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Job market report

Australian Capital Territory job market report

Online job ads, monthly unemployment, employment by occupation, people in employment services, pay, longer-term ABS trends and the jobs on ViewJobs in the Australian Capital Territory, from Jobs and Skills Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, and the Australian Taxation Office. Every figure is numbered and sourced.

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS Regional Labour Force September 2026; JSA NERO September 2026; DEWR June 2026; ATO 2023–24; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
27 October 2026
Area
ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 8ACTE
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Shrinking: online job ads in the Australian Capital Territory were down 6.9% on a year earlier, from 4,985 to 4,643 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. ICT professionals had the most online ads, 508 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (340) and medical practitioners and nurses (228).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for construction trades rose fastest, up 37.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in the Australian Capital Territory was 4.7% in September 2026.

    A year earlier it was 4.3%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 7,975 people in the Australian Capital Territory were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 8.5% on a year earlier.

    63.4% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5][6]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
4.7%
ViewJobs analysis of ABS, September 2026 · up 0.4 points on September 2025[3][4]
Employed people
273,746
ViewJobs analysis of ABS, September 2026 · up 0.3% since September 2025[3][4]
Online job ads a month
4,643
JSA, September 2026 · down 6.9% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
7,975
ViewJobs analysis of DEWR, June 2026 · up 8.5% since June 2025[5][6]

1 Job ads and demand

Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads.

Australian Capital Territory
−6.9%
4,643 ads a month[1]
Australia
+0.6%
the sum of every area[1][2]

Change in online job ads, the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 1.1: Online job ads a month, Australian Capital TerritoryThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
4k6k8k10kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, Sep 2026: 4,6434,643

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Australian Capital Territory
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20238,110
November 20237,478
December 20236,473
January 20246,158
February 20246,152
March 20246,881
April 20246,842
May 20246,812
June 20246,439
July 20246,194
August 20246,099
September 20246,341
October 20246,488
November 20246,176
December 20245,292
January 20254,980
February 20254,839
March 20255,323
April 20255,125
May 20255,062
June 20254,768
July 20254,827
August 20254,689
September 20254,985
October 20254,880
November 20254,678
December 20254,056
January 20264,012
February 20264,122
March 20264,630
April 20264,489
May 20264,441
June 20264,259
July 20264,393
August 20264,434
September 20264,643

2 Which jobs are in demand

Online job ads by occupation group (ANZSCO sub-major groups), the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 2.1: Change in online job ads by occupation, Australian Capital TerritoryThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Construction, production and distribution managers: 0.0%Construction, production and distribution managers0.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −0.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−0.6%Corporate managers: −2.2%Corporate managers−2.2%Carers and aides: −4.1%Carers and aides−4.1%Medical practitioners and nurses: −5.0%Medical practitioners and nurses−5.0%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −6.8%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−6.8%Business, finance and human resource professionals: −7.8%Business, finance and human resource professionals−7.8%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −10.5%Hospitality, retail and service managers−10.5%ICT professionals: −15.8%ICT professionals−15.8%Sales assistants and salespersons: −18.1%Sales assistants and salespersons−18.1%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −19.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals−19.4%Office managers, administrators and secretaries: −23.7%Office managers, administrators and secretaries−23.7%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Australian Capital Territory
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
ICT professionals508603−15.8%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists340365−6.8%
Medical practitioners and nurses228240−5.0%
Corporate managers221226−2.2%
Sales assistants and salespersons204249−18.1%
Carers and aides186194−4.1%
Legal, social and welfare professionals183227−19.4%
Hospitality, retail and service managers179200−10.5%
Business, finance and human resource professionals178193−7.8%
Construction, production and distribution managers1641640.0%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals158159−0.6%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries132173−23.7%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians103108−4.6%
Numerical clerks10096+4.2%
Information professionals97134−27.6%
Other clerical and administrative workers97129−24.8%
Drivers and storepersons9173+24.7%
Food trades8495−11.6%
Sales representatives and agents8478+7.7%
Transport and design professionals, and architects8172+12.5%
Health, education, ICT and other managers7976+3.9%
Hospitality workers7881−3.7%
Protective service workers77770.0%
Arts and media professionals7667+13.4%
Other labourers7567+11.9%
Construction trades7454+37.0%
Education professionals7365+12.3%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals6463+1.6%
Automotive and engineering trades6166−7.6%
Engineers6057+5.3%
Sports, travel and personal service workers5962−4.8%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades5756+1.8%
Cleaners and laundry workers4753−11.3%
Health and welfare support workers40400.0%
Factory process workers3950−22.0%
Sales support workers3431+9.7%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers3239−17.9%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers3235−8.6%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators2835−20.0%
Mobile plant operators2722+22.7%
Science professionals and veterinarians2225−12.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades2223−4.3%
Construction and mining labourers1914+35.7%
Food preparation assistants1612+33.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators1217−29.4%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers1112−8.3%
Farm, forestry and garden workers11110.0%
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

