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Job market report

Capital Region 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 Capital Region, 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 SA4 101 Capital Region
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Capital Region were up 26.7% on a year earlier, from 1,147 to 1,453 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were down 0.8% across New South Wales and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 284 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (166) and carers and aides (112).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for medical practitioners and nurses rose fastest, up 118.5%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in the Capital Region was 3.4% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales.

    A year earlier it was 3.0%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 5,835 people in the Capital Region were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 5.7% on a year earlier.

    64.3% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
3.4%
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.4 points on September 2025[3]
Employed people
124,849
ABS, September 2026 · up 1.0% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
1,453
JSA, September 2026 · up 26.7% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
5,835
DEWR, June 2026 · up 5.7% since June 2025[5]

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.

Capital Region
+26.7%
1,453 ads a month[1]
New South Wales
−0.8%
the sum of its areas[1][2]
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, Capital RegionThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
8001k1.2k1.4k1.6kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Capital RegionCapital Region, Sep 2026: 1,4531,453

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Capital Region
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,535
November 20231,480
December 20231,318
January 20241,266
February 20241,249
March 20241,347
April 20241,346
May 20241,310
June 20241,210
July 20241,095
August 20241,057
September 20241,095
October 20241,147
November 20241,158
December 20241,053
January 20251,046
February 2025994
March 20251,106
April 20251,057
May 20251,076
June 20251,036
July 20251,087
August 20251,083
September 20251,147
October 20251,177
November 20251,186
December 20251,074
January 20261,106
February 20261,083
March 20261,221
April 20261,161
May 20261,228
June 20261,220
July 20261,344
August 20261,393
September 20261,453

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, Capital RegionThe 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.
Medical practitioners and nurses: +118.5%Medical practitioners and nurses+118.5%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +78.5%Legal, social and welfare professionals+78.5%Food trades: +38.7%Food trades+38.7%Automotive and engineering trades: +31.4%Automotive and engineering trades+31.4%Business, finance and human resource professionals: +22.7%Business, finance and human resource professionals+22.7%Sales assistants and salespersons: +13.8%Sales assistants and salespersons+13.8%Drivers and storepersons: +13.5%Drivers and storepersons+13.5%Carers and aides: +12.0%Carers and aides+12.0%Other labourers: +10.8%Other labourers+10.8%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +4.8%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+4.8%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: +1.6%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists+1.6%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −8.7%Hospitality, retail and service managers−8.7%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Capital Region
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses284130+118.5%
Legal, social and welfare professionals16693+78.5%
Carers and aides112100+12.0%
Automotive and engineering trades6751+31.4%
Sales assistants and salespersons6658+13.8%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists6564+1.6%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals4442+4.8%
Food trades4331+38.7%
Hospitality, retail and service managers4246−8.7%
Drivers and storepersons4237+13.5%
Other labourers4137+10.8%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2722+22.7%
Hospitality workers2719+42.1%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians2425−4.0%
Cleaners and laundry workers2428−14.3%
Construction, production and distribution managers2319+21.1%
Education professionals2326−11.5%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2115+40.0%
Corporate managers2015+33.3%
Engineers2025−20.0%
Health and welfare support workers1814+28.6%
Machine and stationary plant operators1816+12.5%
Numerical clerks1711+54.5%
Mobile plant operators1716+6.3%
Other clerical and administrative workers1618−11.1%
Construction trades1516−6.3%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1514+7.1%
Sales representatives and agents15150.0%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers1310+30.0%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers1317−23.5%
Sports, travel and personal service workers1211+9.1%
Science professionals and veterinarians10100.0%
Factory process workers10100.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers98+12.5%
Construction and mining labourers810−20.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers713−46.2%
Farmers and farm managers65+20.0%
Information professionals6fewer than 5n/a
Transport and design professionals, and architects660.0%
Sales support workers68−25.0%
Food preparation assistants65+20.0%
ICT professionals58−37.5%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals5fewer than 5n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades550.0%
Protective service workers5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

