023 as cost-of-living pressures and rising interest rates mean households will be keen to maximise their income potential," he said.
"There are no signs of business and industry demand for workers dropping off just yet, although we do believe there will be some softening in some sectors as household spending backs off in early 2023 and interest rate increases continue to bite."
The participation rate in the rest of the Hunter is only 62.4 per cent, eight points lower than in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
The workforce population in the rest of the Hunter has increased by 16,700 since March 2020, compared with 14,800 in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, but the take-up of jobs grew just 4900, compared with 29,500 in the two metropolitan LGAs.
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