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Job market report

Wide Bay 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 Wide Bay, 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 319 Wide Bay
Sources
JSA, ABS, DEWR, ATO and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Wide Bay were up 2.6% on a year earlier, from 1,759 to 1,804 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, 179 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (164) and sales assistants and salespersons (121).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for corporate managers rose fastest, up 47.8%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. The unemployment rate in the Wide Bay was 5.5% in September 2026, against 4.4% across Queensland.

    A year earlier it was 5.5%. These are the ABS's modelled estimates for the month, not seasonally adjusted.[3][4]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation, monthly →

  4. 13,945 people in the Wide Bay were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier.

    65.9% of them had been in employment services for 12 months or more.[5]

    Section 5: Job seekers in employment services →
Unemployment rate
5.5%
ABS, September 2026 · about the same as September 2025[3]
Employed people
146,853
ABS, September 2026 · up 1.5% since September 2025[3]
Online job ads a month
1,804
JSA, September 2026 · up 2.6% since September 2025[1]
People in Workforce Australia employment services
13,945
DEWR, June 2026 · up 1.1% 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.

Wide Bay
+2.6%
1,804 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, Wide BayThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1.5k1.6k1.7k1.8k1.9kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Wide BayWide Bay, Sep 2026: 1,8041,804

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Wide Bay
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,867
November 20231,771
December 20231,584
January 20241,578
February 20241,595
March 20241,699
April 20241,636
May 20241,620
June 20241,573
July 20241,575
August 20241,621
September 20241,678
October 20241,728
November 20241,687
December 20241,560
January 20251,570
February 20251,553
March 20251,663
April 20251,528
May 20251,526
June 20251,537
July 20251,650
August 20251,679
September 20251,759
October 20251,793
November 20251,759
December 20251,620
January 20261,651
February 20261,722
March 20261,856
April 20261,747
May 20261,676
June 20261,653
July 20261,719
August 20261,781
September 20261,804

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, Wide BayThe 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: +41.4%Mobile plant operators+41.4%Other labourers: +37.5%Other labourers+37.5%Sales assistants and salespersons: +18.6%Sales assistants and salespersons+18.6%Drivers and storepersons: +15.4%Drivers and storepersons+15.4%Medical practitioners and nurses: +3.1%Medical practitioners and nurses+3.1%Carers and aides: +1.1%Carers and aides+1.1%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −1.0%Legal, social and welfare professionals−1.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −2.5%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−2.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −4.2%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−4.2%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −4.8%Hospitality, retail and service managers−4.8%Health and welfare support workers: −9.3%Health and welfare support workers−9.3%Automotive and engineering trades: −14.3%Automotive and engineering trades−14.3%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Wide Bay
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Carers and aides179177+1.1%
Medical practitioners and nurses164159+3.1%
Sales assistants and salespersons121102+18.6%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists113118−4.2%
Legal, social and welfare professionals100101−1.0%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals7880−2.5%
Drivers and storepersons7565+15.4%
Automotive and engineering trades6677−14.3%
Other labourers6648+37.5%
Hospitality, retail and service managers5962−4.8%
Health and welfare support workers4954−9.3%
Mobile plant operators4129+41.4%
Construction trades4037+8.1%
Food trades4045−11.1%
Business, finance and human resource professionals3744−15.9%
Corporate managers3423+47.8%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians34340.0%
Construction, production and distribution managers3335−5.7%
Cleaners and laundry workers3327+22.2%
Education professionals3231+3.2%
Other clerical and administrative workers3123+34.8%
Sales representatives and agents3027+11.1%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2729−6.9%
Farm, forestry and garden workers2325−8.0%
Hospitality workers2119+10.5%
Sports, travel and personal service workers2126−19.2%
Numerical clerks2033−39.4%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries20200.0%
Engineers1921−9.5%
Machine and stationary plant operators1922−13.6%
Construction and mining labourers1913+46.2%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers1715+13.3%
Food preparation assistants1713+30.8%
Factory process workers1614+14.3%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1413+7.7%
Science professionals and veterinarians1413+7.7%
Sales support workers1110+10.0%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers97+28.6%
Transport and design professionals, and architects86+33.3%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades89−11.1%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers880.0%
Information professionals78−12.5%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals770.0%
Farmers and farm managers6fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionals58−37.5%
Protective service workers5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 55n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 59n/a

3 Unemployment and participation, monthly

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

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Wide Bay, from January 2019Share of the labour force unemployed each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Wide Bay
  • Queensland
  • Australia
0%5%10%15%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Wide BayWide Bay, Sep 2026: 5.5%5.5%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, Wide Bay, from January 2019Share of people aged 15 and over in the labour force each month, January 2019 to September 2026, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Wide Bay
  • Queensland
  • Australia
45%50%55%60%65%70%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Wide BayWide Bay, Sep 2026: 53.5%53.5%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, Wide Bay, 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.
  • Wide Bay
  • Queensland
  • Australia

