Help shape optometry’s workforce future through 2026 Census

The Census of Population and Housing (the Census), conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), is Australia’s largest national statistical collection. Held every five years, the Census provides a comprehensive snapshot of the nation’s people, housing, and communities, with the next collection taking place on Tuesday, 11 August 2026.

The Census is an important source of national workforce data, used by government in health service and workforce planning. Optometry Australia encourages all optometrists to complete the Census with care. Information collected through the Census helps governments and organisations understand:

• how many optometrists are working in Australia;
• where they are practising; and
• the skills and qualifications available across our workforce.

Please take the time to complete your Census details accurately, specifically recording your profession as an optometrist. Vague descriptions or generic titles hinder the ABS’s ability to isolate optometry data from broader health groupings.

Guidelines to relevant questions include:

Occupation (Question 42): Record your profession specifically as optometrist. Avoid generic variants or ambiguous job descriptions that could misclassify your primary role. If you work in a specialised or multidisciplinary setting, ensure your core identifier remains clear.

Qualifications (Question 34): Accurately log your highest completed qualification. This allows the ABS to link educational attainment directly to your occupational title, validating the depth of clinical training within our sector.

Employment Information (Question 38): Detail your employment status, exact hours worked, industry of employment and main work location.

For more information and tips on completing the Census, visit the official ABS Census website.