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Job market report

Riverina 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 Riverina, 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 113 Riverina
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Riverina were up 6.9% on a year earlier, from 1,158 to 1,238 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, 164 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (86) and automotive and engineering trades (80).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for medical practitioners and nurses rose fastest, up 70.8%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in the Riverina was 3.7% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales.

    A year earlier it was 3.6%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 4,790 people in the Riverina were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 0.1% on a year earlier.

    69.0% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
3.7%
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.1 points on September 2025[3]
Employed people
83,187
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.7% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
1,238
JSA, September 2026 · up 6.9% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
4,790
DEWR, June 2026 · up 0.1% 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.

Riverina
+6.9%
1,238 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, RiverinaThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.2k1.4k1.6k1.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026RiverinaRiverina, Sep 2026: 1,2381,238

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Riverina
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,612
November 20231,530
December 20231,396
January 20241,355
February 20241,338
March 20241,380
April 20241,352
May 20241,337
June 20241,240
July 20241,149
August 20241,134
September 20241,193
October 20241,238
November 20241,192
December 20241,085
January 20251,065
February 20251,035
March 20251,127
April 20251,084
May 20251,122
June 20251,087
July 20251,136
August 20251,114
September 20251,158
October 20251,159
November 20251,133
December 20251,042
January 20261,052
February 20261,100
March 20261,205
April 20261,129
May 20261,098
June 20261,041
July 20261,102
August 20261,171
September 20261,238

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, RiverinaThe 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: +70.8%Medical practitioners and nurses+70.8%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +26.5%Legal, social and welfare professionals+26.5%Sales assistants and salespersons: +23.7%Sales assistants and salespersons+23.7%Mobile plant operators: +21.7%Mobile plant operators+21.7%Business, finance and human resource professionals: +11.1%Business, finance and human resource professionals+11.1%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +4.9%Hospitality, retail and service managers+4.9%Carers and aides: +2.6%Carers and aides+2.6%Other labourers: +2.3%Other labourers+2.3%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −1.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−1.5%Drivers and storepersons: −2.3%Drivers and storepersons−2.3%Automotive and engineering trades: −3.6%Automotive and engineering trades−3.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −14.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−14.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Riverina
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses16496+70.8%
Legal, social and welfare professionals8668+26.5%
Automotive and engineering trades8083−3.6%
Carers and aides7977+2.6%
Sales assistants and salespersons7359+23.7%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists6465−1.5%
Other labourers4544+2.3%
Hospitality, retail and service managers4341+4.9%
Drivers and storepersons4243−2.3%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3541−14.6%
Business, finance and human resource professionals3027+11.1%
Mobile plant operators2823+21.7%
Engineers2717+58.8%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians2633−21.2%
Food trades2616+62.5%
Corporate managers2528−10.7%
Numerical clerks2315+53.3%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2226−15.4%
Cleaners and laundry workers2124−12.5%
Construction, production and distribution managers1918+5.6%
Construction trades19190.0%
Health and welfare support workers1836−50.0%
Hospitality workers1815+20.0%
Factory process workers1819−5.3%
Education professionals1715+13.3%
Other clerical and administrative workers1720−15.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1720−15.0%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1314−7.1%
Sales representatives and agents139+44.4%
Machine and stationary plant operators1319−31.6%
Health, education, ICT and other managers128+50.0%
Farmers and farm managers1113−15.4%
Science professionals and veterinarians1014−28.6%
Sales support workers98+12.5%
Construction and mining labourers96+50.0%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers815−46.7%
Sports, travel and personal service workers810−20.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects7fewer than 5n/a
Food preparation assistants7fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators550.0%
ICT professionals56−16.7%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers510−50.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workers5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 55n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