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

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Capital Region, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Capital Region
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
0%2%4%6%8%May 2020Dec 2021Jul 2023Feb 2025Sep 2026Capital RegionCapital Region, Sep 2026: 3.4%3.4%New South WalesNew South Wales, 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, Capital Region, from January 2019Share of people aged 15 and over in the labour force each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Capital Region
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
57.5%60%62.5%65%67.5%70%Sep 2019Jun 2021Mar 2023Dec 2024Sep 2026Capital RegionCapital Region, Sep 2026: 62.4%62.4%New South WalesNew South Wales, Sep 2026: 65.6%65.6%AustraliaAustralia, Sep 2026: 66.5%66.5%

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

Show the numbers below
Figure 3.3: Employed people, Capital Region, indexed to January 2019 = 100Employed people each month as an index, January 2019 = 100, against New South Wales and Australia, so places of different size share one scale.
  • Capital Region
  • New South Wales
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Capital RegionCapital Region, Sep 2026: 112.3112.3New South WalesNew South Wales, Sep 2026: 112.4112.4AustraliaAustralia, Sep 2026: 117.4117.4

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

Show the numbers below
Figure 3.4: Youth unemployment (15–24) and all ages, Capital RegionThe 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%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Aged 15–24Aged 15–24, Sep 2026: 8.1%8.1%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 3.4%3.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, Capital Region, 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, Capital RegionUnemployment rate, New South WalesUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, Capital RegionParticipation rate, New South WalesParticipation rate, Australia
January 20193.6%4.3%5.4%60.9%64.3%65.1%
February 20193.7%4.7%5.4%61.7%65.3%66.1%
March 20193.8%4.6%5.4%61.5%65.1%65.8%
April 20193.7%4.5%5.3%62.0%65.5%65.9%
May 20193.7%4.5%5.1%62.3%65.9%66.1%
June 20193.5%4.6%5.1%61.9%65.6%65.9%
July 20193.7%4.5%5.2%62.8%65.4%65.8%
August 20193.6%4.4%5.3%62.5%65.1%65.7%
September 20193.7%4.4%5.1%62.6%65.2%65.8%
October 20193.6%4.7%5.1%62.0%64.9%65.5%
November 20193.6%4.4%4.8%62.1%64.7%65.7%
December 20193.4%4.4%4.8%62.8%65.6%66.2%
January 20203.9%4.8%5.7%60.6%64.2%65.2%
February 20204.2%5.0%5.5%61.5%65.1%66.2%
March 20204.1%5.1%5.5%61.3%65.0%65.8%
April 20204.8%6.3%6.4%58.8%62.6%63.4%
May 20204.9%6.3%6.9%58.5%61.8%62.5%
June 20205.2%6.6%7.2%59.9%63.2%63.8%
July 20205.1%7.1%7.3%60.4%64.2%64.3%
August 20204.2%6.4%6.8%60.2%64.3%64.4%
September 20205.2%6.8%6.7%61.1%64.8%64.4%
October 20204.4%6.3%6.7%60.6%64.7%65.1%
