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Job market report

Toowoomba 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 Toowoomba, 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 317 Toowoomba
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Steady: online job ads in Toowoomba were up 1.5% on a year earlier, from 1,131 to 1,148 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Queensland and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Carers and aides had the most online ads, 85 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by sales assistants and salespersons (80) and general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (79).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for mobile plant operators rose fastest, up 64.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in Toowoomba was 4.2% in September 2026, against 4.4% across Queensland.

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

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. At 30 June 2026, 66.9% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 45.8% for two years or more, against 64.2% and 43.1% across Queensland.[5][6]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
4.2%
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.5 points on September 2025[3]
Employed people
88,043
ABS, September 2026 · up 0.9% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
1,148
JSA, September 2026 · up 1.5% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
5,485
DEWR, June 2026 · up 4.2% 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.

Toowoomba
+1.5%
1,148 ads a month[1]
Queensland
+0.1%
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, ToowoombaThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.1k1.2k1.3k1.4kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026ToowoombaToowoomba, Sep 2026: 1,1481,148

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Toowoomba
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,332
November 20231,282
December 20231,122
January 20241,093
February 20241,081
March 20241,188
April 20241,166
May 20241,172
June 20241,134
July 20241,136
August 20241,151
September 20241,195
October 20241,234
November 20241,209
December 20241,073
January 20251,079
February 20251,041
March 20251,146
April 20251,065
May 20251,092
June 20251,081
July 20251,117
August 20251,100
September 20251,131
October 20251,168
November 20251,153
December 20251,049
January 20261,043
February 20261,047
March 20261,176
April 20261,125
May 20261,114
June 20261,058
July 20261,092
August 20261,103
September 20261,148

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, ToowoombaThe 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.
Mobile plant operators: +64.0%Mobile plant operators+64.0%Corporate managers: +52.6%Corporate managers+52.6%Other labourers: +20.0%Other labourers+20.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +10.3%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+10.3%Drivers and storepersons: +7.5%Drivers and storepersons+7.5%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +5.6%Hospitality, retail and service managers+5.6%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: 0.0%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists0.0%Sales assistants and salespersons: 0.0%Sales assistants and salespersons0.0%Automotive and engineering trades: −1.4%Automotive and engineering trades−1.4%Medical practitioners and nurses: −6.8%Medical practitioners and nurses−6.8%Carers and aides: −9.6%Carers and aides−9.6%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −22.9%Legal, social and welfare professionals−22.9%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Toowoomba
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Carers and aides8594−9.6%
Sales assistants and salespersons80800.0%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists79790.0%
Automotive and engineering trades7071−1.4%
Other labourers6050+20.0%
Drivers and storepersons5753+7.5%
Medical practitioners and nurses5559−6.8%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals4339+10.3%
Mobile plant operators4125+64.0%
Hospitality, retail and service managers3836+5.6%
Legal, social and welfare professionals3748−22.9%
Corporate managers2919+52.6%
Other clerical and administrative workers2822+27.3%
Food trades2720+35.0%
Construction, production and distribution managers2618+44.4%
Business, finance and human resource professionals26260.0%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians2522+13.6%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2421+14.3%
Construction trades2321+9.5%
Machine and stationary plant operators2321+9.5%
Numerical clerks2123−8.7%
Cleaners and laundry workers2022−9.1%
Health and welfare support workers1928−32.1%
Hospitality workers1713+30.8%
Education professionals1620−20.0%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1519−21.1%
Sales representatives and agents1522−31.8%
Engineers1417−17.6%
Construction and mining labourers149+55.6%
Sports, travel and personal service workers1116−31.3%
Farm, forestry and garden workers11110.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers10100.0%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers1011−9.1%
Factory process workers1014−28.6%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers880.0%
Sales support workers87+14.3%
Science professionals and veterinarians79−22.2%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades660.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects5fewer than 5n/a
Food preparation assistants57−28.6%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 56n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 55n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

