Job Vacancies, Australia

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Results of the quarterly Job Vacancies Survey containing estimates of job vacancies classified by industry, sector and state/territory.

Reference period
November 2022
Released
11/01/2023

Key statistics

Seasonally adjusted estimates for November 2022:

  • Total job vacancies were 444,200, a decrease of 4.9% from August 2022.
  • Private sector vacancies were 396,800, a decrease of 6.0% from August 2022.
  • Public sector vacancies were 47,400, an increase of 6.0% from August 2022.
Job vacancies, public and private sector, seasonally adjusted
 Nov-2022Quarterly ChangeAnnual Change
'000%%
Private sector396.8-6.09.2
Public sector47.46.036.6
Private and public sectors444.2-4.911.6

Survey impacts and changes

Guide to labour statistics

To learn more about our different labour measures, their purpose and how to use them, see our new Guide to labour statistics. It provides summary information on key labour market topics including Industry employment data.

Seasonally adjusted and trend estimates

In the May 2020 Job Vacancies release, the ABS changed the method used to produce seasonally adjusted estimates from the ‘concurrent’ method to the ‘forward factors’ method. The forward factors approach is better suited to managing large movements at the end point of series and ensures that large movements do not have a disproportionate influence on the seasonal factors. The forward factors approach is not considered suitable for series with a non-seasonal span, and the concurrent adjustment method continued to be used for these series.  

Since May 2020, trend estimates have also been suspended for all job vacancies series. 

The ABS will continue to monitor the economic impacts from COVID-19 with a view to reverting to the concurrent method and reinstating the trend series when there is no longer significant and prolonged disruption to key job vacancies series. This could be as early as the second half of 2023.

Other measures of labour demand

In addition to Job Vacancies, there are a number of non-ABS indicators that measure labour demand using alternative concepts, sources and methods. These are also widely used as leading indicators of employment. Prominent examples include the ANZ Job Advertisement Series, the SEEK Employment Report, and the National Skills Commission's Internet Vacancy Index. 

Measures of job vacancies and job advertisements will differ for a number of reasons. One of the key differences is that job vacancies includes jobs for which job advertisements are undertaken but also includes jobs where other recruitment approaches are exclusively used, such as word of mouth or social media. Furthermore, job vacancies count every position advertised within a single notice, while some job advertisements may be used to fill multiple positions. 

Job vacancies over time

Job vacancies decreased by 4.9% (22,700 vacancies) in the three months to November 2022 (seasonally adjusted). The decline in job vacancies this quarter was driven by Health care and social assistance. Despite the decrease, the level of job vacancies in November 2022 remained elevated. Job vacancies were 94.9% higher than they were in February 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic. The ongoing high level of vacancies reflected the continuing labour shortages in some industries.

The Job Vacancies Survey was suspended between August 2008 to August 2009 (inclusive). 

Businesses reporting vacancies

The number of businesses reporting at least one vacancy shows the extent of the acute reduction in labour demand in May 2020, as well as the subsequent change since then. In February 2020, just prior to the main effects of COVID-19, the proportion of businesses reporting at least one vacancy was 11.0%. In May 2020, a much lower proportion of businesses reported at least one vacancy (6.5%). By November 2022, this had increased to 27.7%.

Proportion of businesses reporting vacancies, states and territories (%)
 Nov-20Feb-21May-21Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22
New South Wales15.119.622.919.422.324.226.228.928.0
Victoria15.518.022.018.821.222.927.327.129.2
Queensland12.917.422.626.920.026.022.826.728.3
South Australia9.115.715.613.114.717.617.319.718.4
Western Australia16.716.321.721.519.522.428.325.229.4
Tasmania14.217.821.815.118.519.219.114.022.0
Northern Territory21.021.826.520.823.127.831.636.535.6
Australian Capital Territory17.312.113.89.413.416.613.715.513.7
Australia14.718.122.020.320.723.525.226.727.7
Proportion of businesses reporting vacancies, industry (%)
 Nov-20Feb-21May-21Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22
Mining16.321.111.018.117.127.824.819.327.1
Manufacturing14.615.315.122.924.929.622.325.923.8
Electricity, gas, water and waste services18.513.912.89.921.339.234.513.131.0
Construction13.022.826.923.321.524.330.328.528.5
Wholesale trade17.815.223.622.320.529.516.826.119.9
Retail trade17.816.421.621.415.916.617.723.831.5
Accommodation and food services16.930.530.518.330.932.434.042.545.3
Transport, postal and warehousing4.320.222.015.717.322.422.625.821.5
Information media and telecommunications14.018.320.015.915.519.826.720.429.0
Financial and insurance services15.716.920.510.35.514.820.08.221.7
Rental, hiring and real estate services12.811.116.919.315.120.125.227.326.1
Professional, scientific and technical services14.214.516.415.416.617.618.019.424.8
Administrative and support services18.917.123.629.830.536.238.332.836.8
Public administration and safety35.430.042.229.827.533.537.937.435.0
Education and training5.28.611.59.79.19.914.68.37.7
Health care and social assistance13.613.423.321.226.718.926.733.417.5
Arts and recreation services21.03.114.09.36.78.310.24.79.3
Other services16.721.122.828.125.432.732.734.436.7
All industries14.718.122.020.320.723.525.226.727.7
Reasons for vacancies (%)
 Nov-20Feb-21May-21Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22
Replacement/resignations75.176.276.075.177.479.780.478.277.1
Increased workload41.344.545.442.345.947.847.045.444.0
Expansion of business21.225.426.825.325.725.927.827.825.6
Restructure16.814.014.315.713.813.914.413.212.8
Relocation0.60.80.70.80.51.00.70.90.9
Seasonal16.410.110.011.419.012.011.614.118.1
Special event2.32.12.12.52.42.11.91.82.2
Takeover1.01.01.41.41.62.01.01.51.8
Other10.98.810.311.812.012.98.67.16.4