November 20204.7%6.0%6.3%61.5%65.2%65.6%
December 20203.8%6.2%6.2%61.2%65.6%66.1%
January 20214.7%6.4%6.8%60.4%64.1%65.1%
February 20214.2%6.0%6.3%61.4%65.7%66.3%
March 20213.8%5.8%6.0%61.1%65.6%66.2%
April 20213.7%5.4%5.6%60.7%65.1%65.7%
May 20213.5%5.0%5.0%61.4%65.9%66.2%
June 20214.0%5.1%4.9%61.7%65.7%66.0%
July 20213.1%4.5%4.7%62.7%64.7%65.7%
August 20213.3%4.7%4.6%60.6%61.9%64.7%
September 20213.8%4.5%4.6%59.4%61.6%64.2%
October 20213.9%5.3%5.0%59.3%62.2%64.3%
November 20213.3%4.4%4.3%61.4%64.5%65.9%
December 20213.0%3.9%4.0%61.9%65.1%66.4%
January 20223.4%4.5%4.5%60.7%63.8%65.2%
February 20223.3%4.0%4.4%62.4%65.3%66.8%
March 20223.3%4.1%4.2%62.0%65.2%66.4%
April 20222.8%3.5%3.9%61.7%65.0%66.2%
May 20222.9%4.0%3.9%62.4%66.1%66.7%
June 20222.7%3.3%3.5%62.6%65.9%66.6%
July 20222.7%3.3%3.4%61.0%65.6%66.2%
August 20222.7%3.5%3.5%61.2%65.6%66.2%
September 20222.3%3.3%3.5%61.5%66.0%66.2%
October 20222.6%3.0%3.3%61.8%66.0%66.2%
November 20222.6%3.1%3.3%62.2%66.5%66.8%
December 20222.6%3.1%3.3%62.4%66.8%67.0%
January 20232.8%3.4%4.0%60.9%65.0%65.6%
February 20232.4%3.4%3.9%61.8%66.4%67.0%
March 20232.5%3.5%3.8%61.2%65.7%66.9%
April 20232.8%3.4%3.8%61.5%65.9%66.6%
May 20232.2%3.1%3.5%61.8%66.3%67.1%
June 20232.5%2.9%3.4%62.2%66.2%66.8%
July 20232.7%3.3%3.6%62.0%65.7%66.5%
August 20232.7%3.6%3.7%62.0%66.0%66.4%
September 20232.5%3.3%3.5%61.9%65.7%66.2%
October 20232.8%3.4%3.6%62.2%66.0%66.6%
November 20232.4%3.3%3.6%62.6%66.7%67.1%
December 20232.5%3.3%3.8%62.6%66.6%67.1%
January 20243.5%4.5%4.5%61.2%65.1%65.7%
February 20242.6%3.9%4.0%62.0%66.2%67.3%
March 20243.1%4.0%4.1%62.1%66.1%66.9%
April 20243.1%4.0%4.2%61.9%65.8%66.8%
May 20242.6%3.7%3.9%62.0%66.2%67.1%
June 20242.8%3.8%3.9%62.0%66.1%66.9%
July 20242.9%3.9%4.1%62.8%66.5%67.0%
August 20243.2%4.1%4.1%62.4%65.9%66.7%
September 20242.9%3.7%3.9%62.6%66.1%66.8%
October 20242.9%3.9%3.9%62.1%65.8%66.9%
November 20242.9%3.7%3.6%62.6%66.3%67.0%
December 20242.6%3.6%3.8%63.4%66.9%67.5%
January 20253.1%4.4%4.5%62.2%65.9%66.6%
February 20253.2%4.3%4.4%62.6%66.3%67.2%
March 20253.3%4.4%4.3%62.5%66.3%67.0%
April 20253.0%3.9%4.1%62.7%66.3%67.1%
May 20253.1%4.1%4.0%62.5%66.4%67.4%
June 20253.1%4.3%4.2%62.1%66.1%67.1%
July 20253.0%3.9%4.2%62.9%66.0%66.9%
August 20253.4%4.3%4.3%62.1%65.2%66.4%
September 20253.0%4.2%4.3%62.1%65.4%66.7%
October 20252.8%4.1%4.2%62.4%65.9%66.7%
November 20252.9%3.6%4.0%62.4%65.5%66.8%
December 20252.9%3.7%3.9%62.9%66.1%67.1%
January 20263.3%4.5%4.5%61.8%65.0%66.1%
February 20263.2%4.3%4.6%63.0%66.4%67.4%
March 20263.5%4.6%4.5%63.2%66.8%67.1%
April 20263.1%4.5%4.6%62.3%66.0%66.7%
May 20263.0%4.3%4.3%62.4%66.2%67.0%
June 20263.1%3.9%4.3%63.1%66.4%67.1%
July 20263.0%4.1%4.4%63.1%66.2%66.7%
August 20263.2%4.3%4.6%62.0%65.9%66.6%
September 20263.4%4.7%4.6%62.4%65.6%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, Capital RegionEmployed people, index, New South WalesEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Capital Region