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

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Toowoomba, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Toowoomba
  • Queensland
  • Australia
2%4%6%8%10%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026ToowoombaToowoomba, Sep 2026: 4.2%4.2%QueenslandQueensland, Sep 2026: 4.4%4.4%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, Toowoomba, from January 2019Share of people aged 15 and over in the labour force each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Toowoomba
  • Queensland
  • Australia
57.5%60%62.5%65%67.5%70%Sep 2019Jun 2021Mar 2023Dec 2024Sep 2026ToowoombaToowoomba, Sep 2026: 63.6%63.6%QueenslandQueensland, Sep 2026: 66.6%66.6%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, Toowoomba, indexed to January 2019 = 100Employed people each month as an index, January 2019 = 100, against Queensland and Australia, so places of different size share one scale.
  • Toowoomba
  • Queensland
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120130Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026ToowoombaToowoomba, Sep 2026: 122.1122.1QueenslandQueensland, Sep 2026: 122.9122.9AustraliaAustralia, 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, ToowoombaThe 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: 10.1%10.1%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 4.2%4.2%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, Toowoomba, 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, ToowoombaUnemployment rate, QueenslandUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, ToowoombaParticipation rate, QueenslandParticipation rate, Australia
January 20196.0%6.3%5.4%60.8%65.0%65.1%
February 20195.9%6.1%5.4%61.8%66.2%66.1%
March 20195.8%6.5%5.4%61.6%66.1%65.8%
April 20195.5%6.0%5.3%61.4%65.7%65.9%
May 20195.6%6.1%5.1%61.8%66.1%66.1%
June 20196.0%6.3%5.1%61.6%65.7%65.9%
July 20196.0%6.0%5.2%61.9%66.0%65.8%
August 20195.7%6.2%5.3%61.4%65.7%65.7%
September 20195.7%6.1%5.1%61.9%66.3%65.8%
October 20196.1%6.0%5.1%61.8%65.8%65.5%
November 20195.3%5.5%4.8%61.7%66.0%65.7%
December 20195.0%5.1%4.8%61.6%65.7%66.2%
January 20206.2%6.5%5.7%61.3%65.3%65.2%
February 20206.1%6.1%5.5%62.2%66.3%66.2%
March 20205.7%5.9%5.5%61.5%65.4%65.8%
April 20206.5%7.0%6.4%59.4%62.7%63.4%
May 20206.5%7.7%6.9%58.2%61.4%62.5%
June 20206.9%7.8%7.2%59.9%62.9%63.8%
July 20207.2%8.3%7.3%60.8%64.0%64.3%
August 20206.2%7.1%6.8%61.5%64.8%64.4%
September 20206.3%7.1%6.7%62.0%65.4%64.4%
October 20206.0%7.2%6.7%62.3%66.1%65.1%
November 20205.5%6.7%6.3%62.1%65.7%65.6%
December 20205.3%6.6%6.2%62.5%66.5%66.1%
January 20216.0%7.3%6.8%61.9%65.7%65.1%
February 20215.7%6.7%6.3%62.8%66.7%66.3%
March 20214.8%6.3%6.0%62.2%66.4%66.2%
April 20215.4%6.0%5.6%62.4%66.0%65.7%