Monthly unemployment and participation in the Australian Capital Territory, from the ABS's Regional Labour Force, to September 2026.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Australian Capital Territory, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against Australia.
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Australia
2%4%6%8%May 2020Dec 2021Jul 2023Feb 2025Sep 2026Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, Sep 2026: 4.7%4.7%AustraliaAustralia, Sep 2026: 4.6%4.6%

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

Show the numbers below
Figure 3.2: Participation rate, Australian Capital Territory, from January 2019Share of people aged 15 and over in the labour force each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against Australia.
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Australia
60%65%70%75%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, Sep 2026: 71.2%71.2%AustraliaAustralia, Sep 2026: 66.5%66.5%

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

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Figure 3.3: Employed people, Australian Capital Territory, indexed to January 2019 = 100Employed people each month as an index, January 2019 = 100, against Australia, so places of different size share one scale.
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120130Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, Sep 2026: 118.4118.4AustraliaAustralia, Sep 2026: 117.4117.4

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

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Figure 3.4: Youth unemployment (15–24) and all ages, Australian Capital TerritoryThe unemployment rate each month among people aged 15 to 24, against all ages, January 2019 to September 2026.
  • Aged 15–24
  • All ages
0%5%10%15%20%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Aged 15–24Aged 15–24, Sep 2026: 11.7%11.7%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 4.7%4.7%

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, Australian Capital Territory, January 2019 to September 2026Every month and every line the figures above chart. The ABS publishes the full monthly series from January 2012.[3]

