A Reserve Bank of Australia official says the large surge in employment growth in February will not, by itself, have an impact on the interest rate outlook.


Total employment surged by 71,500 in February - the largest monthly increase since July 2000 and was much higher than the 8,000 increase the market was expecting.


The unemployment rate remained at 5.4 per cent for the third month in row, figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed on Thursday.


RBA assistant governor (economic) Dr Christopher Kent said the employment data was surprising.


"Our forecast has been for a gradual edging higher in the unemployment rate," he said in a speech to the Australian Institute of Building at the University of Technology, Sydney.


Dr Kent was asked how many months of good jobs figures would mean an end to the interest rate reduction cycle.


"I don't have an exact number, it's going to be very hard to predict," he said. "I would personally think we don't turn things around on the basis of one month's number, this figure could be a little overstated.


"You don't put too much on one month's number, the labour market is very important, it's not the full story."


The RBA has kept the cash rate steady at three per cent at its two board meetings in 2013 after cutting it four times in 2012.


AAP