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Job market report

Murray 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 Murray, 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 109 Murray
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Murray were up 7.1% on a year earlier, from 961 to 1,029 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, 128 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (75) and sales assistants and salespersons (65).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineers rose fastest, up 114.3%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in the Murray was 4.3% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales.

    A year earlier it was 3.7%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 3,940 people in the Murray were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 6.8% on a year earlier.

    67.6% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
4.3%
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.6 points on September 2025[3]
Employed people
66,187
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.9% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
1,029
JSA, September 2026 · up 7.1% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
3,940
DEWR, June 2026 · up 6.8% 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.

Murray
+7.1%
1,029 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, MurrayThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
8001k1.2k1.4kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026MurrayMurray, Sep 2026: 1,0291,029

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Murray
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,326
November 20231,264
December 20231,154
January 20241,137
February 20241,103
March 20241,160
April 20241,147
May 20241,134
June 20241,071
July 20241,006
August 2024993
September 20241,013
October 20241,054
November 20241,001
December 2024917
January 2025891
February 2025886
March 2025945
April 2025872
May 2025889
June 2025881
July 2025946
August 2025937
September 2025961
October 2025961
November 2025933
December 2025851
January 2026863
February 2026898
March 2026969
April 2026911
May 2026923
June 2026925
July 2026985
August 2026992
September 20261,029

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, MurrayThe 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.
Food trades: +36.4%Food trades+36.4%Other labourers: +25.0%Other labourers+25.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +23.3%Hospitality, retail and service managers+23.3%Sales assistants and salespersons: +22.6%Sales assistants and salespersons+22.6%Business, finance and human resource professionals: +17.4%Business, finance and human resource professionals+17.4%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +12.2%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+12.2%Medical practitioners and nurses: +10.3%Medical practitioners and nurses+10.3%Automotive and engineering trades: +8.9%Automotive and engineering trades+8.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: +5.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists+5.5%Drivers and storepersons: −2.9%Drivers and storepersons−2.9%Carers and aides: −7.4%Carers and aides−7.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −13.6%Legal, social and welfare professionals−13.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Murray
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses128116+10.3%
Carers and aides7581−7.4%
Sales assistants and salespersons6553+22.6%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists5855+5.5%
Legal, social and welfare professionals5766−13.6%
Automotive and engineering trades4945+8.9%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals4641+12.2%
Hospitality, retail and service managers3730+23.3%
Drivers and storepersons3334−2.9%
Food trades3022+36.4%
Other labourers3024+25.0%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2723+17.4%
Construction, production and distribution managers2413+84.6%
Corporate managers2227−18.5%
Mobile plant operators2112+75.0%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians2018+11.1%
Other clerical and administrative workers2016+25.0%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades1914+35.7%
Hospitality workers1915+26.7%
Health and welfare support workers1727−37.0%
Numerical clerks1714+21.4%
Education professionals1617−5.9%
Cleaners and laundry workers1619−15.8%
Engineers157+114.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators1514+7.1%
Construction trades1312+8.3%
Sales representatives and agents1314−7.1%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1314−7.1%
Health, education, ICT and other managers118+37.5%
Sports, travel and personal service workers1011−9.1%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1012−16.7%
Food preparation assistants98+12.5%
Factory process workers87+14.3%
Arts and media professionals65+20.0%
Science professionals and veterinarians660.0%
Farmers and farm managers550.0%
Information professionals57−28.6%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers57−28.6%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers550.0%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers5fewer than 5n/a
Sales support workers550.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 55n/a
Construction and mining labourersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 57n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Transport and design professionals, and architectsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

