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Job market report

Outback Northern Territory job market report

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

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS Regional Labour Force September 2026; JSA NERO September 2026; DEWR June 2026; ATO 2023–24; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
27 October 2026
Area
ABS SA4 702 Northern Territory - Outback
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Steady: online job ads in Outback Northern Territory were down 1.7% on a year earlier, from 978 to 961 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were down 8.5% across the Northern Territory and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 125 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (77) and legal, social and welfare professionals (58).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineering, ICT and science technicians rose fastest, up 70.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in Outback Northern Territory was 6.5% in September 2026, against 4.3% across the Northern Territory.

    A year earlier it was 5.8%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 1,480 people in Outback Northern Territory were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, down 6.3% on a year earlier.

    58.1% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
6.5%
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.7 points on September 2025[3]
Employed people
54,015
ABS, September 2026 · down 0.9% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
961
JSA, September 2026 · down 1.7% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
1,480
DEWR, June 2026 · down 6.3% 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.

Outback Northern Territory
−1.7%
961 ads a month[1]
Northern Territory
−8.5%
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, Outback Northern TerritoryThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
8009001k1.1k1.2k1.3kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Outback Northern TerritoryOutback Northern Territory, Sep 2026: 961961

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Outback Northern Territory
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,225
November 20231,212
December 20231,109
January 20241,060
February 20241,062
March 20241,148
April 20241,126
May 20241,093
June 20241,033
July 20241,039
August 20241,025
September 20241,059
October 20241,072
November 20241,083
December 2024998
January 2025989
February 2025961
March 20251,035
April 2025948
May 2025917
June 2025881
July 2025935
August 2025945
September 2025978
October 2025996
November 2025974
December 2025898
January 2026895
February 2026913
March 20261,025
April 20261,005
May 2026996
June 2026957
July 2026954
August 2026967
September 2026961

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, Outback Northern TerritoryThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Other labourers: +42.9%Other labourers+42.9%Food trades: +10.7%Food trades+10.7%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +8.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers+8.0%Medical practitioners and nurses: +6.8%Medical practitioners and nurses+6.8%Automotive and engineering trades: +5.4%Automotive and engineering trades+5.4%Drivers and storepersons: −7.7%Drivers and storepersons−7.7%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −13.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−13.5%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −17.2%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−17.2%Sales assistants and salespersons: −18.4%Sales assistants and salespersons−18.4%Health and welfare support workers: −20.5%Health and welfare support workers−20.5%Carers and aides: −23.6%Carers and aides−23.6%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −27.5%Legal, social and welfare professionals−27.5%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Outback Northern Territory
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses125117+6.8%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists7789−13.5%
Legal, social and welfare professionals5880−27.5%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals4858−17.2%
Carers and aides4255−23.6%
Automotive and engineering trades3937+5.4%
Food trades3128+10.7%
Health and welfare support workers3139−20.5%
Sales assistants and salespersons3138−18.4%
Other labourers3021+42.9%
Hospitality, retail and service managers2725+8.0%
Drivers and storepersons2426−7.7%
Corporate managers2319+21.1%
Hospitality workers2315+53.3%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2114+50.0%
Other clerical and administrative workers2116+31.3%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries2116+31.3%
Cleaners and laundry workers2022−9.1%
Construction, production and distribution managers19190.0%
Construction trades1920−5.0%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians1710+70.0%
Numerical clerks1611+45.5%
Business, finance and human resource professionals1516−6.3%
Engineers1513+15.4%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1413+7.7%
Education professionals1317−23.5%
Mobile plant operators138+62.5%
Protective service workers1213−7.7%
Sports, travel and personal service workers1114−21.4%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers107+42.9%
Construction and mining labourers107+42.9%
Farm, forestry and garden workers911−18.2%
Information professionals713−46.2%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers76+16.7%
Sales representatives and agents75+40.0%
Machine and stationary plant operators710−30.0%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators660.0%
Arts and media professionals65+20.0%
Science professionals and veterinarians68−25.0%
Food preparation assistants6fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Transport and design professionals, and architectsfewer than 56n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Sales support workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Factory process workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 55n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