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

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Riverina, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
2%4%6%8%May 2020Dec 2021Jul 2023Feb 2025Sep 2026RiverinaRiverina, Sep 2026: 3.7%3.7%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, Riverina, 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.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
60%62%64%66%68%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026RiverinaRiverina, Sep 2026: 65.3%65.3%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, Riverina, 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.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026RiverinaRiverina, Sep 2026: 101.7101.7New 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, RiverinaThe 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: 8.5%8.5%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 3.7%3.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, Riverina, 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, RiverinaUnemployment rate, New South WalesUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, RiverinaParticipation rate, New South WalesParticipation rate, Australia
January 20193.5%4.3%5.4%65.7%64.3%65.1%
February 20193.9%4.7%5.4%66.7%65.3%66.1%
March 20194.0%4.6%5.4%66.5%65.1%65.8%
April 20193.9%4.5%5.3%66.9%65.5%65.9%
May 20193.8%4.5%5.1%67.2%65.9%66.1%
June 20193.7%4.6%5.1%67.0%65.6%65.9%
July 20193.6%4.5%5.2%65.7%65.4%65.8%
August 20194.0%4.4%5.3%65.9%65.1%65.7%
September 20193.9%4.4%5.1%66.0%65.2%65.8%
October 20194.0%4.7%5.1%65.7%64.9%65.5%
November 20193.9%4.4%4.8%65.8%64.7%65.7%
December 20193.9%4.4%4.8%66.6%65.6%66.2%
January 20204.4%4.8%5.7%63.6%64.2%65.2%
February 20204.3%5.0%5.5%64.5%65.1%66.2%
March 20204.3%5.1%5.5%64.5%65.0%65.8%
April 20205.0%6.3%6.4%62.3%62.6%63.4%
May 20204.7%6.3%6.9%61.7%61.8%62.5%
June 20205.0%6.6%7.2%63.1%63.2%63.8%
July 20205.1%7.1%7.3%63.6%64.2%64.3%
August 20204.9%6.4%6.8%64.0%64.3%64.4%
September 20205.1%6.8%6.7%64.3%64.8%64.4%
October 20204.8%6.3%6.7%64.5%64.7%65.1%
November 20204.4%6.0%6.3%65.0%65.2%65.6%
December 20204.0%6.2%6.2%64.8%65.6%66.1%
January 20214.9%6.4%6.8%64.0%64.1%65.1%
February 20214.0%6.0%6.3%65.0%65.7%66.3%
March 20213.9%5.8%6.0%64.8%65.6%66.2%
April 20213.9%5.4%5.6%64.8%65.1%65.7%
May 20213.4%5.0%5.0%65.2%65.9%66.2%
June 20213.7%5.1%4.9%65.3%65.7%66.0%
July 20213.4%4.5%4.7%66.0%64.7%65.7%
August 20213.6%4.7%4.6%64.3%61.9%64.7%
September 20213.1%4.5%4.6%63.7%61.6%64.2%
October 20213.4%5.3%5.0%63.0%62.2%64.3%
November 20213.4%4.4%4.3%65.1%64.5%65.9%
December 20213.0%3.9%4.0%65.3%65.1%66.4%
January 20223.5%4.5%4.5%64.5%63.8%65.2%
February 20223.2%4.0%4.4%65.9%65.3%66.8%
March 20223.1%4.1%4.2%65.6%65.2%66.4%
April 20222.7%3.5%3.9%65.4%65.0%66.2%
May 20223.0%4.0%3.9%66.3%66.1%66.7%
June 20222.7%3.3%3.5%66.2%65.9%66.6%
July 20222.7%3.3%3.4%66.7%65.6%66.2%
August 20222.8%3.5%3.5%64.1%65.6%66.2%
September 20222.8%3.3%3.5%64.5%66.0%66.2%
October 20222.7%3.0%3.3%64.7%66.0%66.2%
November 20222.7%3.1%3.3%65.0%66.5%66.8%
December 20222.5%3.1%3.3%65.2%66.8%67.0%
January 20232.9%3.4%4.0%64.0%65.0%65.6%
February 20232.9%3.4%3.9%65.2%66.4%67.0%
March 20232.8%3.5%3.8%64.4%65.7%66.9%
April 20232.9%3.4%3.8%64.6%65.9%66.6%
May 20232.5%3.1%3.5%65.1%66.3%67.1%
June 20232.6%2.9%3.4%65.2%66.2%66.8%
July 20232.8%3.3%3.6%64.7%65.7%66.5%
August 20233.2%3.6%3.7%65.0%66.0%66.4%
September 20233.0%3.3%3.5%64.9%65.7%66.2%
October 20232.8%3.4%3.6%65.1%66.0%66.6%
November 20232.7%3.3%3.6%65.6%66.7%67.1%
December 20233.0%3.3%3.8%65.6%66.6%67.1%
January 20243.5%4.5%4.5%64.0%65.1%65.7%
February 20243.0%3.9%4.0%65.0%66.2%67.3%
March 20243.2%4.0%4.1%64.8%66.1%66.9%
April 20243.4%4.0%4.2%64.9%65.8%66.8%
May 20243.2%3.7%3.9%65.2%66.2%67.1%
June 20243.4%3.8%3.9%65.2%66.1%66.9%
July 20243.5%3.9%4.1%65.5%66.5%67.0%
August 20243.4%4.1%4.1%64.9%65.9%66.7%
September 20243.3%3.7%3.9%65.3%66.1%66.8%
