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Job market report

New England and North West 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 New England and North West, 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 110 New England and North West
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the New England and North West were up 2.9% on a year earlier, from 1,366 to 1,405 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, 358 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (167) and carers and aides (73).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for farmers and farm managers rose fastest, up 80.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in the New England and North West was 4.6% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales.

    A year earlier it was 4.4%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 9,745 people in the New England and North West were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 3.1% on a year earlier.

    72.1% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
4.6%
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.2 points on September 2025[3]
Employed people
99,310
ABS, September 2026 · up 1.0% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
1,405
JSA, September 2026 · up 2.9% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
9,745
DEWR, June 2026 · up 3.1% 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.

New England and North West
+2.9%
1,405 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, New England and North WestThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.2k1.4k1.6k1.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026New England and North WestNew England and North West, Sep 2026: 1,4051,405

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, New England and North West
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,522
November 20231,441
December 20231,327
January 20241,241
February 20241,206
March 20241,257
April 20241,252
May 20241,225
June 20241,173
July 20241,146
August 20241,122
September 20241,155
October 20241,159
November 20241,174
December 20241,048
January 20251,086
February 20251,060
March 20251,193
April 20251,115
May 20251,178
June 20251,253
July 20251,416
August 20251,400
September 20251,366
October 20251,324
November 20251,337
December 20251,242
January 20261,292
February 20261,283
March 20261,568
April 20261,542
May 20261,662
June 20261,596
July 20261,586
August 20261,471
September 20261,405

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, New England and North WestThe 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: +79.0%Medical practitioners and nurses+79.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +15.4%Hospitality, retail and service managers+15.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +9.2%Legal, social and welfare professionals+9.2%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +3.2%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+3.2%Drivers and storepersons: +2.2%Drivers and storepersons+2.2%Corporate managers: 0.0%Corporate managers0.0%Sales assistants and salespersons: −2.9%Sales assistants and salespersons−2.9%Business, finance and human resource professionals: −21.2%Business, finance and human resource professionals−21.2%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −22.7%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−22.7%Carers and aides: −26.3%Carers and aides−26.3%Automotive and engineering trades: −28.7%Automotive and engineering trades−28.7%Other labourers: −29.8%Other labourers−29.8%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, New England and North West
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses358200+79.0%
Legal, social and welfare professionals167153+9.2%
Carers and aides7399−26.3%
Sales assistants and salespersons6668−2.9%
Automotive and engineering trades5780−28.7%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists5166−22.7%
Drivers and storepersons4746+2.2%
Hospitality, retail and service managers4539+15.4%
Other labourers4057−29.8%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3231+3.2%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2633−21.2%
Corporate managers25250.0%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2324−4.2%
Food trades2229−24.1%
Education professionals2128−25.0%
Hospitality workers1915+26.7%
Numerical clerks1925−24.0%
Machine and stationary plant operators1923−17.4%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians1822−18.2%
Construction, production and distribution managers1719−10.5%
Sales support workers1711+54.5%
Health and welfare support workers1620−20.0%
Sales representatives and agents1620−20.0%
Cleaners and laundry workers1624−33.3%
Other clerical and administrative workers1514+7.1%
Engineers1311+18.2%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1317−23.5%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1211+9.1%
Construction trades1213−7.7%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1213−7.7%
Factory process workers1210+20.0%
Mobile plant operators1126−57.7%
Farmers and farm managers95+80.0%
Science professionals and veterinarians96+50.0%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers98+12.5%
Construction and mining labourers810−20.0%
Food preparation assistants880.0%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators65+20.0%
ICT professionals660.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects6fewer than 5n/a
Sports, travel and personal service workers613−53.8%
Arts and media professionals5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionals550.0%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers5fewer than 5n/a
Skilled animal and horticultural workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 57n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