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

Show the numbers
Unemployment and participation rates
MonthUnemployment rate, Australian Capital TerritoryUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, Australian Capital TerritoryParticipation rate, Australia
January 20193.8%5.4%69.6%65.1%
February 20193.7%5.4%70.2%66.1%
March 20194.1%5.4%70.1%65.8%
April 20194.7%5.3%70.9%65.9%
May 20194.2%5.1%70.7%66.1%
June 20192.6%5.1%70.9%65.9%
July 20193.4%5.2%70.1%65.8%
August 20194.0%5.3%70.6%65.7%
September 20193.4%5.1%71.4%65.8%
October 20193.0%5.1%69.8%65.5%
November 20192.9%4.8%71.4%65.7%
December 20193.0%4.8%70.9%66.2%
January 20203.4%5.7%70.3%65.2%
February 20203.3%5.5%72.1%66.2%
March 20203.6%5.5%72.1%65.8%
April 20204.2%6.4%70.2%63.4%
May 20203.9%6.9%69.2%62.5%
June 20204.3%7.2%71.1%63.8%
July 20204.6%7.3%71.4%64.3%
August 20204.5%6.8%72.3%64.4%
September 20203.9%6.7%72.0%64.4%
October 20203.8%6.7%73.8%65.1%
November 20203.7%6.3%73.6%65.6%
December 20203.7%6.2%72.9%66.1%
January 20214.9%6.8%71.4%65.1%
February 20215.0%6.3%72.4%66.3%
March 20214.0%6.0%71.0%66.2%
April 20213.6%5.6%71.3%65.7%
May 20213.6%5.0%71.4%66.2%
June 20214.4%4.9%70.8%66.0%
July 20214.4%4.7%70.7%65.7%
August 20213.8%4.6%69.9%64.7%
September 20214.1%4.6%68.5%64.2%
October 20216.3%5.0%67.9%64.3%
November 20213.6%4.3%69.8%65.9%
December 20214.4%4.0%70.5%66.4%
January 20223.7%4.5%70.0%65.2%
February 20223.5%4.4%71.6%66.8%
March 20223.9%4.2%71.9%66.4%
April 20223.3%3.9%71.4%66.2%
May 20223.3%3.9%71.3%66.7%
June 20223.0%3.5%71.6%66.6%
July 20223.3%3.4%71.0%66.2%
August 20222.9%3.5%71.2%66.2%
September 20223.2%3.5%71.5%66.2%
October 20223.0%3.3%72.2%66.2%
November 20222.3%3.3%71.9%66.8%
December 20222.8%3.3%73.2%67.0%
January 20233.8%4.0%71.7%65.6%
February 20233.5%3.9%74.0%67.0%
March 20233.1%3.8%72.6%66.9%
April 20233.1%3.8%71.4%66.6%
May 20233.0%3.5%73.7%67.1%
June 20233.6%3.4%72.8%66.8%
July 20233.9%3.6%72.1%66.5%
August 20233.3%3.7%72.6%66.4%
September 20234.0%3.5%72.7%66.2%
October 20233.8%3.6%72.8%66.6%
November 20233.4%3.6%72.6%67.1%
December 20233.9%3.8%73.1%67.1%
January 20244.8%4.5%70.6%65.7%
February 20244.9%4.0%72.9%67.3%
March 20243.2%4.1%71.7%66.9%
April 20243.8%4.2%72.6%66.8%
May 20243.6%3.9%73.2%67.1%
June 20242.7%3.9%72.6%66.9%
July 20244.0%4.1%72.7%67.0%
August 20243.9%4.1%72.1%66.7%
September 20243.4%3.9%72.6%66.8%
October 20243.0%3.9%71.9%66.9%
November 20242.6%3.6%72.6%67.0%
December 20243.0%3.8%72.8%67.5%
January 20253.7%4.5%72.0%66.6%
February 20253.1%4.4%72.0%67.2%
March 20253.0%4.3%71.8%67.0%
April 20253.9%4.1%73.2%67.1%
May 20254.1%4.0%72.1%67.4%
June 20253.3%4.2%71.9%67.1%
July 20254.3%4.2%72.4%66.9%
August 20254.6%4.3%71.1%66.4%
September 20254.3%4.3%71.8%66.7%
October 20254.4%4.2%73.2%66.7%
November 20254.0%4.0%71.3%66.8%
December 20253.3%3.9%71.6%67.1%
January 20264.7%4.5%70.7%66.1%
February 20263.8%4.6%72.3%67.4%
March 20264.1%4.5%73.2%67.1%
April 20264.8%4.6%72.9%66.7%
May 20263.7%4.3%72.6%67.0%
June 20263.9%4.3%73.1%67.1%
July 20263.6%4.4%70.8%66.7%
August 20263.9%4.6%71.0%66.6%
September 20264.7%4.6%71.2%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, Australian Capital TerritoryEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Australian Capital Territory
January 2019100.0100.010.0%
February 2019101.1101.79.8%
March 2019100.8101.510.7%
April 2019101.5101.911.7%
May 2019101.9102.510.2%
June 2019104.3102.36.3%
July 2019102.3102.28.3%
August 2019102.6102.19.9%
September 2019104.7102.68.3%
October 2019103.0102.37.5%
November 2019105.5103.07.4%
December 2019104.8103.87.8%
January 2020103.7101.69.1%
February 2020106.7103.48.8%
March 2020106.6103.09.4%
April 2020103.398.310.8%
May 2020102.396.610.0%
June 2020104.998.110.4%
July 2020105.098.810.9%
August 2020106.599.510.1%
September 2020106.999.58.9%
October 2020109.8100.79.2%
November 2020109.8101.99.3%
December 2020109.0102.89.4%
January 2021105.6100.712.6%
February 2021107.1103.112.4%
March 2021106.3103.39.8%
April 2021107.4103.18.4%
May 2021107.9104.58.2%
June 2021106.3104.310.0%
July 2021106.3104.110.1%
August 2021105.9102.79.4%
September 2021103.5101.910.6%
October 2021100.5101.716.3%
November 2021106.5105.19.3%
December 2021106.9106.310.9%
January 2022107.2104.29.2%
February 2022110.2107.08.6%
March 2022110.6106.89.0%
April 2022110.6107.07.5%
May 2022110.7108.17.3%
June 2022111.7108.56.6%
July 2022110.7108.27.5%
August 2022111.8108.36.8%
September 2022112.1108.67.5%
October 2022113.7109.17.0%
November 2022114.2110.25.4%
December 2022116.0110.76.7%
January 2023112.7108.18.9%
February 2023117.1110.88.1%
March 2023115.5111.27.3%
April 2023113.9110.87.3%
May 2023117.9112.36.7%
June 2023115.9112.08.0%
July 2023114.7111.79.0%
August 2023116.5111.77.7%
September 2023116.1112.09.4%
October 2023116.6112.69.3%
November 2023116.9113.68.5%
December 2023117.2113.79.8%
January 2024112.4110.712.1%
February 2024116.2114.112.4%
March 2024116.5113.68.4%
April 2024117.3113.59.6%
May 2024118.6114.59.0%
June 2024118.8114.46.7%
July 2024117.7114.49.6%
August 2024117.0114.19.5%
September 2024118.5114.88.0%
October 2024118.1114.97.1%
November 2024119.7115.76.2%
December 2024119.7116.67.5%
January 2025117.8114.39.1%
February 2025118.8115.87.7%
March 2025118.8115.87.2%
April 2025120.0116.29.1%
May 2025118.1116.99.6%
June 2025118.8116.47.9%
July 2025118.6116.310.3%
August 2025116.3115.611.0%
September 2025118.0116.110.5%
October 2025120.4116.510.6%
November 2025117.9116.99.8%
December 2025119.4117.88.1%
January 2026116.3115.411.9%
February 2026120.1117.810.3%
March 2026121.5117.711.1%
April 2026120.3117.013.0%
May 2026121.3118.09.7%
June 2026122.0118.49.9%
July 2026118.7117.79.2%
August 2026118.9117.59.9%
September 2026118.4117.411.7%

