The South Australian economy has absorbed January's wave of Omicron COVID-19 infections limiting an increase in the jobless rate, the state government says.
Official figures on Thursday put SA's unemployment rate at 4.8 per cent last month, up from 3.9 per cent in December.
But Innovation and Skills Minister David Pisoni said that was still the fourth-best result in the past 12 years.
"We knew the health restrictions put in place to control Omicron would have an impact on employment levels but for the unemployment rate to be just 4.8 per cent right in the middle of those restrictions is an incredibly strong result," Mr Pisoni said.
"With health restrictions easing significantly, the latest support package for hospitality and more people returning to work in the CBD, I'm confident there will be further strong jobs growth in the coming months."
Mr Pisoni said total employment levels also remained 17,000 above pre-pandemic levels.
But the South Australian Opposition said the state's unemployment rate was now the worst in the country.
SA's 0.9 percentage point increase was also the largest among all states and territories.
The Property Council said the situation was still a far cry from the forecasts at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
"When COVID hit two years ago, there were dire predictions of double-digit unemployment, a share market in freefall and a real estate market that would crash through the floor," the council's SA Executive Director Daniel Gannon said.
"Fast forward to today and South Australia's jobless rate starts with a four rather than a ten which is an unexpected but enviable position for our state."