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

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Murray, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Murray
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
2%4%6%8%May 2020Dec 2021Jul 2023Feb 2025Sep 2026MurrayMurray, Sep 2026: 4.3%4.3%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, Murray, 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.
  • Murray
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
57.5%60%62.5%65%67.5%70%Sep 2019Jun 2021Mar 2023Dec 2024Sep 2026MurrayMurray, Sep 2026: 64.1%64.1%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, Murray, 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.
  • Murray
  • New South Wales
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120130Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026MurrayMurray, Sep 2026: 119.2119.2New 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, MurrayThe 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: 8.8%8.8%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 4.3%4.3%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, Murray, 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, MurrayUnemployment rate, New South WalesUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, MurrayParticipation rate, New South WalesParticipation rate, Australia
January 20194.9%4.3%5.4%59.4%64.3%65.1%
February 20195.4%4.7%5.4%60.4%65.3%66.1%
March 20195.1%4.6%5.4%60.1%65.1%65.8%
April 20194.9%4.5%5.3%60.5%65.5%65.9%
May 20195.2%4.5%5.1%61.1%65.9%66.1%
June 20195.1%4.6%5.1%60.9%65.6%65.9%
July 20195.0%4.5%5.2%60.3%65.4%65.8%
August 20195.0%4.4%5.3%60.4%65.1%65.7%
September 20195.1%4.4%5.1%60.6%65.2%65.8%
October 20195.4%4.7%5.1%60.4%64.9%65.5%
November 20194.9%4.4%4.8%60.4%64.7%65.7%
December 20194.7%4.4%4.8%61.1%65.6%66.2%
January 20205.1%4.8%5.7%63.7%64.2%65.2%
February 20204.9%5.0%5.5%64.3%65.1%66.2%
March 20205.4%5.1%5.5%64.4%65.0%65.8%
April 20205.9%6.3%6.4%61.8%62.6%63.4%
May 20206.2%6.3%6.9%61.5%61.8%62.5%
June 20205.4%6.6%7.2%62.2%63.2%63.8%
July 20206.2%7.1%7.3%63.1%64.2%64.3%
August 20206.1%6.4%6.8%63.3%64.3%64.4%
September 20206.5%6.8%6.7%63.8%64.8%64.4%
October 20205.6%6.3%6.7%63.7%64.7%65.1%
November 20205.6%6.0%6.3%64.6%65.2%65.6%
December 20205.5%6.2%6.2%64.7%65.6%66.1%
January 20215.7%6.4%6.8%63.6%64.1%65.1%
February 20215.3%6.0%6.3%64.7%65.7%66.3%
March 20215.2%5.8%6.0%64.8%65.6%66.2%
April 20214.7%5.4%5.6%64.2%65.1%65.7%
May 20214.7%5.0%5.0%64.8%65.9%66.2%
June 20214.6%5.1%4.9%64.7%65.7%66.0%
July 20214.2%4.5%4.7%65.1%64.7%65.7%
August 20214.5%4.7%4.6%63.5%61.9%64.7%
September 20214.1%4.5%4.6%62.9%61.6%64.2%
October 20214.3%5.3%5.0%62.2%62.2%64.3%
November 20214.3%4.4%4.3%64.3%64.5%65.9%
December 20213.7%3.9%4.0%64.6%65.1%66.4%
January 20224.1%4.5%4.5%63.7%63.8%65.2%
February 20224.2%4.0%4.4%65.1%65.3%66.8%
March 20223.4%4.1%4.2%64.6%65.2%66.4%
April 20223.5%3.5%3.9%64.8%65.0%66.2%
May 20223.8%4.0%3.9%65.6%66.1%66.7%
June 20223.4%3.3%3.5%65.6%65.9%66.6%
July 20223.3%3.3%3.4%65.2%65.6%66.2%
August 20223.3%3.5%3.5%65.3%65.6%66.2%
September 20223.4%3.3%3.5%65.6%66.0%66.2%
October 20223.3%3.0%3.3%65.8%66.0%66.2%
November 20223.3%3.1%3.3%66.1%66.5%66.8%
December 20223.1%3.1%3.3%66.2%66.8%67.0%
January 20233.4%3.4%4.0%65.1%65.0%65.6%
February 20233.5%3.4%3.9%66.2%66.4%67.0%
March 20233.4%3.5%3.8%65.3%65.7%66.9%
April 20233.5%3.4%3.8%65.7%65.9%66.6%
May 20233.2%3.1%3.5%65.9%66.3%67.1%
June 20233.2%2.9%3.4%66.0%66.2%66.8%
July 20233.4%3.3%3.6%65.0%65.7%66.5%
August 20233.6%3.6%3.7%64.9%66.0%66.4%
September 20233.5%3.3%3.5%64.9%65.7%66.2%
October 20233.3%3.4%3.6%65.2%66.0%66.6%
November 20233.3%3.3%3.6%65.9%66.7%67.1%
December 20233.5%3.3%3.8%66.0%66.6%67.1%
January 20243.8%4.5%4.5%64.3%65.1%65.7%
February 20243.7%3.9%4.0%65.6%66.2%67.3%
March 20244.0%4.0%4.1%65.5%66.1%66.9%
April 20243.8%4.0%4.2%65.3%65.8%66.8%
May 20243.6%3.7%3.9%65.3%66.2%67.1%
June 20243.9%3.8%3.9%65.5%66.1%66.9%
July 20243.9%3.9%4.1%64.9%66.5%67.0%
August 20243.6%4.1%4.1%64.2%65.9%66.7%