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

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Outback Northern Territory, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against the Northern Territory and Australia.
  • Outback Northern Territory
  • Northern Territory
  • Australia
2%4%6%8%10%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Outback Northern TerritoryOutback Northern Territory, Sep 2026: 6.5%6.5%Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, Sep 2026: 4.3%4.3%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, Outback Northern Territory, from January 2019Share of people aged 15 and over in the labour force each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against the Northern Territory and Australia.
  • Outback Northern Territory
  • Northern Territory
  • Australia
60%65%70%75%80%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Outback Northern TerritoryOutback Northern Territory, Sep 2026: 68.1%68.1%Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, Sep 2026: 71.0%71.0%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, Outback Northern Territory, indexed to January 2019 = 100Employed people each month as an index, January 2019 = 100, against the Northern Territory and Australia, so places of different size share one scale.
  • Outback Northern Territory
  • Northern Territory
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Outback Northern TerritoryOutback Northern Territory, Sep 2026: 111.1111.1Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, Sep 2026: 111.5111.5AustraliaAustralia, 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, Outback Northern TerritoryThe unemployment rate each month among people aged 15 to 24, against all ages, January 2019 to September 2026.
  • Aged 15–24
  • All ages
0%5%10%15%20%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Aged 15–24Aged 15–24, Sep 2026: 14.1%14.1%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 6.5%6.5%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