October 20243.5%3.9%3.9%65.2%65.8%66.9%
November 20243.3%3.7%3.6%65.7%66.3%67.0%
December 20243.1%3.6%3.8%66.2%66.9%67.5%
January 20253.8%4.4%4.5%65.2%65.9%66.6%
February 20253.5%4.3%4.4%65.5%66.3%67.2%
March 20253.8%4.4%4.3%65.6%66.3%67.0%
April 20253.4%3.9%4.1%66.0%66.3%67.1%
May 20253.3%4.1%4.0%65.7%66.4%67.4%
June 20253.7%4.3%4.2%65.5%66.1%67.1%
July 20253.1%3.9%4.2%65.3%66.0%66.9%
August 20253.6%4.3%4.3%64.6%65.2%66.4%
September 20253.6%4.2%4.3%64.8%65.4%66.7%
October 20253.7%4.1%4.2%65.4%65.9%66.7%
November 20253.1%3.6%4.0%65.3%65.5%66.8%
December 20253.1%3.7%3.9%65.5%66.1%67.1%
January 20263.9%4.5%4.5%64.9%65.0%66.1%
February 20263.7%4.3%4.6%66.1%66.4%67.4%
March 20263.7%4.6%4.5%66.2%66.8%67.1%
April 20263.9%4.5%4.6%65.9%66.0%66.7%
May 20263.5%4.3%4.3%65.8%66.2%67.0%
June 20263.0%3.9%4.3%65.8%66.4%67.1%
July 20263.6%4.1%4.4%66.2%66.2%66.7%
August 20263.5%4.3%4.6%65.6%65.9%66.6%
September 20263.7%4.7%4.6%65.3%65.6%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, RiverinaEmployed people, index, New South WalesEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Riverina
January 2019100.0100.0100.08.2%
February 2019101.2101.2101.78.9%
March 2019100.9101.0101.59.1%
April 2019101.7101.9101.98.8%
May 2019102.3102.5102.58.5%
June 2019102.1102.1102.38.3%
July 2019100.3102.0102.28.3%
August 2019100.2101.9102.19.0%
September 2019100.5102.0102.68.9%
October 2019100.1101.3102.39.3%
November 2019100.4101.5103.09.0%
December 2019101.8102.9103.89.0%
January 202096.9100.3101.610.3%
February 202098.4101.8103.410.0%
March 202098.5101.6103.09.8%
April 202094.496.698.310.9%
May 202093.795.396.610.2%
June 202095.697.298.110.4%
July 202096.198.198.810.2%
August 202096.798.999.59.7%
September 202096.899.299.510.0%
October 202097.799.6100.79.5%
November 202098.9100.7101.98.7%
December 202099.1101.1102.88.0%
January 202196.998.6100.79.9%
February 202199.2101.4103.18.2%
March 202199.1101.5103.37.9%
April 202199.0101.1103.18.0%
May 2021100.3102.8104.57.0%
June 2021100.2102.6104.37.9%
July 2021101.5101.5104.17.3%
August 202198.596.9102.77.9%
September 202198.196.6101.97.0%
October 202196.796.8101.77.6%
November 2021100.0101.5105.17.4%
December 2021100.9103.1106.36.3%
January 202299.1100.6104.27.4%
February 2022101.5103.7107.06.8%
March 2022101.4103.5106.86.4%
April 2022101.6104.1107.05.8%
May 2022102.7105.4108.16.3%
June 2022102.9105.9108.55.7%
July 2022103.8105.7108.25.7%
August 202299.7105.7108.36.0%
September 2022100.3106.8108.66.0%
October 2022100.7107.4109.15.7%
November 2022101.4108.3110.25.6%
December 2022101.9109.0110.75.2%
January 202399.8106.0108.16.1%
February 2023101.7108.5110.86.2%
March 2023100.6107.6111.25.9%
April 2023100.9108.3110.86.2%
May 2023102.0109.5112.35.3%
June 2023102.0109.8112.05.7%
July 2023101.2108.8111.76.1%
August 2023101.4109.1111.77.0%
September 2023101.7109.3112.06.5%
October 2023102.3109.8112.66.2%
November 2023103.2111.3113.66.3%
December 2023103.0111.2113.76.8%
January 2024100.1107.6110.78.0%
February 2024102.2110.4114.17.1%
March 2024101.8110.2113.67.5%
April 2024101.7109.9113.58.0%
May 2024102.2110.8114.57.5%
June 2024101.9110.6114.47.9%
July 2024102.4111.4114.48.0%
August 2024101.5110.4114.17.9%
September 2024102.2111.3114.87.5%
October 2024101.8110.6114.98.0%
November 2024102.8111.8115.77.6%
December 2024103.8113.2116.67.4%
January 2025101.6110.7114.38.8%
February 2025102.3111.6115.88.4%
March 2025102.3111.6115.88.9%
April 2025103.1112.4116.28.2%
May 2025102.6112.4116.98.3%
June 2025101.8111.6116.49.2%
July 2025102.1112.2116.37.7%
August 2025100.5110.6115.68.6%
September 2025101.0111.2116.18.4%
October 2025101.8112.1116.58.4%
November 2025102.4112.3116.97.3%
December 2025102.9113.2117.87.3%
January 2026101.0110.7115.49.1%
February 2026103.0113.4117.88.8%
March 2026103.1113.9117.78.9%
April 2026102.4112.7117.09.3%
May 2026102.7113.3118.08.3%
June 2026103.2114.4118.47.0%
July 2026103.0113.7117.78.3%
August 2026102.4113.3117.58.0%
September 2026101.7112.4117.48.5%