May 20214.9%5.4%5.0%62.8%66.5%66.2%
June 20214.0%5.2%4.9%62.5%66.5%66.0%
July 20214.6%5.1%4.7%62.6%66.3%65.7%
August 20214.2%5.0%4.6%62.2%65.7%64.7%
September 20213.9%4.7%4.6%62.4%66.1%64.2%
October 20214.3%4.9%5.0%62.5%66.1%64.3%
November 20213.7%4.2%4.3%62.5%66.3%65.9%
December 20213.9%4.2%4.0%62.9%66.5%66.4%
January 20224.0%4.7%4.5%62.0%65.6%65.2%
February 20224.0%4.5%4.4%63.4%67.2%66.8%
March 20223.9%4.2%4.2%62.9%66.7%66.4%
April 20223.5%4.2%3.9%62.5%66.5%66.2%
May 20223.7%4.0%3.9%63.2%67.2%66.7%
June 20223.7%3.9%3.5%63.4%67.3%66.6%
July 20223.3%3.6%3.4%62.7%66.8%66.2%
August 20223.0%3.3%3.5%62.8%66.5%66.2%
September 20223.2%3.5%3.5%62.7%66.5%66.2%
October 20223.0%3.1%3.3%62.6%66.1%66.2%
November 20222.9%3.0%3.3%62.9%66.4%66.8%
December 20222.9%3.4%3.3%62.7%66.6%67.0%
January 20233.7%4.1%4.0%62.3%65.8%65.6%
February 20233.9%4.1%3.9%63.1%66.5%67.0%
March 20233.6%4.2%3.8%63.0%66.9%66.9%
April 20233.5%3.9%3.8%62.5%66.1%66.6%
May 20233.6%3.9%3.5%63.5%67.2%67.1%
June 20233.1%3.7%3.4%62.9%66.8%66.8%
July 20233.8%4.3%3.6%62.8%66.5%66.5%
August 20233.5%3.9%3.7%62.3%65.8%66.4%
September 20233.2%3.6%3.5%62.5%65.8%66.2%
October 20233.5%4.0%3.6%62.8%66.3%66.6%
November 20233.7%4.0%3.6%63.4%67.0%67.1%
December 20233.7%4.0%3.8%63.4%67.1%67.1%
January 20244.1%4.4%4.5%62.5%65.7%65.7%
February 20244.0%4.3%4.0%64.0%67.6%67.3%
March 20243.4%4.5%4.1%62.7%66.9%66.9%
April 20243.8%4.2%4.2%63.6%67.4%66.8%
May 20243.7%4.0%3.9%63.8%67.6%67.1%
June 20243.5%3.8%3.9%63.8%67.6%66.9%
July 20244.1%4.4%4.1%63.3%66.8%67.0%
August 20243.9%4.1%4.1%63.4%66.8%66.7%
September 20243.0%3.8%3.9%63.0%66.7%66.8%
October 20243.6%3.6%3.9%64.1%67.5%66.9%
November 20243.3%3.6%3.6%63.9%67.4%67.0%
December 20243.3%3.6%3.8%63.9%67.8%67.5%
January 20253.6%4.2%4.5%62.8%66.6%66.6%
February 20254.0%4.4%4.4%63.7%67.4%67.2%
March 20253.9%4.3%4.3%63.4%67.0%67.0%
April 20253.9%4.3%4.1%63.8%67.5%67.1%
May 20253.5%3.7%4.0%64.2%67.9%67.4%
June 20253.8%4.0%4.2%64.1%67.6%67.1%
July 20254.0%4.3%4.2%63.8%67.1%66.9%
August 20253.8%4.3%4.3%63.2%66.6%66.4%
September 20253.7%4.0%4.3%63.5%66.8%66.7%
October 20253.9%3.9%4.2%63.7%66.8%66.7%
November 20253.7%3.9%4.0%63.3%66.6%66.8%
December 20253.3%3.6%3.9%63.2%66.8%67.1%
January 20264.3%4.7%4.5%63.0%66.4%66.1%
February 20264.4%4.8%4.6%63.9%67.5%67.4%
March 20263.8%4.0%4.5%63.6%66.9%67.1%
April 20264.0%4.3%4.6%63.4%66.8%66.7%
May 20263.5%3.7%4.3%64.0%67.4%67.0%
June 20263.9%4.3%4.3%64.1%67.4%67.1%
July 20263.9%4.4%4.4%63.8%67.1%66.7%
August 20263.8%4.4%4.6%63.4%66.7%66.6%
September 20264.2%4.4%4.6%63.6%66.6%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, ToowoombaEmployed people, index, QueenslandEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Toowoomba
January 2019100.0100.0100.014.7%
February 2019102.0102.2101.714.7%
March 2019102.1101.9101.514.6%
April 2019102.2102.0101.913.9%