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

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

Show the numbers
Unemployment and participation rates
MonthUnemployment rate, Outback Northern TerritoryUnemployment rate, Northern TerritoryUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, Outback Northern TerritoryParticipation rate, Northern TerritoryParticipation rate, Australia
January 20197.1%5.8%5.4%69.8%73.3%65.1%
February 20198.1%6.6%5.4%70.6%74.0%66.1%
March 20197.3%5.4%5.4%70.3%73.2%65.8%
April 20197.9%6.0%5.3%70.3%73.1%65.9%
May 20197.7%6.1%5.1%69.9%73.0%66.1%
June 20197.9%5.9%5.1%71.5%74.4%65.9%
July 20198.8%6.3%5.2%70.7%73.0%65.8%
August 20198.1%6.2%5.3%70.7%73.5%65.7%
September 20199.1%6.8%5.1%73.0%75.5%65.8%
October 20198.9%6.5%5.1%71.6%73.9%65.5%
November 20197.8%6.1%4.8%71.8%74.7%65.7%
December 20197.6%5.4%4.8%71.5%74.1%66.2%
January 20208.3%6.3%5.7%69.4%72.2%65.2%
February 20208.6%7.3%5.5%70.7%74.2%66.2%
March 20208.3%7.1%5.5%71.2%74.8%65.8%
April 20208.3%7.3%6.4%69.3%73.2%63.4%
May 20208.2%8.2%6.9%68.5%73.4%62.5%
June 20207.4%7.1%7.2%69.1%73.8%63.8%
July 20208.3%8.4%7.3%69.1%74.2%64.3%
August 20207.3%6.2%6.8%69.6%74.0%64.4%
September 20206.8%5.9%6.7%68.9%73.3%64.4%
October 20207.4%6.7%6.7%69.8%74.2%65.1%
November 20207.1%6.1%6.3%69.7%73.8%65.6%
December 20207.4%5.6%6.2%70.2%73.8%66.1%
January 20217.8%6.1%6.8%69.7%73.6%65.1%
February 20218.2%6.3%6.3%70.8%74.4%66.3%
March 20218.8%7.1%6.0%70.8%74.3%66.2%
April 20218.2%5.6%5.6%71.0%73.8%65.7%
May 20218.8%5.9%5.0%71.8%74.4%66.2%
June 20218.5%6.2%4.9%70.5%73.3%66.0%
July 20217.9%6.2%4.7%69.2%72.5%65.7%
August 20217.5%5.5%4.6%69.5%72.6%64.7%
September 20217.1%5.2%4.6%70.2%73.5%64.2%
October 20217.0%4.8%5.0%70.1%73.1%64.3%
November 20216.5%4.6%4.3%69.6%73.1%65.9%
December 20216.3%4.8%4.0%68.8%72.8%66.4%
January 20226.4%4.7%4.5%67.0%70.7%65.2%
February 20226.7%4.5%4.4%68.5%71.9%66.8%
March 20226.9%5.3%4.2%68.4%72.0%66.4%
April 20226.0%4.8%3.9%68.5%72.3%66.2%
May 20226.3%4.6%3.9%70.0%73.6%66.7%
June 20226.4%4.7%3.5%69.1%72.6%66.6%
July 20225.9%4.2%3.4%68.8%72.3%66.2%
August 20225.8%4.3%3.5%69.9%73.5%66.2%
September 20225.4%3.8%3.5%69.3%72.7%66.2%
October 20225.7%3.8%3.3%69.7%72.8%66.2%
November 20225.3%3.8%3.3%69.5%72.9%66.8%
December 20226.5%4.6%3.3%69.7%73.1%67.0%
January 20236.0%4.3%4.0%68.2%71.8%65.6%
February 20237.1%5.6%3.9%70.4%74.0%67.0%
March 20236.6%4.8%3.8%70.4%73.5%66.9%
April 20235.5%4.1%3.8%70.3%73.9%66.6%
May 20235.3%3.9%3.5%70.0%73.5%67.1%
June 20235.5%4.1%3.4%68.9%72.3%66.8%
July 20236.4%4.7%3.6%68.5%72.0%66.5%
August 20236.1%4.8%3.7%69.0%72.8%66.4%
September 20235.8%4.2%3.5%68.9%72.4%66.2%
October 20235.5%4.1%3.6%69.1%72.8%66.6%
November 20235.9%4.6%3.6%69.6%73.3%67.1%
December 20236.0%4.3%3.8%70.1%73.9%67.1%
January 20245.6%4.3%4.5%68.3%72.4%65.7%
February 20245.7%4.5%4.0%70.3%74.5%67.3%
March 20245.8%4.0%4.1%70.3%74.0%66.9%
April 20245.7%4.1%4.2%69.7%73.5%66.8%
May 20245.6%4.0%3.9%69.4%73.0%67.1%
June 20246.1%4.6%3.9%69.5%73.1%66.9%
July 20246.0%4.3%4.1%69.9%73.5%67.0%
August 20245.7%4.2%4.1%69.4%73.1%66.7%
September 20245.6%3.9%3.9%69.3%72.8%66.8%
October 20245.7%4.3%3.9%69.5%73.2%66.9%
November 20245.3%3.6%3.6%68.7%72.1%67.0%
December 20245.3%4.1%3.8%68.9%72.8%67.5%
January 20256.3%4.7%4.5%68.5%72.2%66.6%
February 20256.5%4.6%4.4%70.0%73.6%67.2%
March 20255.3%3.8%4.3%69.4%73.2%67.0%
April 20255.5%4.1%4.1%69.3%73.0%67.1%
May 20255.5%4.0%4.0%69.7%73.3%67.4%
June 20255.1%3.9%4.2%68.8%72.5%67.1%
July 20255.8%4.6%4.2%68.8%72.5%66.9%
August 20255.9%4.6%4.3%69.0%72.8%66.4%
September 20255.8%4.0%4.3%69.2%72.6%66.7%
October 20256.5%4.8%4.2%69.8%73.0%66.7%