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

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Riverina, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 83,850 people employed in the Riverina across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 6 of the Riverina's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Sales Assistants (General): 2,832Sales Assistants (General)2,832Registered Nurses: 2,314Registered Nurses2,314Aged and Disabled Carers: 2,174Aged and Disabled Carers2,174Livestock Farmers: 1,843Livestock Farmers1,843General Clerks: 1,724General Clerks1,724Child Carers: 1,537Child Carers1,537Retail Managers: 1,383Retail Managers1,383Truck Drivers: 1,358Truck Drivers1,358Secondary School Teachers: 1,311Secondary School Teachers1,311Carpenters and Joiners: 1,239Carpenters and Joiners1,239

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

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Riverina, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Sales Assistants (General)2,8322,726+3.9%
Registered Nurses2,3142,305+0.4%Shortage
Aged and Disabled Carers2,1742,109+3.1%Shortage
Livestock Farmers1,8431,842+0.1%
General Clerks1,7241,577+9.3%
Child Carers1,5371,372+12.0%Shortage
Retail Managers1,3831,428−3.2%
Truck Drivers1,3581,319+3.0%Shortage
Secondary School Teachers1,3111,390−5.7%Shortage
Carpenters and Joiners1,2391,149+7.8%Shortage
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Riverina, 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: +28.4%Prison Officers+28.4%Butchers and Smallgoods Makers: +23.6%Butchers and Smallgoods Makers+23.6%General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers: +18.9%General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers+18.9%Storepersons: +15.1%Storepersons+15.1%Accountants: +14.0%Accountants+14.0%Kitchenhands: −9.0%Kitchenhands−9.0%Education Aides: −9.1%Education Aides−9.1%Hairdressers: −12.9%Hairdressers−12.9%Packers: −13.4%Packers−13.4%Crop Farmers: −18.1%Crop Farmers−18.1%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Riverina, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Prison Officers271211+28.4%
Butchers and Smallgoods Makers619501+23.6%
General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers938789+18.9%
Storepersons869755+15.1%
Accountants1,1411,001+14.0%
Kitchenhands1,2261,347−9.0%
Education Aides814895−9.1%
Hairdressers589676−12.9%
Packers808933−13.4%
Crop Farmers1,1601,417−18.1%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Riverina, 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)
  • Registered Nurses
  • Aged and Disabled Carers
  • Livestock Farmers
  • General Clerks
01k2k3k4kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 3,290Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 2,8322,832Registered NursesRegistered Nurses, Sep 2021: 2,388Registered Nurses, Sep 2026: 2,3142,314Aged and Disabled CarersAged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2021: 1,718Aged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2026: 2,1742,174Livestock FarmersLivestock Farmers, Sep 2021: 1,235Livestock Farmers, Sep 2026: 1,8431,843General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 2,080General Clerks, Sep 2026: 1,7241,724

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Riverina, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthSales Assistants (General)Registered NursesAged and Disabled CarersLivestock FarmersGeneral Clerks
September 20213,2902,3881,7181,2352,080
September 20223,8792,7771,6371,1151,649
September 20233,3582,7601,7811,2841,517
September 20242,7252,4421,9851,7181,471
September 20252,7262,3052,1091,8421,577
September 20262,8322,3142,1741,8431,724

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 Riverina, 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, RiverinaPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
4.4k4.6k4.8k5kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026RiverinaRiverina, Jun 2026: 4,7904,790