September 20243.7%3.7%3.9%64.7%66.1%66.8%
October 20243.9%3.9%3.9%64.6%65.8%66.9%
November 20243.5%3.7%3.6%64.9%66.3%67.0%
December 20243.5%3.6%3.8%65.5%66.9%67.5%
January 20254.2%4.4%4.5%64.7%65.9%66.6%
February 20254.2%4.3%4.4%65.0%66.3%67.2%
March 20254.1%4.4%4.3%64.8%66.3%67.0%
April 20253.7%3.9%4.1%64.9%66.3%67.1%
May 20254.0%4.1%4.0%64.8%66.4%67.4%
June 20254.2%4.3%4.2%64.7%66.1%67.1%
July 20253.9%3.9%4.2%64.7%66.0%66.9%
August 20254.2%4.3%4.3%64.0%65.2%66.4%
September 20253.7%4.2%4.3%63.8%65.4%66.7%
October 20254.3%4.1%4.2%64.8%65.9%66.7%
November 20253.4%3.6%4.0%64.4%65.5%66.8%
December 20253.7%3.7%3.9%64.8%66.1%67.1%
January 20264.7%4.5%4.5%64.2%65.0%66.1%
February 20264.4%4.3%4.6%65.3%66.4%67.4%
March 20264.2%4.6%4.5%65.2%66.8%67.1%
April 20264.2%4.5%4.6%64.7%66.0%66.7%
May 20264.4%4.3%4.3%64.9%66.2%67.0%
June 20264.0%3.9%4.3%65.0%66.4%67.1%
July 20264.0%4.1%4.4%64.7%66.2%66.7%
August 20264.1%4.3%4.6%64.3%65.9%66.6%
September 20264.3%4.7%4.6%64.1%65.6%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, MurrayEmployed people, index, New South WalesEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Murray
January 2019100.0100.0100.010.4%
February 2019101.2101.2101.711.2%
March 2019101.2101.0101.510.7%
April 2019102.1101.9101.910.2%
May 2019102.8102.5102.510.8%
June 2019102.7102.1102.310.5%
July 2019101.8102.0102.210.4%
August 2019102.3101.9102.110.3%
September 2019102.6102.0102.610.7%
October 2019102.1101.3102.311.2%
November 2019102.6101.5103.010.3%
December 2019104.2102.9103.810.0%
January 2020108.3100.3101.611.0%
February 2020109.7101.8103.410.4%
March 2020109.5101.6103.011.0%
April 2020104.496.698.311.8%
May 2020103.695.396.612.2%
June 2020105.797.298.110.3%
July 2020106.498.198.811.4%
August 2020106.898.999.510.9%
September 2020107.399.299.511.6%
October 2020108.199.6100.710.2%
November 2020109.8100.7101.910.1%
December 2020110.2101.1102.810.0%
January 2021108.398.6100.710.5%
February 2021110.7101.4103.19.7%
March 2021110.8101.5103.39.6%
April 2021110.6101.1103.18.7%
May 2021111.8102.8104.58.9%
June 2021111.7102.6104.38.9%
July 2021113.0101.5104.18.4%
August 2021109.896.9102.79.0%
September 2021109.396.6101.98.4%
October 2021107.996.8101.78.8%
November 2021111.7101.5105.18.5%
December 2021113.0103.1106.37.2%
January 2022111.1100.6104.27.9%
February 2022113.6103.7107.08.0%
March 2022114.0103.5106.86.4%
April 2022114.3104.1107.06.7%
May 2022115.4105.4108.17.3%
June 2022116.1105.9108.56.5%
July 2022115.7105.7108.26.2%
August 2022116.1105.7108.36.3%
September 2022116.5106.8108.66.6%
October 2022117.1107.4109.16.2%
November 2022117.8108.3110.26.2%
December 2022118.4109.0110.75.8%
January 2023116.1106.0108.16.6%
February 2023118.1108.5110.86.7%
March 2023116.6107.6111.26.7%
April 2023117.6108.3110.86.8%
May 2023118.3109.5112.36.3%
June 2023118.6109.8112.06.3%
July 2023116.7108.8111.76.8%
August 2023116.6109.1111.77.2%
September 2023116.8109.3112.07.0%
October 2023117.8109.8112.66.9%
November 2023119.1111.3113.67.0%
December 2023119.0111.2113.77.6%
January 2024115.9107.6110.78.2%
February 2024118.3110.4114.18.2%
March 2024117.9110.2113.68.9%
April 2024117.8109.9113.58.4%
May 2024118.1110.8114.57.8%
June 2024118.0110.6114.48.3%
July 2024118.1111.4114.48.4%
August 2024117.4110.4114.17.7%
September 2024118.2111.3114.87.8%
October 2024117.8110.6114.98.3%
November 2024119.0111.8115.77.6%
December 2024120.3113.2116.67.7%
January 2025118.2110.7114.39.1%
February 2025118.9111.6115.89.0%
March 2025118.8111.6115.88.9%
April 2025119.5112.4116.28.2%
May 2025119.1112.4116.99.0%
June 2025118.6111.6116.49.4%
July 2025119.3112.2116.38.6%
August 2025117.7110.6115.69.1%
September 2025118.1111.2116.17.9%
October 2025119.3112.1116.58.9%
November 2025119.7112.3116.97.2%
December 2025120.1113.2117.87.8%
January 2026118.0110.7115.410.1%
February 2026120.6113.4117.89.6%
March 2026120.9113.9117.79.1%
April 2026119.8112.7117.09.3%
May 2026120.1113.3118.09.3%
June 2026120.9114.4118.48.3%
July 2026120.5113.7117.78.2%
August 2026119.7113.3117.58.5%
September 2026119.2112.4117.48.8%