Note: Monthly unemployment, participation and employment are the ABS's Regional Labour Force modelled estimates: the ABS combines its Labour Force Survey with administrative data to estimate each labour market region. They are in original terms, not seasonally adjusted, so every change here compares a month with the same month a year earlier.

4 Who works here: employment by occupation

Estimated employment by occupation in the Australian Capital Territory, from Jobs and Skills Australia's monthly nowcast, to September 2026.

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Australian Capital Territory, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 276,649 people employed in the Australian Capital Territory across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 2 of the Australian Capital Territory's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
General Clerks: 12,580General Clerks12,580Intelligence and Policy Analysts: 9,046Intelligence and Policy Analysts9,046Sales Assistants (General): 8,276Sales Assistants (General)8,276Contract, Program and Project Administrators: 7,792Contract, Program and Project Administrators7,792Software and Applications Programmers: 7,638Software and Applications Programmers7,638Aged and Disabled Carers: 5,053Aged and Disabled Carers5,053Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists: 4,721Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Securi…4,721ICT Managers: 4,373ICT Managers4,373Management and Organisation Analysts: 4,223Management and Organisation Analysts4,223Registered Nurses: 4,212Registered Nurses4,212

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[7]; ViewJobs[8]; Jobs and Skills Australia[9].

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Australian Capital Territory, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
General Clerks12,58012,501+0.6%
Intelligence and Policy Analysts9,0468,478+6.7%
Sales Assistants (General)8,2767,763+6.6%
Contract, Program and Project Administrators7,7928,145−4.3%
Software and Applications Programmers7,6387,389+3.4%
Aged and Disabled Carers5,0534,353+16.1%Shortage
Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists4,7214,393+7.5%
ICT Managers4,3733,511+24.6%
Management and Organisation Analysts4,2233,950+6.9%
Registered Nurses4,2124,665−9.7%Shortage
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Australian Capital Territory, September 2025 to September 2026Estimated employment in September 2026 against September 2025, among occupations with at least 200 people employed at both points: the 5 fastest growing, then the 5 fastest shrinking.
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics: +67.5%Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics+67.5%Earthmoving Plant Operators: +61.5%Earthmoving Plant Operators+61.5%Other Mobile Plant Operators: +60.7%Other Mobile Plant Operators+60.7%Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers: +48.3%Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers+48.3%Beauty Therapists: +46.8%Beauty Therapists+46.8%Dental Assistants: −31.0%Dental Assistants−31.0%Payroll Clerks: −35.2%Payroll Clerks−35.2%Secretaries: −38.6%Secretaries−38.6%Civil Engineering Professionals: −39.7%Civil Engineering Professionals−39.7%Performing Arts Technicians: −41.3%Performing Arts Technicians−41.3%