November 20255.8%4.0%4.0%69.9%73.2%66.8%
December 20255.7%3.9%3.9%70.5%74.0%67.1%
January 20266.6%4.8%4.5%68.9%72.4%66.1%
February 20266.8%5.5%4.6%69.8%73.7%67.4%
March 20266.2%4.5%4.5%69.7%73.2%67.1%
April 20266.8%5.2%4.6%70.9%74.5%66.7%
May 20265.7%4.0%4.3%70.8%74.4%67.0%
June 20267.1%5.0%4.3%69.9%72.8%67.1%
July 20266.2%4.6%4.4%67.7%71.0%66.7%
August 20267.3%4.9%4.6%69.4%72.1%66.6%
September 20266.5%4.3%4.6%68.1%71.0%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, Outback Northern TerritoryEmployed people, index, Northern TerritoryEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Outback Northern Territory
January 2019100.0100.0100.017.5%
February 2019100.2100.0101.719.5%
March 2019100.7100.3101.517.8%
April 2019100.399.7101.918.4%
May 2019100.299.5102.517.5%
June 2019102.5101.7102.317.6%
July 2019100.399.5102.219.3%
August 2019101.2100.3102.117.8%
September 2019103.4102.4102.619.6%
October 2019101.7100.5102.319.2%
November 2019103.1101.9103.016.9%
December 2019102.9101.8103.816.8%
January 202099.298.5101.618.3%
February 2020100.9100.2103.419.0%
March 2020102.1101.4103.018.1%
April 202099.599.098.318.1%
May 202098.698.596.617.6%
June 2020100.4100.298.116.0%
July 202099.599.498.817.7%
August 2020101.4101.699.515.6%
September 2020100.9101.099.515.0%
October 2020101.6101.4100.716.7%
November 2020102.0101.5101.916.4%
December 2020102.5102.1102.817.1%
January 2021101.3101.4100.718.2%
February 2021102.6102.3103.118.7%
March 2021102.0101.4103.319.6%
April 2021103.0102.3103.118.1%
May 2021103.6102.8104.519.2%
June 2021102.1101.0104.318.8%
July 2021101.1100.2104.117.7%
August 2021102.2101.3102.717.4%
September 2021104.1103.1101.916.9%
October 2021104.1103.2101.717.1%
November 2021104.2103.6105.115.6%
December 2021103.4103.0106.314.9%
January 2022100.7100.4104.215.2%
February 2022102.9102.5107.015.5%
March 2022102.9102.1106.815.3%
April 2022104.1103.2107.013.2%
May 2022106.4105.6108.113.5%
June 2022105.0104.1108.513.7%
July 2022105.5104.4108.212.6%
August 2022107.3106.3108.312.9%
September 2022107.0105.9108.612.0%
October 2022107.6106.3109.112.5%
November 2022107.8106.6110.211.8%
December 2022106.9106.0110.714.2%
January 2023105.5104.7108.113.4%
February 2023107.7106.8110.815.7%
March 2023108.4107.3111.214.7%
April 2023109.7108.8110.812.6%
May 2023109.6108.6112.312.0%
June 2023107.8106.8112.012.6%
July 2023106.4105.9111.714.7%
August 2023107.7107.1111.714.2%
September 2023108.2107.4112.013.5%
October 2023108.9108.1112.613.1%
November 2023109.2108.5113.614.3%
December 2023110.0109.7113.714.9%
January 2024107.9107.8110.714.0%
February 2024110.9110.7114.114.3%
March 2024111.0110.7113.614.4%
April 2024110.3109.9113.513.9%
May 2024110.2109.6114.513.3%
June 2024109.7109.1114.414.1%
July 2024110.3110.3114.413.6%
August 2024109.9110.0114.112.9%
September 2024110.0110.0114.812.2%
October 2024110.5110.5114.912.2%
November 2024110.0109.8115.711.4%
December 2024110.5110.4116.611.7%
January 2025108.9109.2114.313.8%
February 2025111.4111.7115.814.0%
March 2025112.0112.4115.811.5%
April 2025111.8111.8116.211.8%
May 2025112.6112.6116.911.6%
June 2025111.6111.7116.410.9%
July 2025111.1110.9116.312.0%
August 2025111.4111.6115.612.0%
September 2025112.1112.2116.111.5%
October 2025112.3112.1116.512.6%
November 2025113.3113.4116.911.4%
December 2025114.5114.9117.811.1%
January 2026111.0111.6115.412.9%
February 2026112.5113.0117.813.6%
March 2026113.1113.7117.712.6%
April 2026114.6114.9117.013.7%
May 2026115.8116.5118.011.6%
June 2026112.8113.0118.414.3%
July 2026110.5110.7117.713.1%
August 2026112.1112.3117.515.6%
September 2026111.1111.5117.414.1%