Monthly unemployment and participation in the New England and North West, from the ABS's Regional Labour Force, to September 2026.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, New England and North West, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • New England and North West
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
2%4%6%8%May 2020Dec 2021Jul 2023Feb 2025Sep 2026New England and North WestNew England and North West, Sep 2026: 4.6%4.6%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, New England and North West, 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.
  • New England and North West
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
57.5%60%62.5%65%67.5%70%Sep 2019Jun 2021Mar 2023Dec 2024Sep 2026New England and North WestNew England and North West, Sep 2026: 66.5%66.5%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, New England and North West, 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.
  • New England and North West
  • New South Wales
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120130Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026New England and North WestNew England and North West, 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, New England and North WestThe 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: 10.5%10.5%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 4.6%4.6%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, New England and North West, 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, New England and North WestUnemployment rate, New South WalesUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, New England and North WestParticipation rate, New South WalesParticipation rate, Australia
January 20195.4%4.3%5.4%58.6%64.3%65.1%
February 20195.8%4.7%5.4%59.5%65.3%66.1%
March 20195.2%4.6%5.4%59.1%65.1%65.8%
April 20195.3%4.5%5.3%59.8%65.5%65.9%
May 20195.2%4.5%5.1%60.1%65.9%66.1%
June 20195.6%4.6%5.1%60.1%65.6%65.9%
July 20195.1%4.5%5.2%59.5%65.4%65.8%
August 20195.6%4.4%5.3%59.7%65.1%65.7%
September 20195.7%4.4%5.1%59.9%65.2%65.8%
October 20195.6%4.7%5.1%59.5%64.9%65.5%
November 20195.6%4.4%4.8%59.6%64.7%65.7%
December 20195.5%4.4%4.8%60.3%65.6%66.2%
January 20205.8%4.8%5.7%60.8%64.2%65.2%
February 20206.3%5.0%5.5%61.7%65.1%66.2%
March 20206.0%5.1%5.5%61.4%65.0%65.8%
April 20206.5%6.3%6.4%59.4%62.6%63.4%
May 20205.6%6.3%6.9%58.8%61.8%62.5%
June 20206.1%6.6%7.2%60.3%63.2%63.8%
July 20206.5%7.1%7.3%61.0%64.2%64.3%
August 20206.3%6.4%6.8%61.3%64.3%64.4%
September 20206.4%6.8%6.7%61.5%64.8%64.4%
October 20206.0%6.3%6.7%61.6%64.7%65.1%
November 20205.6%6.0%6.3%62.1%65.2%65.6%
December 20205.6%6.2%6.2%62.1%65.6%66.1%
January 20216.1%6.4%6.8%61.1%64.1%65.1%
February 20215.7%6.0%6.3%62.2%65.7%66.3%
March 20215.4%5.8%6.0%61.9%65.6%66.2%
April 20215.3%5.4%5.6%61.8%65.1%65.7%