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

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Murray, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 66,631 people employed in the Murray across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 4 of the Murray's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Sales Assistants (General): 3,453Sales Assistants (General)3,453Truck Drivers: 1,908Truck Drivers1,908Aged and Disabled Carers: 1,719Aged and Disabled Carers1,719Livestock Farmers: 1,584Livestock Farmers1,584Commercial Cleaners: 1,465Commercial Cleaners1,465Retail Managers: 1,407Retail Managers1,407Child Carers: 1,373Child Carers1,373Electricians: 1,304Electricians1,304General Clerks: 1,269General Clerks1,269Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers: 1,251Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers1,251

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

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Murray, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Sales Assistants (General)3,4533,299+4.7%
Truck Drivers1,9081,771+7.7%Shortage
Aged and Disabled Carers1,7191,768−2.8%Shortage
Livestock Farmers1,5841,392+13.8%
Commercial Cleaners1,4651,344+9.0%
Retail Managers1,4071,544−8.9%
Child Carers1,3731,122+22.4%Shortage
Electricians1,3041,307−0.2%Shortage
General Clerks1,2691,232+3.0%
Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers1,2511,099+13.8%
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Murray, 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.
Child Carers: +22.4%Child Carers+22.4%Metal Fitters and Machinists: +19.5%Metal Fitters and Machinists+19.5%Livestock Farm Workers: +16.0%Livestock Farm Workers+16.0%Kitchenhands: +14.1%Kitchenhands+14.1%Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers: +13.8%Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers+13.8%Office Managers: −9.8%Office Managers−9.8%Contract, Program and Project Administrators: −10.1%Contract, Program and Project Administrators−10.1%Physiotherapists: −10.9%Physiotherapists−10.9%Secondary School Teachers: −12.8%Secondary School Teachers−12.8%Crop Farm Workers: −15.0%Crop Farm Workers−15.0%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Murray, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Child Carers1,3731,122+22.4%
Metal Fitters and Machinists1,133948+19.5%
Livestock Farm Workers530457+16.0%
Kitchenhands914801+14.1%
Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers1,2511,099+13.8%
Office Managers9641,069−9.8%
Contract, Program and Project Administrators789878−10.1%
Physiotherapists597670−10.9%
Secondary School Teachers1,0261,176−12.8%
Crop Farm Workers215253−15.0%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Murray, 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)
  • Truck Drivers
  • Aged and Disabled Carers
  • Livestock Farmers
  • Commercial Cleaners
1k2k3k4kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 2,993Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 3,4533,453Truck DriversTruck Drivers, Sep 2021: 1,235Truck Drivers, Sep 2026: 1,9081,908Aged and Disabled CarersAged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2021: 1,824Aged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2026: 1,7191,719Livestock FarmersLivestock Farmers, Sep 2021: 1,633Livestock Farmers, Sep 2026: 1,5841,584Commercial CleanersCommercial Cleaners, Sep 2021: 1,196Commercial Cleaners, Sep 2026: 1,4651,465

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Murray, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthSales Assistants (General)Truck DriversAged and Disabled CarersLivestock FarmersCommercial Cleaners
September 20212,9931,2351,8241,6331,196
September 20223,3621,4721,9952,1271,246
September 20233,6141,3672,0551,6611,187
September 20243,2831,4521,9491,3881,211
September 20253,2991,7711,7681,3921,344
September 20263,4531,9081,7191,5841,465