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[7]; ViewJobs[8].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Australian Capital Territory, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics911544+67.5%
Earthmoving Plant Operators528327+61.5%
Other Mobile Plant Operators339211+60.7%
Industrial, Mechanical and Production Engineers298201+48.3%
Beauty Therapists301205+46.8%
Dental Assistants562814−31.0%
Payroll Clerks565872−35.2%
Secretaries269438−38.6%
Civil Engineering Professionals311516−39.7%
Performing Arts Technicians203346−41.3%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Australian Capital Territory, September 2021 to September 2026Estimated people employed each September from 2021 to 2026, one point a year, in the 5 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026.
  • General Clerks
  • Intelligence and Policy Analysts
  • Sales Assistants (General)
  • Contract, Program and Project Administrators
  • Software and Applications Programmers
6k8k10k12k14kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 12,053General Clerks, Sep 2026: 12,58012,580Intelligence and Policy AnalystsIntelligence and Policy Analysts, Sep 2021: 7,178Intelligence and Policy Analysts, Sep 2026: 9,0469,046Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 9,022Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 8,2768,276Contract, Program and Project AdministratorsContract, Program and Project Administrators, Sep 2021: 8,345Contract, Program and Project Administrators, Sep 2026: 7,7927,792Software and Applications ProgrammersSoftware and Applications Programmers, Sep 2021: 6,395Software and Applications Programmers, Sep 2026: 7,6387,638

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[7]; ViewJobs[8].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Australian Capital Territory, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthGeneral ClerksIntelligence and Policy AnalystsSales Assistants (General)Contract, Program and Project AdministratorsSoftware and Applications Programmers
September 202112,0537,1789,0228,3456,395
September 202211,3497,7469,7757,4747,301
September 202310,9719,7518,6977,3537,601
September 202411,1579,0447,8018,2097,336
September 202512,5018,4787,7638,1457,389
September 202612,5809,0468,2767,7927,638

Note: Jobs and Skills Australia's nowcast is experimental: its figures are model estimates of the people employed in each occupation, not a count of them, and each monthly release revises the months before it.

5 Job seekers in employment services

People in Workforce Australia employment services in the Australian Capital Territory, from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, to June 2026. These are people getting help to find work, not an unemployment count.

Figure 5.1: People in Workforce Australia employment services, Australian Capital TerritoryPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
6k6.5k7k7.5k8kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, Jun 2026: 7,9757,975

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

Show the numbers below
Figure 5.2: In employment services for 12 months or more and 24 months or more, Australian Capital Territory, against AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in the Australian Capital Territory for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Australian Capital Territory, 12 months or more
  • Australian Capital Territory, 24 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
30%40%50%60%70%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Australian Capital Territory, 12 months or moreAustralian Capital Territory, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 63.4%63.4%Australian Capital Territory, 24 months or moreAustralian Capital Territory, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 41.8%41.8%Australia, 12 months or moreAustralia, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 64.4%64.4%

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 5.1 and 5.2: People in employment services at each snapshot, Australian Capital Territory, November 2024 to June 2026Every snapshot loaded, one row each.[5]

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

Show the numbers
People in employment services and the shares in services for 12 and 24 months or more
SnapshotPeople in employment services, Australian Capital TerritoryIn services 12 months or more, Australian Capital TerritoryIn services 24 months or more, Australian Capital TerritoryIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20246,47059.3%38.6%60.8%
December 20246,53559.0%38.5%60.7%
January 20256,77058.8%38.0%60.5%
February 20256,95059.0%38.2%60.3%
March 20257,05058.8%38.4%60.3%
April 20257,15058.4%38.0%60.5%
May 20257,31058.4%37.7%60.7%
June 20257,35058.8%38.0%61.3%
July 20257,46058.7%37.5%61.7%
August 20257,45559.6%38.1%62.2%
September 20257,54559.6%38.2%62.4%
October 20257,63060.1%38.8%62.7%
November 20257,64060.0%38.7%62.5%
December 20257,67560.1%39.1%62.6%
January 20267,88560.1%38.9%62.7%
February 20267,99060.8%39.4%63.1%
March 20267,96561.4%39.9%63.4%
April 20267,90562.6%40.8%63.8%
May 20267,93063.2%41.0%64.2%
June 20267,97563.4%41.8%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Australian Capital Territory, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 1,830Under 251,83025–34: 2,13525–342,13535–44: 1,66035–441,66045–54: 1,32045–541,32055 and over: 1,00555 and over1,005