May 20215.0%5.0%5.0%62.5%65.9%66.2%
June 20215.1%5.1%4.9%62.6%65.7%66.0%
July 20214.8%4.5%4.7%62.3%64.7%65.7%
August 20214.6%4.7%4.6%60.4%61.9%64.7%
September 20214.6%4.5%4.6%60.1%61.6%64.2%
October 20215.3%5.3%5.0%59.7%62.2%64.3%
November 20214.5%4.4%4.3%61.2%64.5%65.9%
December 20214.6%3.9%4.0%61.8%65.1%66.4%
January 20225.0%4.5%4.5%60.6%63.8%65.2%
February 20224.6%4.0%4.4%61.9%65.3%66.8%
March 20224.6%4.1%4.2%61.9%65.2%66.4%
April 20224.1%3.5%3.9%61.6%65.0%66.2%
May 20224.5%4.0%3.9%62.5%66.1%66.7%
June 20224.0%3.3%3.5%62.4%65.9%66.6%
July 20223.8%3.3%3.4%62.6%65.6%66.2%
August 20223.6%3.5%3.5%65.7%65.6%66.2%
September 20223.7%3.3%3.5%66.1%66.0%66.2%
October 20223.5%3.0%3.3%66.2%66.0%66.2%
November 20223.7%3.1%3.3%66.7%66.5%66.8%
December 20223.5%3.1%3.3%66.8%66.8%67.0%
January 20233.6%3.4%4.0%65.3%65.0%65.6%
February 20234.1%3.4%3.9%66.6%66.4%67.0%
March 20234.2%3.5%3.8%66.1%65.7%66.9%
April 20233.6%3.4%3.8%65.7%65.9%66.6%
May 20233.3%3.1%3.5%66.4%66.3%67.1%
June 20233.5%2.9%3.4%66.5%66.2%66.8%
July 20233.8%3.3%3.6%65.8%65.7%66.5%
August 20234.2%3.6%3.7%66.2%66.0%66.4%
September 20233.7%3.3%3.5%66.1%65.7%66.2%
October 20233.7%3.4%3.6%66.3%66.0%66.6%
November 20233.6%3.3%3.6%66.8%66.7%67.1%
December 20233.8%3.3%3.8%66.8%66.6%67.1%
January 20244.8%4.5%4.5%65.7%65.1%65.7%
February 20244.3%3.9%4.0%66.7%66.2%67.3%
March 20244.6%4.0%4.1%66.5%66.1%66.9%
April 20244.4%4.0%4.2%66.2%65.8%66.8%
May 20244.4%3.7%3.9%66.7%66.2%67.1%
June 20244.2%3.8%3.9%66.5%66.1%66.9%
July 20244.0%3.9%4.1%66.3%66.5%67.0%
August 20244.1%4.1%4.1%66.0%65.9%66.7%
September 20244.1%3.7%3.9%66.4%66.1%66.8%
October 20244.3%3.9%3.9%66.3%65.8%66.9%
November 20244.1%3.7%3.6%66.7%66.3%67.0%
December 20243.9%3.6%3.8%67.2%66.9%67.5%
January 20254.6%4.4%4.5%66.5%65.9%66.6%
February 20254.5%4.3%4.4%66.7%66.3%67.2%
March 20254.5%4.4%4.3%66.5%66.3%67.0%
April 20254.6%3.9%4.1%67.1%66.3%67.1%
May 20254.8%4.1%4.0%67.2%66.4%67.4%
June 20254.1%4.3%4.2%66.3%66.1%67.1%
July 20254.3%3.9%4.2%66.8%66.0%66.9%
August 20254.7%4.3%4.3%66.0%65.2%66.4%
September 20254.4%4.2%4.3%66.1%65.4%66.7%
October 20254.5%4.1%4.2%66.7%65.9%66.7%
November 20253.9%3.6%4.0%66.3%65.5%66.8%
December 20254.2%3.7%3.9%66.9%66.1%67.1%
January 20264.9%4.5%4.5%66.2%65.0%66.1%
February 20264.8%4.3%4.6%67.3%66.4%67.4%
March 20264.8%4.6%4.5%67.4%66.8%67.1%
April 20264.6%4.5%4.6%66.7%66.0%66.7%
May 20264.8%4.3%4.3%67.2%66.2%67.0%
June 20264.2%3.9%4.3%67.2%66.4%67.1%
July 20264.4%4.1%4.4%67.4%66.2%66.7%
August 20264.7%4.3%4.6%67.3%65.9%66.6%
September 20264.6%4.7%4.6%66.5%65.6%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, New England and North WestEmployed people, index, New South WalesEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), New England and North West
January 2019100.0100.0100.013.1%
February 2019101.1101.2101.713.8%
March 2019101.2101.0101.512.6%