January 2019100.0100.0100.09.0%
February 2019101.3101.2101.79.3%
March 2019101.0101.0101.59.4%
April 2019102.1101.9101.99.1%
May 2019102.7102.5102.59.2%
June 2019102.3102.1102.38.6%
July 2019103.7102.0102.29.2%
August 2019103.5101.9102.18.9%
September 2019103.7102.0102.69.3%
October 2019102.9101.3102.39.0%
November 2019103.2101.5103.08.9%
December 2019104.7102.9103.88.5%
January 2020100.8100.3101.69.9%
February 2020102.0101.8103.410.5%
March 2020102.0101.6103.09.9%
April 202097.296.698.311.2%
May 202096.695.396.611.3%
June 202098.797.298.111.4%
July 202099.798.198.811.0%
August 2020100.398.999.58.9%
September 2020100.899.299.511.0%
October 2020100.999.6100.79.4%
November 2020102.2100.7101.99.9%
December 2020102.7101.1102.88.3%
January 2021100.498.6100.710.3%
February 2021102.9101.4103.19.1%
March 2021102.9101.5103.38.4%
April 2021102.4101.1103.18.1%
May 2021103.9102.8104.57.9%
June 2021104.0102.6104.39.2%
July 2021106.8101.5104.17.2%
August 2021103.096.9102.77.8%
September 2021100.396.6101.99.0%
October 2021100.096.8101.79.4%
November 2021104.4101.5105.17.6%
December 2021105.8103.1106.36.8%
January 2022103.4100.6104.27.6%
February 2022106.6103.7107.07.4%
March 2022106.1103.5106.87.4%
April 2022106.3104.1107.06.3%
May 2022107.5105.4108.16.6%
June 2022108.1105.9108.56.1%
July 2022105.5105.7108.26.2%
August 2022106.0105.7108.36.2%
September 2022107.1106.8108.65.3%
October 2022107.2107.4109.15.8%
November 2022108.1108.3110.25.7%
December 2022108.5109.0110.75.8%
January 2023105.9106.0108.16.3%
February 2023107.9108.5110.85.6%
March 2023107.0107.6111.25.8%
April 2023107.4108.3110.86.4%
May 2023108.5109.5112.35.0%
June 2023108.9109.8112.05.6%
July 2023108.6108.8111.76.3%
August 2023108.8109.1111.76.3%
September 2023109.1109.3112.05.8%
October 2023109.4109.8112.66.7%
November 2023110.6111.3113.65.9%
December 2023110.5111.2113.76.3%
January 2024107.2107.6110.78.5%
February 2024109.7110.4114.16.4%
March 2024109.5110.2113.67.7%
April 2024109.2109.9113.57.8%
May 2024109.9110.8114.56.5%
June 2024109.8110.6114.46.9%
July 2024111.0111.4114.47.2%
August 2024110.2110.4114.17.8%
September 2024110.9111.3114.87.1%
October 2024110.2110.6114.97.1%
November 2024111.2111.8115.77.1%
December 2024113.0113.2116.66.6%
January 2025110.4110.7114.37.8%
February 2025111.2111.6115.88.0%
March 2025111.1111.6115.88.3%
April 2025111.7112.4116.27.5%
May 2025111.5112.4116.98.0%
June 2025110.6111.6116.48.1%
July 2025112.4112.2116.37.7%
August 2025110.6110.6115.68.5%
September 2025111.2111.2116.17.6%
October 2025112.0112.1116.56.8%
November 2025111.9112.3116.97.1%
December 2025112.9113.2117.87.1%
January 2026110.6110.7115.48.2%
February 2026113.0113.4117.88.1%
March 2026113.2113.9117.78.9%
April 2026112.0112.7117.08.0%
May 2026112.4113.3118.07.4%
June 2026113.5114.4118.47.5%
July 2026113.8113.7117.77.3%
August 2026111.6113.3117.57.7%
September 2026112.3112.4117.48.1%