May 2019102.7102.6102.514.4%
June 2019102.2101.9102.315.4%
July 2019102.8102.8102.215.3%
August 2019102.4102.3102.114.5%
September 2019103.3103.4102.614.5%
October 2019102.9103.0102.315.3%
November 2019103.8104.0103.013.3%
December 2019104.0104.2103.812.9%
January 2020102.4102.1101.616.0%
February 2020104.1104.3103.415.9%
March 2020103.7103.4103.014.6%
April 202099.397.998.316.4%
May 202097.495.396.616.2%
June 202099.797.698.116.9%
July 2020101.198.998.817.0%
August 2020103.4101.599.514.3%
September 2020104.2102.499.514.3%
October 2020105.2103.6100.713.6%
November 2020105.5103.7101.912.4%
December 2020106.6105.2102.811.7%
January 2021104.8103.2100.713.0%
February 2021106.9105.6103.112.2%
March 2021107.0105.7103.310.3%
April 2021106.7105.5103.111.2%
May 2021108.1107.1104.510.3%
June 2021108.8107.5104.38.7%
July 2021108.4107.4104.110.1%
August 2021108.1106.5102.79.8%
September 2021109.1107.8101.99.4%
October 2021109.0107.8101.710.5%
November 2021109.9108.8105.19.0%
December 2021110.4109.5106.39.6%
January 2022109.1107.8104.29.7%
February 2022111.7110.8107.09.9%
March 2022111.3110.6106.89.4%
April 2022111.2110.5107.08.4%
May 2022112.5112.1108.18.8%
June 2022113.0112.5108.58.8%
July 2022112.6112.4108.27.7%
August 2022113.2112.5108.37.3%
September 2022113.1112.4108.67.6%
October 2022113.4112.6109.17.0%
November 2022114.2113.5110.26.7%
December 2022114.1113.7110.76.9%
January 2023112.9111.8108.18.7%
February 2023114.2113.4110.89.5%
March 2023114.7114.3111.28.9%
April 2023114.1113.6110.88.9%
May 2023116.0115.7112.38.8%
June 2023115.8115.6112.07.5%
July 2023115.1114.6111.78.8%
August 2023114.8114.1111.78.0%
September 2023115.7114.9112.07.4%
October 2023116.2115.5112.68.2%
November 2023117.2117.0113.68.9%
December 2023117.3117.4113.79.3%
January 2024115.4114.8110.710.3%
February 2024118.4118.5114.110.1%
March 2024117.0117.3113.68.6%
April 2024118.5118.8113.59.4%
May 2024119.0119.4114.59.2%
June 2024119.3119.9114.48.6%
July 2024118.0117.9114.49.9%
August 2024118.6118.5114.19.4%
September 2024119.1119.0114.87.2%
October 2024120.6120.8114.98.4%
November 2024120.7120.9115.77.6%
December 2024120.9121.7116.67.7%
January 2025118.6119.0114.38.4%
February 2025120.1120.5115.89.4%
March 2025119.8120.2115.89.2%
April 2025120.7121.4116.29.3%
May 2025122.1122.9116.98.6%
June 2025121.6122.4116.49.4%
July 2025121.0121.2116.310.1%
August 2025120.1120.4115.69.8%
September 2025121.0121.4116.19.6%
October 2025121.2121.6116.59.8%
November 2025121.0121.5116.99.2%
December 2025121.4122.3117.88.1%
January 2026119.9120.6115.410.6%
February 2026121.7122.6117.810.8%
March 2026122.0122.9117.79.4%
April 2026121.4122.3117.09.9%
May 2026123.3124.5118.08.6%
June 2026123.1124.0118.49.4%
July 2026122.7123.4117.79.2%
August 2026122.1122.8117.59.1%
September 2026122.1122.9117.410.1%