April 2019102.3101.9101.912.7%
May 2019102.9102.5102.512.4%
June 2019102.6102.1102.313.2%
July 2019102.0102.0102.212.2%
August 2019101.9101.9102.113.3%
September 2019102.1102.0102.613.6%
October 2019101.5101.3102.313.6%
November 2019101.8101.5103.013.4%
December 2019103.2102.9103.813.3%
January 2020103.6100.3101.614.2%
February 2020104.8101.8103.415.1%
March 2020104.6101.6103.014.2%
April 2020100.696.698.315.1%
May 2020100.495.396.613.0%
June 2020102.397.298.113.6%
July 2020103.098.198.814.1%
August 2020103.798.999.513.3%
September 2020104.099.299.513.4%
October 2020104.699.6100.712.6%
November 2020105.7100.7101.911.9%
December 2020105.8101.1102.811.9%
January 2021103.598.6100.713.0%
February 2021105.9101.4103.112.1%
March 2021105.6101.5103.311.5%
April 2021105.5101.1103.111.3%
May 2021107.2102.8104.510.9%
June 2021107.3102.6104.311.3%
July 2021107.1101.5104.110.8%
August 2021103.996.9102.710.7%
September 2021103.496.6101.910.7%
October 2021102.096.8101.712.4%
November 2021105.5101.5105.110.2%
December 2021106.5103.1106.310.2%
January 2022104.2100.6104.210.9%
February 2022107.0103.7107.010.1%
March 2022107.1103.5106.810.1%
April 2022107.2104.1107.09.1%
May 2022108.4105.4108.19.8%
June 2022108.9105.9108.58.7%
July 2022109.6105.7108.28.3%
August 2022115.4105.7108.38.1%
September 2022116.1106.8108.68.2%
October 2022116.5107.4109.17.6%
November 2022117.4108.3110.27.9%
December 2022117.8109.0110.77.5%
January 2023115.0106.0108.18.0%
February 2023117.0108.5110.89.0%
March 2023116.1107.6111.29.2%
April 2023116.2108.3110.88.1%
May 2023117.7109.5112.37.4%
June 2023117.8109.8112.07.9%
July 2023116.4108.8111.78.7%
August 2023116.8109.1111.79.5%
September 2023117.2109.3112.08.6%
October 2023117.8109.8112.68.6%
November 2023118.9111.3113.68.6%
December 2023118.7111.2113.79.1%
January 2024115.6107.6110.711.3%
February 2024118.0110.4114.110.4%
March 2024117.5110.2113.611.2%
April 2024117.2109.9113.510.7%
May 2024118.1110.8114.510.7%
June 2024118.0110.6114.410.1%
July 2024118.1111.4114.49.8%
August 2024117.3110.4114.110.0%
September 2024118.1111.3114.89.9%
October 2024117.8110.6114.910.3%
November 2024118.9111.8115.79.9%
December 2024120.0113.2116.69.7%
January 2025117.9110.7114.311.3%
February 2025118.5111.6115.811.1%
March 2025118.4111.6115.811.1%
April 2025119.4112.4116.211.3%
May 2025119.3112.4116.912.0%
June 2025118.5111.6116.410.4%
July 2025119.2112.2116.310.8%
August 2025117.4110.6115.611.5%
September 2025118.1111.2116.110.6%
October 2025118.9112.1116.510.6%
November 2025119.1112.3116.99.2%
December 2025119.8113.2117.89.9%
January 2026117.8110.7115.411.7%
February 2026120.0113.4117.811.6%
March 2026120.3113.9117.711.5%
April 2026119.2112.7117.011.2%
May 2026119.8113.3118.011.5%
June 2026120.8114.4118.49.9%
July 2026120.9113.7117.710.2%
August 2026120.3113.3117.510.9%
September 2026119.2112.4117.410.5%