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 Capital Region, from Jobs and Skills Australia's monthly nowcast, to September 2026.

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Capital Region, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 124,794 people employed in the Capital Region across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 5 of the Capital Region's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Sales Assistants (General): 5,811Sales Assistants (General)5,811General Clerks: 4,254General Clerks4,254Electricians: 2,484Electricians2,484Retail Managers: 2,273Retail Managers2,273Registered Nurses: 2,243Registered Nurses2,243Livestock Farmers: 2,158Livestock Farmers2,158Aged and Disabled Carers: 1,995Aged and Disabled Carers1,995Carpenters and Joiners: 1,864Carpenters and Joiners1,864Truck Drivers: 1,862Truck Drivers1,862Receptionists: 1,806Receptionists1,806

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[6]; Jobs and Skills Australia[7].

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Capital Region, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Sales Assistants (General)5,8115,694+2.1%
General Clerks4,2544,046+5.1%
Electricians2,4842,292+8.4%Shortage
Retail Managers2,2732,264+0.4%
Registered Nurses2,2431,941+15.6%Shortage
Livestock Farmers2,1582,167−0.4%
Aged and Disabled Carers1,9952,039−2.2%Shortage
Carpenters and Joiners1,8641,883−1.0%Shortage
Truck Drivers1,8621,752+6.3%Shortage
Receptionists1,8061,638+10.3%
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Capital Region, 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.
Prison Officers: +27.7%Prison Officers+27.7%Information Officers: +19.4%Information Officers+19.4%Livestock Farm Workers: +18.4%Livestock Farm Workers+18.4%Couriers and Postal Deliverers: +15.8%Couriers and Postal Deliverers+15.8%Human Resource Managers: +15.7%Human Resource Managers+15.7%Chefs: −15.3%Chefs−15.3%Other Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers: −15.5%Other Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers−15.5%Storepersons: −15.9%Storepersons−15.9%Secondary School Teachers: −16.4%Secondary School Teachers−16.4%Personal Assistants: −19.2%Personal Assistants−19.2%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Capital Region, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Prison Officers732573+27.7%
Information Officers1,4251,193+19.4%
Livestock Farm Workers469396+18.4%
Couriers and Postal Deliverers661571+15.8%
Human Resource Managers1,2251,059+15.7%
Chefs9271,094−15.3%
Other Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers9081,074−15.5%
Storepersons1,0591,259−15.9%
Secondary School Teachers1,0841,296−16.4%
Personal Assistants753932−19.2%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Capital Region, 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.
  • Sales Assistants (General)
  • General Clerks
  • Electricians
  • Retail Managers
  • Registered Nurses
02k4k6kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 4,739Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 5,8115,811General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 3,359General Clerks, Sep 2026: 4,2544,254ElectriciansElectricians, Sep 2021: 960Electricians, Sep 2026: 2,4842,484Retail ManagersRetail Managers, Sep 2021: 2,108Retail Managers, Sep 2026: 2,2732,273Registered NursesRegistered Nurses, Sep 2021: 2,456Registered Nurses, Sep 2026: 2,2432,243

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Capital Region, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthSales Assistants (General)General ClerksElectriciansRetail ManagersRegistered Nurses
September 20214,7393,3599602,1082,456
September 20225,4033,3851,2002,3942,227
September 20235,3094,1231,2932,5501,940
September 20245,2514,0301,6352,2751,851
September 20255,6944,0462,2922,2641,941
September 20265,8114,2542,4842,2732,243

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 Capital Region, 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, Capital RegionPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
5k5.2k5.4k5.6k5.8k6kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Capital RegionCapital Region, Jun 2026: 5,8355,835

Source: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5].

Show the numbers below
Figure 5.2: In employment services for 12 months or more and 24 months or more, Capital Region, against New South Wales and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in the Capital Region for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Capital Region, 12 months or more
  • Capital Region, 24 months or more
  • New South Wales, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
30%40%50%60%70%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Capital Region, 12 months or moreCapital Region, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 64.3%64.3%Capital Region, 24 months or moreCapital Region, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 43.1%43.1%New South Wales, 12 months or moreNew South Wales, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 64.6%64.6%Australia, 12 months or moreAustralia, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 64.4%64.4%

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[8].

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

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[8].

Show the numbers
People in employment services and the shares in services for 12 and 24 months or more
SnapshotPeople in employment services, Capital RegionIn services 12 months or more, Capital RegionIn services 24 months or more, Capital RegionIn services 12 months or more, New South WalesIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20245,09060.8%41.8%60.7%60.8%
December 20245,10060.9%41.7%60.7%60.7%
January 20255,25060.8%41.5%60.4%60.5%
February 20255,32560.7%41.2%60.4%60.3%
March 20255,38059.9%40.3%60.5%60.3%
April 20255,42060.4%39.9%60.8%60.5%
May 20255,49061.2%39.8%61.0%60.7%
June 20255,52061.7%39.9%61.7%61.3%
July 20255,49561.8%39.9%62.0%61.7%
August 20255,48062.1%40.5%62.6%62.2%
September 20255,55061.6%40.4%62.8%62.4%
October 20255,57062.3%41.1%63.1%62.7%
November 20255,53561.4%40.7%62.9%62.5%
December 20255,55061.6%41.2%63.1%62.6%
January 20265,69562.6%41.5%63.1%62.7%
February 20265,80062.9%41.8%63.5%63.1%
March 20265,85562.9%41.5%63.8%63.4%
April 20265,87563.0%42.0%64.1%63.8%
May 20265,85064.1%42.7%64.4%64.2%
June 20265,83564.3%43.1%64.6%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Capital Region, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 1,270Under 251,27025–34: 1,29025–341,29035–44: 1,18035–441,18045–54: 1,05545–541,05555 and over: 1,04055 and over1,040

Source: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5].