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

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Toowoomba, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 87,996 people employed in Toowoomba across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 6 of Toowoomba's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Sales Assistants (General): 3,208Sales Assistants (General)3,208Registered Nurses: 2,991Registered Nurses2,991Aged and Disabled Carers: 2,722Aged and Disabled Carers2,722General Clerks: 1,944General Clerks1,944Retail Managers: 1,649Retail Managers1,649Secondary School Teachers: 1,445Secondary School Teachers1,445Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers: 1,370Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers1,370Truck Drivers: 1,327Truck Drivers1,327Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers: 1,322Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers1,322Child Carers: 1,319Child Carers1,319

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[7]; Jobs and Skills Australia[8].

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Toowoomba, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Sales Assistants (General)3,2083,015+6.4%
Registered Nurses2,9912,967+0.8%Shortage
Aged and Disabled Carers2,7222,693+1.1%Shortage
General Clerks1,9441,896+2.5%
Retail Managers1,6491,712−3.7%
Secondary School Teachers1,4451,555−7.1%Shortage
Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers1,3701,289+6.3%Shortage
Truck Drivers1,3271,269+4.6%Shortage
Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers1,3221,170+13.0%
Child Carers1,3191,142+15.5%Shortage
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Toowoomba, 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.
Fitness Instructors: +31.7%Fitness Instructors+31.7%Delivery Drivers: +27.7%Delivery Drivers+27.7%Pharmacists: +21.6%Pharmacists+21.6%Call or Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers: +18.3%Call or Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers+18.3%Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers: +17.7%Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers+17.7%Plumbers: −13.2%Plumbers−13.2%Police: −13.7%Police−13.7%Commercial Cleaners: −14.9%Commercial Cleaners−14.9%Counsellors: −18.2%Counsellors−18.2%Domestic Cleaners: −20.6%Domestic Cleaners−20.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[7].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Toowoomba, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Fitness Instructors511388+31.7%
Delivery Drivers848664+27.7%
Pharmacists265218+21.6%
Call or Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers329278+18.3%
Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers644547+17.7%
Plumbers514592−13.2%
Police240278−13.7%
Commercial Cleaners9361,100−14.9%
Counsellors338413−18.2%
Domestic Cleaners281354−20.6%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Toowoomba, 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
  • General Clerks
  • Retail Managers
1k1.5k2k2.5k3k3.5kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 2,887Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 3,2083,208Registered NursesRegistered Nurses, Sep 2021: 2,829Registered Nurses, Sep 2026: 2,9912,991Aged and Disabled CarersAged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2021: 2,160Aged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2026: 2,7222,722General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 1,741General Clerks, Sep 2026: 1,9441,944Retail ManagersRetail Managers, Sep 2021: 1,459Retail Managers, Sep 2026: 1,6491,649

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[7].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Toowoomba, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthSales Assistants (General)Registered NursesAged and Disabled CarersGeneral ClerksRetail Managers
September 20212,8872,8292,1601,7411,459
September 20222,7692,7532,4201,9001,337
September 20232,7662,5392,3071,9511,420
September 20242,8452,6932,4811,9311,594
September 20253,0152,9672,6931,8961,712
September 20263,2082,9912,7221,9441,649

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 Toowoomba, 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, ToowoombaPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
4.5k4.75k5k5.25k5.5k5.75kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026ToowoombaToowoomba, Jun 2026: 5,4855,485

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, Toowoomba, against Queensland and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in Toowoomba for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Toowoomba, 12 months or more
  • Toowoomba, 24 months or more
  • Queensland, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
30%40%50%60%70%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Toowoomba, 12 months or moreToowoomba, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 66.9%66.9%Toowoomba, 24 months or moreToowoomba, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 45.8%45.8%Queensland, 12 months or moreQueensland, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 64.2%64.2%Australia, 12 months or moreAustralia, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 64.4%64.4%