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 Murray, 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, MurrayPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
3.2k3.4k3.6k3.8k4kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026MurrayMurray, Jun 2026: 3,9403,940

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, Murray, against New South Wales and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in the Murray for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Murray, 12 months or more
  • Murray, 24 months or more
  • New South Wales, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
40%50%60%70%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Murray, 12 months or moreMurray, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 67.6%67.6%Murray, 24 months or moreMurray, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 47.5%47.5%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, Murray, 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, MurrayIn services 12 months or more, MurrayIn services 24 months or more, MurrayIn services 12 months or more, New South WalesIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20243,39565.2%46.0%60.7%60.8%
December 20243,45064.9%45.2%60.7%60.7%
January 20253,54565.3%44.9%60.4%60.5%
February 20253,64065.8%44.8%60.4%60.3%
March 20253,69565.4%44.8%60.5%60.3%
April 20253,68065.4%44.3%60.8%60.5%
May 20253,70565.6%44.3%61.0%60.7%
June 20253,69066.1%44.6%61.7%61.3%
July 20253,76065.8%44.3%62.0%61.7%
August 20253,77566.4%44.5%62.6%62.2%
September 20253,79566.9%45.1%62.8%62.4%
October 20253,82067.0%45.5%63.1%62.7%
November 20253,83566.6%45.2%62.9%62.5%
December 20253,87066.9%45.2%63.1%62.6%
January 20263,92566.6%45.5%63.1%62.7%
February 20263,96066.7%46.0%63.5%63.1%
March 20263,97566.8%46.2%63.8%63.4%
April 20263,93567.6%47.1%64.1%63.8%
May 20263,92567.3%47.0%64.4%64.2%
June 20263,94067.6%47.5%64.6%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Murray, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 845Under 2584525–34: 96025–3496035–44: 79035–4479045–54: 65045–5465055 and over: 69055 and over690

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Murray, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 2584521%
25–3496024%
35–4479020%
45–5465016%
55 and over69018%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Murray, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 2,995JobSeeker Payment2,995Youth Allowance (other): 480Youth Allowance (other)480Other: 465Other465

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Murray, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment2,99576%
Youth Allowance (other)48012%
Other46512%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

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

Live jobs on ViewJobs in the Murray
266
ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026[9]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, The MurrayThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 29 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 77Healthcare & Medical77Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 34Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics34Retail & Consumer Products: 34Retail & Consumer Products34Hospitality & Tourism: 29Hospitality & Tourism29Community Services & Development: 21Community Services & Development21Trades & Services: 16Trades & Services16Accounting: 8Accounting8Education & Training: 8Education & Training8

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, The Murray
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical77
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics34
Retail & Consumer Products34
Hospitality & Tourism29
Community Services & Development21
Trades & Services16
Accounting8
Education & Training8

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, Murray, 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.
  • Murray
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k2021–222022–232023–24MurrayMurray, 2021–22: $57,480Murray, 2022–23: $60,783Murray, 2023–24: $63,978$63,978New 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, Murray, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearMurrayNew South WalesAustralia
2021–22$57,480$72,962$69,980
2022–23$60,783$77,277$73,647
2023–24$63,978$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 Murray's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Murray?

1,029 online job ads a month were placed in the Murray, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Murray's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Murray were up 7.1% on a year earlier, from 961 to 1,029 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 Murray?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 128 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (75) and sales assistants and salespersons (65). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineers rose fastest, up 114.3%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Murray?

The unemployment rate in the Murray was 4.3% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales. A year earlier it was 3.7%. 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 Murray?

Yes. Unemployment in the Murray was up 0.6 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 4.3% against 3.7% (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 Murray?

An estimated 3,453 of the 66,631 people employed in the Murray in September 2026 worked as Sales Assistants (General), the largest occupation there. Next were Truck Drivers (1,908 people) and Aged and Disabled Carers (1,719 people). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Which occupations are growing fastest in the Murray?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Child Carers grew fastest in the Murray, up 22.4% to an estimated 1,373 people employed, followed by Metal Fitters and Machinists (up 19.5%) and Livestock Farm Workers (up 16.0%). 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 Murray?

3,940 people in the Murray were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 6.8% on a year earlier. 67.6% 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 Murray been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 67.6% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 47.5% 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 Murray?

At least 266 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Murray, as of 29 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the ViewJobs region of the same name, whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (77), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (34) and Retail & Consumer Products (34).

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 Murray here is ABS SA4 109 Murray. 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). Murray job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/murray

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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