The number of Australians working more than one job is at a record high. But is the cost-of-living crisis really the whole story?
It can feel like everyone has a side hustle these days.
A colleague drives for a rideshare service on weekends. A friend delivers food after work. Someone else picks up extra retail shifts, freelances online or turns a hobby into an additional source of income.
But are we simply noticing these stories more often, or are Australians genuinely working more than one job?
The data suggests something real has changed.
Nearly one million Australians have multiple jobs
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of people working more than one job has reached historically high levels.
That means nearly a million Australians are now earning income from more than one employer or job.
The long-term trend matters here. For decades, Australia’s multiple-job-holding rate generally sat around 5% to 6% of employed people. It fell during the early stages of the pandemic, then climbed sharply afterwards and has remained at a historically high level.
So, yes: more Australians are working multiple jobs than was typical before the pandemic.
This is not just a social media trend or the impression created by hearing more people talk about their “side hustles”.
Who is most likely to have a second job?
Multiple job-holding is not spread evenly across the workforce.
Women are more likely than men to have multiple jobs, and younger workers are particularly likely to combine different sources of employment.
This makes sense when you consider how many younger people balance work with study, casual employment and the challenge of paying increasingly high housing and living costs.
The type of work matters too. People in industries with part-time, casual or irregular hours may find themselves combining several jobs simply to create the income or number of hours they need.
A second job does not always mean two full-time jobs
When people hear “multiple jobs”, they might imagine someone finishing one eight-hour shift and immediately starting another.
For most people, the reality is less extreme — although it can still add up.
A second job might mean:
- one or two evening shifts a week
- regular weekend work
- occasional freelance projects
- driving or delivery work when needed
- seasonal or temporary work.
But even a relatively small number of extra hours can have a significant effect over time.
An extra eight or ten hours of work each week can mean hundreds of additional hours over a year.
Is the same thing happening in the UK and US?
Australia is not alone in having millions of people earning income from more than one source.
However, international comparisons need to be treated carefully. Australia, the UK and the US do not all measure multiple job-holding in exactly the same way, and the rise of freelancing, contracting and platform work has made the definition of a “second job” increasingly blurred.
Someone might work for two traditional employers. Someone else might have one full-time job while occasionally freelancing. Another person may sell products online or run a small business alongside regular employment.
In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also tracks multiple job-holders. The figures move up and down over time rather than following a simple straight line, which is a useful reminder that the global picture is more complicated than “everyone is suddenly getting a second job”.
Australia’s story, however, is clear enough on its own: multiple job-holding has risen and remained at a historically high level.
Is the cost-of-living crisis the reason?
Probably — at least in part.
It would be too simple to say that every Australian with a second job is struggling to pay their bills. Some people take on extra work to save for a home, reduce debt, fund a holiday or build an emergency fund.
Others enjoy the flexibility of freelance or platform work. Some are deliberately building a small business alongside their main job.
But the timing is difficult to ignore.
The sustained rise in multiple job-holding has happened during a period of significant pressure on household budgets.
For anyone wondering whether taking on more work is the only option, the Australian Government’s Moneysmart cost-of-living help provides budgeting tools and practical ways to review expenses, while its financial hardship information explains what options may be available if loan or credit repayments are becoming unmanageable.
So, is a second job becoming the new normal?
For a growing number of Australians, it may be.
That does not mean everyone wants one.
A second job can create opportunity, financial breathing room and greater independence. It can also mean fewer evenings, fewer weekends and less time to rest.
For some people, it is a choice.
For others, it is something they feel they need to do.
Have you taken on a second job or side income in recent years — and was it something you wanted to do, or something you felt you had to do?
This is Part 1 of a four-part series. Next: Why Are People Taking Second Jobs?