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

4 Who works here: employment by occupation

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

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Outback Northern Territory, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 54,917 people employed in Outback Northern Territory across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 4 of Outback Northern Territory's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Registered Nurses: 2,270Registered Nurses2,270Welfare Support Workers: 1,901Welfare Support Workers1,901Aged and Disabled Carers: 1,672Aged and Disabled Carers1,672General Clerks: 1,594General Clerks1,594Police: 1,463Police1,463Sales Assistants (General): 1,302Sales Assistants (General)1,302Education Aides: 1,113Education Aides1,113Primary School Teachers: 1,064Primary School Teachers1,064General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers: 998General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers998Child Carers: 897Child Carers897

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

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Outback Northern Territory, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Registered Nurses2,2702,152+5.5%Shortage
Welfare Support Workers1,9011,798+5.7%
Aged and Disabled Carers1,6721,644+1.7%Shortage
General Clerks1,5941,641−2.9%
Police1,4631,308+11.9%
Sales Assistants (General)1,3021,295+0.5%
Education Aides1,1131,129−1.4%
Primary School Teachers1,0641,112−4.3%
General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers998829+20.4%Shortage
Child Carers897928−3.3%Shortage
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Outback Northern Territory, September 2025 to September 2026Estimated employment in September 2026 against September 2025, among occupations with at least 200 people employed at both points: the 5 fastest growing, then the 5 fastest shrinking.
General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers: +20.4%General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers+20.4%Inspectors and Regulatory Officers: +19.9%Inspectors and Regulatory Officers+19.9%Waiters: +19.6%Waiters+19.6%Construction Managers: +14.6%Construction Managers+14.6%Cooks: +13.7%Cooks+13.7%Fire and Emergency Workers: −16.8%Fire and Emergency Workers−16.8%Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers: −17.0%Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers−17.0%Plumbers: −17.6%Plumbers−17.6%Special Education Teachers: −22.0%Special Education Teachers−22.0%Prison Officers: −22.1%Prison Officers−22.1%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Outback Northern Territory, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers998829+20.4%
Inspectors and Regulatory Officers548457+19.9%
Waiters311260+19.6%
Construction Managers668583+14.6%
Cooks398350+13.7%
Fire and Emergency Workers273328−16.8%
Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers263317−17.0%
Plumbers225273−17.6%
Special Education Teachers202259−22.0%
Prison Officers296380−22.1%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Outback Northern Territory, September 2021 to September 2026Estimated people employed each September from 2021 to 2026, one point a year, in the 5 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026.
  • Registered Nurses
  • Welfare Support Workers
  • Aged and Disabled Carers
  • General Clerks
  • Police
1k1.5k2k2.5kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Registered NursesRegistered Nurses, Sep 2021: 1,715Registered Nurses, Sep 2026: 2,2702,270Welfare Support WorkersWelfare Support Workers, Sep 2021: 1,816Welfare Support Workers, Sep 2026: 1,9011,901Aged and Disabled CarersAged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2021: 1,208Aged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2026: 1,6721,672General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 1,538General Clerks, Sep 2026: 1,5941,594PolicePolice, Sep 2021: 1,031Police, Sep 2026: 1,4631,463

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Outback Northern Territory, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthRegistered NursesWelfare Support WorkersAged and Disabled CarersGeneral ClerksPolice
September 20211,7151,8161,2081,5381,031
September 20221,7951,9141,3221,6131,242
September 20232,0461,8211,6871,4721,433
September 20242,1831,8591,7661,5471,347
September 20252,1521,7981,6441,6411,308
September 20262,2701,9011,6721,5941,463

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 Outback Northern Territory, from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, to June 2026. These are people getting help to find work, not an unemployment count.

Figure 5.1: People in Workforce Australia employment services, Outback Northern TerritoryPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
1.4k1.45k1.5k1.55k1.6kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Outback Northern TerritoryOutback Northern Territory, Jun 2026: 1,4801,480

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, Outback Northern Territory, against the Northern Territory and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in Outback Northern Territory for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Outback Northern Territory, 12 months or more
  • Outback Northern Territory, 24 months or more
  • Northern Territory, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
40%50%60%70%80%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Outback Northern Territory, 12 months or moreOutback Northern Territory, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 58.1%58.1%Outback Northern Territory, 24 months or moreOutback Northern Territory, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 40.2%40.2%Northern Territory, 12 months or moreNorthern Territory, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 61.1%61.1%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, Outback Northern Territory, 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, Outback Northern TerritoryIn services 12 months or more, Outback Northern TerritoryIn services 24 months or more, Outback Northern TerritoryIn services 12 months or more, Northern TerritoryIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20241,44572.7%58.5%69.1%60.8%
December 20241,45569.8%56.0%67.3%60.7%
January 20251,48068.9%54.7%66.0%60.5%
February 20251,53064.7%51.6%62.6%60.3%
March 20251,49064.1%50.7%61.7%60.3%
April 20251,53061.8%47.4%60.2%60.5%
May 20251,58559.0%45.4%59.0%60.7%
June 20251,58057.3%44.0%58.6%61.3%
July 20251,59057.2%43.7%58.8%61.7%
August 20251,57558.4%44.1%59.6%62.2%
September 20251,56556.5%42.5%58.6%62.4%
October 20251,52057.6%42.8%59.6%62.7%
November 20251,48557.9%43.1%59.5%62.5%
December 20251,47557.6%42.0%59.1%62.6%
January 20261,46558.0%42.3%58.8%62.7%
February 20261,49058.1%41.3%59.3%63.1%
March 20261,46557.3%41.3%59.7%63.4%
April 20261,48557.6%40.7%59.8%63.8%
May 20261,48557.9%40.7%60.4%64.2%
June 20261,48058.1%40.2%61.1%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Outback Northern Territory, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 350Under 2535025–34: 37025–3437035–44: 34035–4434045–54: 26045–5426055 and over: 16055 and over160