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Australian Capital Territory, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 251,83023%
25–342,13527%
35–441,66021%
45–541,32017%
55 and over1,00513%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Australian Capital Territory, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 6,265JobSeeker Payment6,265Youth Allowance (other): 860Youth Allowance (other)860Other: 845Other845

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Australian Capital Territory, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment6,26579%
Youth Allowance (other)86011%
Other84511%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Canberra, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Canberra
2,001
ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026[10]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, CanberraThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 29 Oct 2026.
Information & Communication Technology: 503Information & Communication Technology503Healthcare & Medical: 181Healthcare & Medical181Government & Defence: 165Government & Defence165Consulting & Strategy: 127Consulting & Strategy127Hospitality & Tourism: 99Hospitality & Tourism99Retail & Consumer Products: 99Retail & Consumer Products99Engineering: 90Engineering90Community Services & Development: 86Community Services & Development86

Source: ViewJobs live ads[10].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Canberra
ClassificationLive jobs
Information & Communication Technology503
Healthcare & Medical181
Government & Defence165
Consulting & Strategy127
Hospitality & Tourism99
Retail & Consumer Products99
Engineering90
Community Services & Development86

Browse jobs by region

7 Pay

Average salary and wages per earner from the ATO's taxation statistics, by income year. The newest regional figures are for the 2023–24 income year.

Figure 7.1: Average salary and wages per earner, Australian Capital Territory, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)Average salary and wages per earner, 2021–22 to 2023–24 income years (ATO), against Australia.
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Australia
$65k$70k$75k$80k$85k$90k2021–222022–232023–24Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, 2021–22: $82,090Australian Capital Territory, 2022–23: $85,771Australian Capital Territory, 2023–24: $89,324$89,324AustraliaAustralia, 2021–22: $69,980Australia, 2022–23: $73,647Australia, 2023–24: $76,760$76,760

Sources: Australian Taxation Office[11]; ViewJobs[12].

Show the numbers
Average salary and wages per earner, Australian Capital Territory, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
2021–22$82,090$69,980
2022–23$85,771$73,647
2023–24$89,324$76,760

Note: Averages are pulled up by high earners. The ATO counts a postcode that spans regions in the region holding most of it.

9 Quick answers

Short answers to the questions people ask about the Australian Capital Territory's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Australian Capital Territory?

4,643 online job ads a month were placed in the Australian Capital Territory, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Australian Capital Territory's job market growing or shrinking?

Shrinking: online job ads in the Australian Capital Territory were down 6.9% on a year earlier, from 4,985 to 4,643 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.6% across Australia.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[1]; ViewJobs analysis[2].

Which jobs are most in demand in the Australian Capital Territory?

ICT professionals had the most online ads, 508 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (340) and medical practitioners and nurses (228). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for construction trades rose fastest, up 37.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Australian Capital Territory?

The unemployment rate in the Australian Capital Territory was 4.7% in September 2026. A year earlier it was 4.3%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

Is unemployment rising in the Australian Capital Territory?

Yes. Unemployment in the Australian Capital Territory was up 0.4 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 4.7% against 4.3% (ABS modelled estimates).

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3]; ViewJobs analysis[4].

What are the biggest occupations in the Australian Capital Territory?

An estimated 12,580 of the 276,649 people employed in the Australian Capital Territory in September 2026 worked as General Clerks, the largest occupation there. Next were Intelligence and Policy Analysts, with 9,046 people, and Sales Assistants (General), with 8,276 people. These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[7]; ViewJobs[8].

Which occupations are growing fastest in the Australian Capital Territory?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics grew fastest in the Australian Capital Territory, up 67.5% to an estimated 911 people employed, followed by Earthmoving Plant Operators (up 61.5%) and Other Mobile Plant Operators (up 60.7%). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[7]; ViewJobs[8].

How many people are in Workforce Australia employment services in the Australian Capital Territory?

7,975 people in the Australian Capital Territory were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 8.5% on a year earlier. 63.4% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

How long have people in the Australian Capital Territory been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 63.4% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 41.8% for two years or more.

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Australian Capital Territory?

At least 2,001 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Australian Capital Territory, as of 29 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Canberra, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Information & Communication Technology (503), Healthcare & Medical (181) and Government & Defence (165).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[10].

10 Notes and method

What the figures count, where they come from, and the rules this report applies to them.