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 New England and North West, from Jobs and Skills Australia's monthly nowcast, to September 2026.

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, New England and North West, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 99,548 people employed in the New England and North West across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 4 of the New England and North West's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Livestock Farmers: 7,206Livestock Farmers7,206Sales Assistants (General): 3,507Sales Assistants (General)3,507Truck Drivers: 2,503Truck Drivers2,503General Clerks: 2,304General Clerks2,304Aged and Disabled Carers: 2,180Aged and Disabled Carers2,180Education Aides: 1,975Education Aides1,975Livestock Farm Workers: 1,958Livestock Farm Workers1,958Registered Nurses: 1,954Registered Nurses1,954Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers: 1,628Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers1,628Secondary School Teachers: 1,627Secondary School Teachers1,627

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

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, New England and North West, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Livestock Farmers7,2067,195+0.2%
Sales Assistants (General)3,5073,835−8.6%
Truck Drivers2,5032,299+8.9%Shortage
General Clerks2,3042,229+3.4%
Aged and Disabled Carers2,1802,114+3.1%Shortage
Education Aides1,9751,958+0.9%
Livestock Farm Workers1,9581,610+21.6%
Registered Nurses1,9541,906+2.5%Shortage
Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers1,6281,498+8.7%
Secondary School Teachers1,6271,823−10.8%Shortage
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, New England and North West, 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.
Livestock Farm Workers: +21.6%Livestock Farm Workers+21.6%Carpenters and Joiners: +16.7%Carpenters and Joiners+16.7%Bookkeepers: +15.7%Bookkeepers+15.7%Waiters: +15.7%Waiters+15.7%Vocational Education Teachers: +14.9%Vocational Education Teachers+14.9%Production Managers: −10.4%Production Managers−10.4%Secondary School Teachers: −10.8%Secondary School Teachers−10.8%Pharmacy Sales Assistants: −13.8%Pharmacy Sales Assistants−13.8%Accounting Clerks: −15.2%Accounting Clerks−15.2%Retail Managers: −19.2%Retail Managers−19.2%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, New England and North West, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Livestock Farm Workers1,9581,610+21.6%
Carpenters and Joiners1,3181,129+16.7%
Bookkeepers1,2971,121+15.7%
Waiters1,1961,034+15.7%
Vocational Education Teachers927807+14.9%
Production Managers660737−10.4%
Secondary School Teachers1,6271,823−10.8%
Pharmacy Sales Assistants523607−13.8%
Accounting Clerks1,0991,296−15.2%
Retail Managers1,5591,930−19.2%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, New England and North West, 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.
  • Livestock Farmers
  • Sales Assistants (General)
  • Truck Drivers
  • General Clerks
  • Aged and Disabled Carers
02.5k5k7.5k10kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Livestock FarmersLivestock Farmers, Sep 2021: 8,498Livestock Farmers, Sep 2026: 7,2067,206Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 2,499Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 3,5073,507Truck DriversTruck Drivers, Sep 2021: 2,341Truck Drivers, Sep 2026: 2,5032,503General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 1,292General Clerks, Sep 2026: 2,3042,304Aged and Disabled CarersAged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2021: 2,194Aged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2026: 2,1802,180

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, New England and North West, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthLivestock FarmersSales Assistants (General)Truck DriversGeneral ClerksAged and Disabled Carers
September 20218,4982,4992,3411,2922,194
September 20227,1812,3271,7571,5151,676
September 20236,9123,0431,5231,7221,831
September 20247,4923,8141,8161,9292,008
September 20257,1953,8352,2992,2292,114
September 20267,2063,5072,5032,3042,180

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 New England and North West, 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, New England and North WestPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
8.75k9k9.25k9.5k9.75k10kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026New England and North WestNew England and North West, Jun 2026: 9,7459,745