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, Riverina, against New South Wales and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in the Riverina for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Riverina, 12 months or more
  • Riverina, 24 months or more
  • New South Wales, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
40%50%60%70%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Riverina, 12 months or moreRiverina, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 69.0%69.0%Riverina, 24 months or moreRiverina, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 49.1%49.1%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, Riverina, 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, RiverinaIn services 12 months or more, RiverinaIn services 24 months or more, RiverinaIn services 12 months or more, New South WalesIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20244,42065.0%43.1%60.7%60.8%
December 20244,44565.2%43.3%60.7%60.7%
January 20254,60065.0%42.7%60.4%60.5%
February 20254,72065.3%42.2%60.4%60.3%
March 20254,73064.9%42.1%60.5%60.3%
April 20254,73565.8%42.3%60.8%60.5%
May 20254,83066.1%43.2%61.0%60.7%
June 20254,78566.9%44.0%61.7%61.3%
July 20254,80066.9%44.3%62.0%61.7%
August 20254,75567.6%45.6%62.6%62.2%
September 20254,76067.3%45.3%62.8%62.4%
October 20254,79567.3%45.7%63.1%62.7%
November 20254,75067.4%46.3%62.9%62.5%
December 20254,75068.0%46.7%63.1%62.6%
January 20264,80568.4%46.9%63.1%62.7%
February 20264,81068.7%47.3%63.5%63.1%
March 20264,80069.2%47.8%63.8%63.4%
April 20264,78069.1%48.0%64.1%63.8%
May 20264,81569.3%48.7%64.4%64.2%
June 20264,79069.0%49.1%64.6%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Riverina, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 1,175Under 251,17525–34: 1,20025–341,20035–44: 95535–4495545–54: 82545–5482555 and over: 63555 and over635

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Riverina, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 251,17525%
25–341,20025%
35–4495520%
45–5482517%
55 and over63513%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Riverina, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 3,490JobSeeker Payment3,490Youth Allowance (other): 675Youth Allowance (other)675Other: 625Other625

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Riverina, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment3,49073%
Youth Allowance (other)67514%
Other62513%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

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

Live jobs on ViewJobs in the Riverina
458
ViewJobs, 30 Oct 2026[9]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, RiverinaThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 30 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 200Healthcare & Medical200Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 40Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics40Retail & Consumer Products: 39Retail & Consumer Products39Farming, Animals & Conservation: 33Farming, Animals & Conservation33Trades & Services: 25Trades & Services25Community Services & Development: 18Community Services & Development18Mining, Resources & Energy: 16Mining, Resources & Energy16Hospitality & Tourism: 13Hospitality & Tourism13

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Riverina
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical200
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics40
Retail & Consumer Products39
Farming, Animals & Conservation33
Trades & Services25
Community Services & Development18
Mining, Resources & Energy16
Hospitality & Tourism13

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, Riverina, 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.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k2021–222022–232023–24RiverinaRiverina, 2021–22: $59,512Riverina, 2022–23: $62,463Riverina, 2023–24: $65,739$65,739New 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, Riverina, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearRiverinaNew South WalesAustralia
2021–22$59,512$72,962$69,980
2022–23$62,463$77,277$73,647
2023–24$65,739$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 Riverina's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Riverina?

1,238 online job ads a month were placed in the Riverina, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Riverina's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Riverina were up 6.9% on a year earlier, from 1,158 to 1,238 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 Riverina?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 164 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (86) and automotive and engineering trades (80). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for medical practitioners and nurses rose fastest, up 70.8%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Riverina?

The unemployment rate in the Riverina was 3.7% in September 2026, against 4.7% across New South Wales. A year earlier it was 3.6%. 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 Riverina?

Yes. Unemployment in the Riverina was up 0.1 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 3.7% against 3.6% (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 Riverina?

An estimated 2,832 of the 83,850 people employed in the Riverina in September 2026 worked as Sales Assistants (General), the largest occupation there. Next were Registered Nurses (2,314 people) and Aged and Disabled Carers (2,174 people). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Which occupations are growing fastest in the Riverina?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Prison Officers grew fastest in the Riverina, up 28.4% to an estimated 271 people employed, followed by Butchers and Smallgoods Makers (up 23.6%) and General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers (up 18.9%). 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 Riverina?

4,790 people in the Riverina were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 0.1% on a year earlier. 69.0% 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 Riverina been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 69.0% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 49.1% 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 Riverina?

At least 458 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Riverina, as of 30 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 (200), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (40) and Retail & Consumer Products (39).

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 Riverina here is ABS SA4 113 Riverina. 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 30 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, 30 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). Riverina job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/riverina

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.

ViewJobs

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