Australians are now looking for more jobs, and are getting hired, in health care and social services sector more than any sector in the country.

Latest employment figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed there are about 11.6 per cent of the Australian population now already working in the health care and community services, of which professions include doctors, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, childcare workers and aged care providers.

Mining, although it remained as the fastest growing sector, it however contributed only a measly 1.8 per cent of Australia's workforce, up from 1.2 per cent six years ago.

"Healthcare and social assistance is now Australia's number one industry of employment," Andrew Henderson, census executive director, said.

The health care and community services zoomed to become Australia's top employer as the country's population grows older, thus requiring prompt medical attention.

Retail trade, meanwhile, which was Australia's primary industry of employment during the 2006 census, is now only second, accounting for only 10.5 per cent of employment in 2011.

"It's interesting to see the decline in the proportion of people reporting employment in Australia's traditional manufacturing and retail trade industries, while the health care and social assistance is now Australia's number one industry of employment," Mr Henderson said.

Representing Australia's second most common occupation, at 9.7 per cent of the country's total labour force, is the community and personal service. These are people who work in health and welfare support, as carers and aides, hospitality workers, protective service workers, and sports and personal services workers.