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

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

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

Show the numbers
People in employment services and the shares in services for 12 and 24 months or more
SnapshotPeople in employment services, ToowoombaIn services 12 months or more, ToowoombaIn services 24 months or more, ToowoombaIn services 12 months or more, QueenslandIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 20244,74063.3%41.5%61.1%60.8%
December 20244,77063.5%41.3%61.0%60.7%
January 20254,95062.8%40.8%60.9%60.5%
February 20255,03563.1%40.6%60.8%60.3%
March 20255,09563.0%40.1%61.0%60.3%
April 20255,23062.3%39.9%60.7%60.5%
May 20255,29562.8%40.0%60.8%60.7%
June 20255,26564.0%40.7%61.5%61.3%
July 20255,23564.3%40.8%61.8%61.7%
August 20255,23564.9%41.7%62.3%62.2%
September 20255,27065.6%42.8%62.6%62.4%
October 20255,28566.2%43.3%62.8%62.7%
November 20255,28565.8%43.8%62.6%62.5%
December 20255,33564.9%43.8%62.7%62.6%
January 20265,51064.3%42.8%62.6%62.7%
February 20265,57564.8%43.0%62.9%63.1%
March 20265,53065.4%43.9%63.2%63.4%
April 20265,49066.0%44.5%63.6%63.8%
May 20265,53066.4%45.1%64.0%64.2%
June 20265,48566.9%45.8%64.2%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Toowoomba, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 1,695Under 251,69525–34: 1,43525–341,43535–44: 1,02535–441,02545–54: 77045–5477055 and over: 55555 and over555

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Toowoomba, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 251,69531%
25–341,43526%
35–441,02519%
45–5477014%
55 and over55510%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Toowoomba, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 3,840JobSeeker Payment3,840Youth Allowance (other): 985Youth Allowance (other)985Other: 660Other660

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Toowoomba, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment3,84070%
Youth Allowance (other)98518%
Other66012%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Note: No ViewJobs region has at least 20% of its towns in Toowoomba, so this report counts no ViewJobs ads for it. 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, Toowoomba, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)Average salary and wages per earner, 2021–22 to 2023–24 income years (ATO), against Queensland and Australia.
  • Toowoomba
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k2021–222022–232023–24ToowoombaToowoomba, 2021–22: $62,350Toowoomba, 2022–23: $65,902Toowoomba, 2023–24: $69,673$69,673QueenslandQueensland, 2021–22: $66,874Queensland, 2022–23: $70,435Queensland, 2023–24: $74,356$74,356AustraliaAustralia, 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, Toowoomba, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearToowoombaQueenslandAustralia
2021–22$62,350$66,874$69,980
2022–23$65,902$70,435$73,647
2023–24$69,673$74,356$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 Toowoomba's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in Toowoomba?

1,148 online job ads a month were placed in Toowoomba, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Toowoomba's job market growing or shrinking?

Steady: online job ads in Toowoomba were up 1.5% on a year earlier, from 1,131 to 1,148 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Queensland and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in Toowoomba?

Carers and aides had the most online ads, 85 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by sales assistants and salespersons (80) and general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (79). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for mobile plant operators rose fastest, up 64.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Toowoomba?

The unemployment rate in Toowoomba was 4.2% in September 2026, against 4.4% across Queensland. A year earlier it was 3.7%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.

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

Is unemployment rising in Toowoomba?

Yes. Unemployment in Toowoomba was up 0.5 points on a year earlier in September 2026, at 4.2% against 3.7% (ABS modelled estimates). Across Queensland it was up 0.4 points.

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

What are the biggest occupations in Toowoomba?

An estimated 3,208 of the 87,996 people employed in Toowoomba in September 2026 worked as Sales Assistants (General), the largest occupation there. Next were Registered Nurses (2,991 people) and Aged and Disabled Carers (2,722 people). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[7].

Which occupations are growing fastest in Toowoomba?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Fitness Instructors grew fastest in Toowoomba, up 31.7% to an estimated 511 people employed, followed by Delivery Drivers (up 27.7%) and Pharmacists (up 21.6%). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[7].

How many people are in Workforce Australia employment services in Toowoomba?

5,485 people in Toowoomba were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 4.2% on a year earlier. 66.9% 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 Toowoomba been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 66.9% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 45.8% for two years or more, against 64.2% and 43.1% across Queensland.

Sources: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations[5]; ViewJobs[6].

10 Notes and method

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

The area
Toowoomba here is ABS SA4 317 Toowoomba. 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.[7]
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. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  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). Toowoomba job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/qld/toowoomba

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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