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, New England and North West, against New South Wales and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in the New England and North West for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • New England and North West, 12 months or more
  • New England and North West, 24 months or more
  • New South Wales, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
40%50%60%70%80%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026New England and North West, 12 months or moreNew England and North West, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 72.1%72.1%New England and North West, 24 months or moreNew England and North West, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 53.6%53.6%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, New England and North West, 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, New England and North WestIn services 12 months or more, New England and North WestIn services 24 months or more, New England and North WestIn services 12 months or more, New South WalesIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20248,99569.3%50.8%60.7%60.8%
December 20249,01569.3%50.6%60.7%60.7%
January 20259,23069.1%50.1%60.4%60.5%
February 20259,41069.2%49.7%60.4%60.3%
March 20259,35569.8%49.8%60.5%60.3%
April 20259,44069.5%49.5%60.8%60.5%
May 20259,49570.1%49.8%61.0%60.7%
June 20259,45071.1%50.5%61.7%61.3%
July 20259,52571.5%50.7%62.0%61.7%
August 20259,49571.6%50.9%62.6%62.2%
September 20259,50571.8%51.0%62.8%62.4%
October 20259,54072.1%51.9%63.1%62.7%
November 20259,56071.9%51.9%62.9%62.5%
December 20259,52572.2%51.9%63.1%62.6%
January 20269,64572.0%51.9%63.1%62.7%
February 20269,81071.6%51.8%63.5%63.1%
March 20269,83571.8%52.3%63.8%63.4%
April 20269,86071.7%52.2%64.1%63.8%
May 20269,79572.1%53.0%64.4%64.2%
June 20269,74572.1%53.6%64.6%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, New England and North West, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 2,775Under 252,77525–34: 2,17025–342,17035–44: 1,78035–441,78045–54: 1,55045–541,55055 and over: 1,46555 and over1,465

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, New England and North West, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 252,77528%
25–342,17022%
35–441,78018%
45–541,55016%
55 and over1,46515%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, New England and North West, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 6,675JobSeeker Payment6,675Youth Allowance (other): 1,440Youth Allowance (other)1,440Other: 1,625Other1,625

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, New England and North West, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment6,67568%
Youth Allowance (other)1,44015%
Other1,62517%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the New England North West, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in the New England North West
819
ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026[9]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, New England North WestThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 29 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 392Healthcare & Medical392Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 166Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics166Retail & Consumer Products: 43Retail & Consumer Products43Community Services & Development: 35Community Services & Development35Self Employment: 33Self Employment33Trades & Services: 29Trades & Services29Hospitality & Tourism: 24Hospitality & Tourism24Mining, Resources & Energy: 24Mining, Resources & Energy24

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, New England North West
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical392
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics166
Retail & Consumer Products43
Community Services & Development35
Self Employment33
Trades & Services29
Hospitality & Tourism24
Mining, Resources & Energy24

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, New England and North West, 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.
  • New England and North West
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k2021–222022–232023–24New England and North WestNew England and North West, 2021–22: $59,045New England and North West, 2022–23: $62,598New England and North West, 2023–24: $65,916$65,916New 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, New England and North West, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearNew England and North WestNew South WalesAustralia
2021–22$59,045$72,962$69,980
2022–23$62,598$77,277$73,647
2023–24$65,916$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 New England and North West's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the New England and North West?

1,405 online job ads a month were placed in the New England and North West, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the New England and North West's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the New England and North West were up 2.9% on a year earlier, from 1,366 to 1,405 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 New England and North West?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 358 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (167) and carers and aides (73). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for farmers and farm managers rose fastest, up 80.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the New England and North West?

The unemployment rate in the New England and North West was 4.6% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales. A year earlier it was 4.4%. 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 New England and North West?

Yes. Unemployment in the New England and North West was up 0.2 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 4.6% against 4.4% (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 New England and North West?

An estimated 7,206 of the 99,548 people employed in the New England and North West in September 2026 worked as Livestock Farmers, the largest occupation there. Next were Sales Assistants (General), with 3,507 people, and Truck Drivers, with 2,503 people. These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Which occupations are growing fastest in the New England and North West?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Livestock Farm Workers grew fastest in the New England and North West, up 21.6% to an estimated 1,958 people employed, followed by Carpenters and Joiners (up 16.7%). 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 New England and North West?

9,745 people in the New England and North West were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 3.1% on a year earlier. 72.1% 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 New England and North West been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 72.1% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 53.6% 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 New England and North West?

At least 819 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the New England and North West, as of 29 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the New England North West, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (392), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (166) and Retail & Consumer Products (43).

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 New England and North West here is ABS SA4 110 New England and North West. 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). New England and North West job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/new-england-and-north-west

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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