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Capital Region, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 251,27022%
25–341,29022%
35–441,18020%
45–541,05518%
55 and over1,04018%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Capital Region, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 4,400JobSeeker Payment4,400Youth Allowance (other): 695Youth Allowance (other)695Other: 740Other740

Source: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5].

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Capital Region, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment4,40075%
Youth Allowance (other)69512%
Other74013%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the Snowy Mountains, Capital Country and the South Coast. Capital Country and the South Coast reach beyond this ABS area: 85% of Capital Country's towns and 38% of the South Coast's are in the area. The Snowy Mountains has all its towns in it.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
1,561
ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026[9]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Snowy Mountains, Capital Country and South CoastThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 29 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 527Healthcare & Medical527Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 195Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics195Retail & Consumer Products: 152Retail & Consumer Products152Hospitality & Tourism: 139Hospitality & Tourism139Community Services & Development: 115Community Services & Development115Education & Training: 92Education & Training92Trades & Services: 72Trades & Services72Self Employment: 37Self Employment37

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Snowy Mountains, Capital Country and South Coast
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical527
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics195
Retail & Consumer Products152
Hospitality & Tourism139
Community Services & Development115
Education & Training92
Trades & Services72
Self Employment37

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, Capital Region, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)Average salary and wages per earner, 2021–22 to 2023–24 income years (ATO), against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Capital Region
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$65k$70k$75k$80k$85k2021–222022–232023–24Capital RegionCapital Region, 2021–22: $65,834Capital Region, 2022–23: $69,786Capital Region, 2023–24: $73,501$73,501New South WalesNew South Wales, 2021–22: $72,962New South Wales, 2022–23: $77,277New South Wales, 2023–24: $80,137$80,137AustraliaAustralia, 2021–22: $69,980Australia, 2022–23: $73,647Australia, 2023–24: $76,760$76,760

Sources: Australian Taxation Office[10]; ViewJobs[11].

Show the numbers
Average salary and wages per earner, Capital Region, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearCapital RegionNew South WalesAustralia
2021–22$65,834$72,962$69,980
2022–23$69,786$77,277$73,647
2023–24$73,501$80,137$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 Capital Region's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Capital Region?

1,453 online job ads a month were placed in the Capital Region, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Capital Region's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Capital Region were up 26.7% on a year earlier, from 1,147 to 1,453 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were down 0.8% across New South Wales and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in the Capital Region?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 284 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (166) and carers and aides (112). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for medical practitioners and nurses rose fastest, up 118.5%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Capital Region?

The unemployment rate in the Capital Region was 3.4% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales. A year earlier it was 3.0%. 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 Capital Region?

Yes. Unemployment in the Capital Region was up 0.4 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 3.4% against 3.0% (ABS modelled estimates). Across New South Wales it was up 0.5 points.

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

What are the biggest occupations in the Capital Region?

An estimated 5,811 of the 124,794 people employed in the Capital Region in September 2026 worked as Sales Assistants (General), the largest occupation there. Next were General Clerks (4,254 people) and Electricians (2,484 people). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Which occupations are growing fastest in the Capital Region?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Prison Officers grew fastest in the Capital Region, up 27.7% to an estimated 732 people employed, followed by Information Officers (up 19.4%) and Livestock Farm Workers (up 18.4%). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

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

5,835 people in the Capital Region were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 5.7% on a year earlier. 64.3% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.

Source: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5].

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

At 30 June 2026, 64.3% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 43.1% for two years or more, against 64.6% and 43.4% across New South Wales.

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[8].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Capital Region?

1,561 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Snowy Mountains, Capital Country and the South Coast, as of 29 Oct 2026. Capital Country and the South Coast reach beyond the Capital Region: 85% of Capital Country's towns and 38% of the South Coast's are in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (527), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (195) and Retail & Consumer Products (152).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

10 Notes and method

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

The area
The Capital Region here is ABS SA4 101 Capital Region. 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.[6]
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.[10]
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. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026. viewjobs.com.au.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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). Capital Region job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/capital-region

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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