The area
The Australian Capital Territory here is ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 8ACTE. It takes in 1 ABS SA4 regions: Australian Capital Territory. The reports cover 50 areas, 42 regional ABS regions and the eight capital cities: the areas Jobs and Skills Australia publishes online job ads for.
Online job ads
Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads. It counts ads, not jobs filled, by occupation and area.
State and national ads
This report reads the index's series by area, so a state or national figure here is the sum of its areas, marked as ViewJobs analysis. It can differ from the state and national totals Jobs and Skills Australia publishes separately.[2]
Small numbers
A figure under 5 ads a month is shown as "fewer than 5". A group with fewer than 5 ads a month, now or a year earlier, is left out of every change, and every ranking by change.
Unemployment
Monthly unemployment, participation and employment are the ABS's Regional Labour Force modelled estimates: the ABS combines its Labour Force Survey with administrative data to estimate each labour market region. They are in original terms, not seasonally adjusted, so every change here compares a month with the same month a year earlier. The ABS's labour market regions follow the 2011 boundaries of its SA4 regions, which differ slightly from today's in a few areas.
Employment by occupation
Jobs and Skills Australia's nowcast is experimental: its figures are model estimates of the people employed in each occupation, not a count of them, and each monthly release revises the months before it. Occupations are ANZSCO unit groups, named as Jobs and Skills Australia publishes them. The growth rankings take only occupations with at least 200 people employed at both points. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of SA4 regions.[7][8]
People in employment services
The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (or DEWR). Counts are of people by home address; the ABS area is the SA4 that address falls in. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of SA4 regions.[5]
Pay
Average salary and wages per earner come from the ATO's Taxation Statistics for individuals. An income year runs from 1 July to 30 June and the figures are published more than a year later, so none leads this report. The ATO assigns a postcode that spans regions wholly to the region holding most of it. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of SA4 regions.[11]
ABS figures
The latest ABS income and jobs figures here are for the year to 30 June 2023; population and business counts are more recent. Every figure shows its year. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Industries with fewer than 1,000 employee jobs are listed but not ranked.
Jobs on ViewJobs
ViewJobs regions do not follow ABS boundaries. Section 6 counts the ads open on ViewJobs on 29 Oct 2026 in each ViewJobs region with at least 20% of its towns in this area, and counts each region whole: a region that reaches beyond the area can include ads from outside it, and a region with fewer of its towns here is left out. A classification links to its own page once it has enough ads for one.

11 References

Every figure on this page points at one of these entries.

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/internet_vacancies_anzsco2_occupations_gccsa_and_sa4_regions_-_september_2026.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  2. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/internet-vacancy-index. State and national figures are the sum of the ABS areas in Jobs and Skills Australia's regional series.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional Labour Force, September 2026. abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/regional-labour-force/sep-2026/MLF1.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Regional Labour Force, September 2026. abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/regional-labour-force/latest-release. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of the ABS's modelled labour market regions, with rates worked out from the sums.
  5. Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Workforce Australia Caseload by Selected Cohorts, June 2026. dewr.gov.au/employment-services-data/resources/workforce-australia-caseload-selected-cohorts-30-june-2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 26 October 2026. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (or DEWR).
  6. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Workforce Australia Caseload by Selected Cohorts, June 2026. dewr.gov.au/employment-services-data/workforce-australia-caseload-data. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of SA4 regions.
  7. Jobs and Skills Australia, Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/2026-09_nero.zip. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 27 October 2026. Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), September 2026, CC BY 4.0. Experimental estimates.
  8. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/nero. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of SA4 regions.
  9. Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation Shortage List, 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-shortage. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 28 October 2026. Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List, CC BY 4.0.
  10. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026. viewjobs.com.au.
  11. Australian Taxation Office, Taxation Statistics, 2023–24. data.gov.au/data/dataset/faea4485-f407-457d-97f8-3f0822ccd654/resource/9d8577b7-a096-4758-9b3b-0649f3b83de7/download/ts24individual06taxablestatusstatesa4postcode.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 2.5 AU. Accessed 26 October 2026.
  12. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics, 2023–24. ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/taxation-statistics. Capital city, state and national figures are sums of SA4 regions.
  13. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, v1.6.0. dbr.abs.gov.au. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Australian Capital Territory job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/act/australian-capital-territory

Licence

Contains data from Jobs and Skills Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, used under CC BY 4.0, and from the Australian Taxation Office, used under CC BY 2.5 AU. ViewJobs has charted the data and, where marked as ViewJobs analysis, added areas together.

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