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Outback Northern Territory, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 2535024%
25–3437025%
35–4434023%
45–5426018%
55 and over16011%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Outback Northern Territory, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 1,070JobSeeker Payment1,070Youth Allowance (other): 240Youth Allowance (other)240Other: 165Other165

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Outback Northern Territory, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment1,07072%
Youth Allowance (other)24016%
Other16511%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Alice Springs, Katherine Daly, Litchfield Kakadu Arnhem and the Barkly, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
484
ViewJobs, 29 Oct 2026[9]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Alice Springs, Katherine Daly, Litchfield Kakadu Arnhem and BarklyThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 29 Oct 2026.
Community Services & Development: 97Community Services & Development97Healthcare & Medical: 95Healthcare & Medical95Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 49Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics49Trades & Services: 39Trades & Services39Hospitality & Tourism: 37Hospitality & Tourism37Retail & Consumer Products: 27Retail & Consumer Products27Construction: 21Construction21Administration & Office Support: 15Administration & Office Support15

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Alice Springs, Katherine Daly, Litchfield Kakadu Arnhem and Barkly
ClassificationLive jobs
Community Services & Development97
Healthcare & Medical95
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics49
Trades & Services39
Hospitality & Tourism37
Retail & Consumer Products27
Construction21
Administration & Office Support15

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, Outback Northern Territory, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)Average salary and wages per earner, 2021–22 to 2023–24 income years (ATO), against the Northern Territory and Australia.
  • Outback Northern Territory
  • Northern Territory
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k2021–222022–232023–24Outback Northern TerritoryOutback Northern Territory, 2021–22: $63,430Outback Northern Territory, 2022–23: $65,528Outback Northern Territory, 2023–24: $66,823$66,823Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory, 2021–22: $72,019Northern Territory, 2022–23: $74,144Northern Territory, 2023–24: $75,839$75,839AustraliaAustralia, 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, Outback Northern Territory, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearOutback Northern TerritoryNorthern TerritoryAustralia
2021–22$63,430$72,019$69,980
2022–23$65,528$74,144$73,647
2023–24$66,823$75,839$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 Outback Northern Territory's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in Outback Northern Territory?

961 online job ads a month were placed in Outback Northern Territory, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Outback Northern Territory's job market growing or shrinking?

Steady: online job ads in Outback Northern Territory were down 1.7% on a year earlier, from 978 to 961 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were down 8.5% across the Northern Territory and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in Outback Northern Territory?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 125 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (77) and legal, social and welfare professionals (58). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineering, ICT and science technicians rose fastest, up 70.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Outback Northern Territory?

The unemployment rate in Outback Northern Territory was 6.5% in September 2026, against 4.3% across the Northern Territory. A year earlier it was 5.8%. 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 Outback Northern Territory?

Yes. Unemployment in Outback Northern Territory was up 0.7 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 6.5% against 5.8% (ABS modelled estimates). Across the Northern Territory it was up 0.3 points.

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

What are the biggest occupations in Outback Northern Territory?

An estimated 2,270 of the 54,917 people employed in Outback Northern Territory in September 2026 worked as Registered Nurses, the largest occupation there. Next were Welfare Support Workers (1,901 people) and Aged and Disabled Carers (1,672 people). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Which occupations are growing fastest in Outback Northern Territory?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers grew fastest in Outback Northern Territory, up 20.4% to an estimated 998 people employed, followed by Inspectors and Regulatory Officers (up 19.9%) and Waiters (up 19.6%). 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 Outback Northern Territory?

1,480 people in Outback Northern Territory were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, down 6.3% on a year earlier. 58.1% 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 Outback Northern Territory been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 58.1% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 40.2% for two years or more, against 61.1% and 41.1% across the Northern Territory.

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

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Outback Northern Territory?

At least 484 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Outback Northern Territory, as of 29 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Alice Springs, Katherine Daly, Litchfield Kakadu Arnhem and the Barkly, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Community Services & Development (97), Healthcare & Medical (95) and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (49).

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
Outback Northern Territory here is ABS SA4 702 Northern Territory - Outback. 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). Outback Northern Territory job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nt/outback

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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