Businesses may have multiple reasons for reporting job vacancies
Proportions are of businesses that reported at least one vacancy

States and territories

Change in job vacancies, states and territories (%)
 NSWVicQldSAWATasNTACTAustraliaAustralia
(Seasonally
adjusted)
Change from previous quarter
Aug-21-15.6-7.15.0-15.812.7-10.321.1-8.8-5.2-10.4
Nov-2127.030.4-0.431.916.917.31.523.920.120.0
Feb-227.5-4.09.43.19.27.636.615.95.56.4
May-2211.618.02.20.0-1.92.8-8.77.58.013.4
Aug-223.95.49.13.1-6.8-16.6-1.3-2.93.0-2.8
Nov-22-11.8-7.0-0.10.41.912.8-1.72.0-5.2-4.9
Change from corresponding quarter of previous year
Nov-203.1-2.922.436.945.342.122.12.312.012.2
Nov-2146.281.646.852.562.732.646.125.456.156.4
Nov-2210.111.021.96.81.74.121.023.511.311.6

Data refers to original series unless otherwise stated

Private sector

Change in job vacancies, private sector (%)
 NSWVicQldSAWATasNTACTAustraliaAustralia
(Seasonally
adjusted)
Change from previous quarter
Aug-21-17.0-8.55.4-17.112.1-16.421.1-8.4-6.0-11.5
Nov-2130.331.8-2.034.417.416.03.626.121.120.8
Feb-226.9-3.99.14.89.915.137.410.55.46.1
May-2211.418.21.90.3-2.72.7-12.33.47.713.9
Aug-223.05.08.92.1-7.0-18.11.5-14.52.3-3.9
Nov-22-13.7-7.4-1.0-0.41.312.1-2.87.8-6.1-6.0
Change from corresponding quarter of previous year
Nov-203.2-3.823.940.649.048.116.913.912.913.1
Nov-2149.284.747.656.762.731.048.928.458.558.8
Nov-225.710.420.06.90.78.518.95.39.09.2

Data refers to original series unless otherwise stated

Public sector

Change in job vacancies, public sector (%)
 NSWVicQldSAWATasNTACTAustraliaAustralia
(Seasonally
adjusted)
Change from previous quarter
Aug-21-1.89.4-1.5-6.020.348.921.0-10.23.62.5
Nov-21-1.216.123.716.59.524.4-8.316.910.412.2
Feb-2215.2-4.612.1-9.1-0.5-30.431.934.66.49.1
May-2214.315.45.4-2.211.43.811.219.211.78.5
Aug-2213.310.511.411.3-4.4-3.9-13.526.010.28.8
Nov-226.6-3.010.06.810.917.54.0-7.84.16.0
Change from corresponding quarter of previous year
Nov-202.66.57.818.47.016.353.3-22.44.74.8
Nov-2119.151.637.727.262.441.833.115.834.534.7
Nov-2259.118.044.85.717.5-18.432.086.536.336.6

Data refers to original series unless otherwise stated

Industry

Job vacancies, industry, original ('000)
 Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22
Mining8.49.710.611.210.69.8
Manufacturing23.229.530.628.928.325.9
Electricity, gas, water and waste services3.03.54.04.24.44.5
Construction23.230.035.239.933.529.9
Wholesale trade14.416.721.719.220.516.6
Retail trade33.636.029.140.346.149.9
Accommodation and food services27.645.846.151.959.156.3
Transport, postal and warehousing11.513.314.715.217.715.4
Information media and telecommunications3.54.74.55.35.44.3
Financial and insurance services15.817.018.120.218.616.8
Rental, hiring and real estate services5.88.59.39.710.19.4
Professional, scientific and technical services31.737.142.142.944.140.8
Administrative and support services36.839.940.638.238.041.3
Public administration and safety17.518.921.524.127.530.1
Education and training9.810.211.612.711.211.1
Health care and social assistance51.260.260.268.974.362.7
Arts and recreation services3.97.46.27.26.67.8
Other services16.016.120.721.118.818.0

Data Downloads

Trend estimates suspension

Trend estimates have been suspended from May 2020 for all job vacancies series due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labour market.

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6354.0.

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