Index (Jan 2019 = 100)

90100110120130Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Wide BayWide Bay, Sep 2026: 128.1128.1QueenslandQueensland, 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, Wide BayThe unemployment rate each month among people aged 15 to 24, against all ages, January 2019 to September 2026.
  • Aged 15–24
  • All ages
0%10%20%30%Jan 2020Sep 2021May 2023Jan 2025Sep 2026Aged 15–24Aged 15–24, Sep 2026: 12.7%12.7%All agesAll ages, Sep 2026: 5.5%5.5%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 3.1 to 3.4: Labour force each month, Wide Bay, 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, Wide BayUnemployment rate, QueenslandUnemployment rate, AustraliaParticipation rate, Wide BayParticipation rate, QueenslandParticipation rate, Australia
January 20199.0%6.3%5.4%50.6%65.0%65.1%
February 20198.7%6.1%5.4%51.4%66.2%66.1%
March 20199.0%6.5%5.4%51.4%66.1%65.8%
April 20198.7%6.0%5.3%51.4%65.7%65.9%
May 20198.6%6.1%5.1%51.6%66.1%66.1%
June 20199.3%6.3%5.1%51.6%65.7%65.9%
July 20199.2%6.0%5.2%51.5%66.0%65.8%
August 20198.8%6.2%5.3%51.1%65.7%65.7%
September 20198.5%6.1%5.1%51.4%66.3%65.8%
October 20199.1%6.0%5.1%51.4%65.8%65.5%
November 20198.5%5.5%4.8%51.5%66.0%65.7%
December 20197.3%5.1%4.8%50.9%65.7%66.2%
January 20209.2%6.5%5.7%52.3%65.3%65.2%
February 20208.3%6.1%5.5%52.7%66.3%66.2%
March 20208.7%5.9%5.5%52.5%65.4%65.8%
April 20209.0%7.0%6.4%50.3%62.7%63.4%
May 20208.9%7.7%6.9%49.5%61.4%62.5%
June 20209.6%7.8%7.2%51.3%62.9%63.8%
July 202010.4%8.3%7.3%52.3%64.0%64.3%
August 20208.8%7.1%6.8%52.6%64.8%64.4%
September 20208.7%7.1%6.7%52.9%65.4%64.4%
October 20209.0%7.2%6.7%53.5%66.1%65.1%
November 20208.2%6.7%6.3%53.0%65.7%65.6%
December 20207.4%6.6%6.2%53.1%66.5%66.1%
January 20219.0%7.3%6.8%53.0%65.7%65.1%
February 20217.8%6.7%6.3%53.4%66.7%66.3%
March 20217.7%6.3%6.0%53.3%66.4%66.2%
April 20217.5%6.0%5.6%53.1%66.0%65.7%
May 20216.7%5.4%5.0%53.1%66.5%66.2%
June 20216.3%5.2%4.9%53.1%66.5%66.0%
July 20215.8%5.1%4.7%52.8%66.3%65.7%
August 20216.5%5.0%4.6%52.8%65.7%64.7%
September 20215.7%4.7%4.6%52.7%66.1%64.2%
October 20216.4%4.9%5.0%52.9%66.1%64.3%
November 20216.0%4.2%4.3%53.0%66.3%65.9%
December 20215.6%4.2%4.0%53.0%66.5%66.4%
January 20225.8%4.7%4.5%52.1%65.6%65.2%
February 20226.4%4.5%4.4%53.6%67.2%66.8%
March 20225.4%4.2%4.2%52.7%66.7%66.4%
April 20225.9%4.2%3.9%52.9%66.5%66.2%
May 20225.7%4.0%3.9%53.3%67.2%66.7%
June 20225.1%3.9%3.5%53.2%67.3%66.6%
July 20225.1%3.6%3.4%53.0%66.8%66.2%
August 20224.4%3.3%3.5%52.6%66.5%66.2%
September 20224.9%3.5%3.5%52.7%66.5%66.2%
October 20224.1%3.1%3.3%52.3%66.1%66.2%
November 20224.1%3.0%3.3%52.5%66.4%66.8%
December 20224.6%3.4%3.3%52.7%66.6%67.0%
January 20235.6%4.1%4.0%52.3%65.8%65.6%
February 20235.4%4.1%3.9%52.7%66.5%67.0%
March 20236.1%4.2%3.8%53.3%66.9%66.9%
April 20235.3%3.9%3.8%52.5%66.1%66.6%
May 20235.6%3.9%3.5%53.4%67.2%67.1%
June 20235.4%3.7%3.4%53.2%66.8%66.8%
July 20236.2%4.3%3.6%53.0%66.5%66.5%
August 20235.0%3.9%3.7%52.0%65.8%66.4%
September 20235.3%3.6%3.5%52.4%65.8%66.2%
October 20235.7%4.0%3.6%52.8%66.3%66.6%
November 20236.0%4.0%3.6%53.5%67.0%67.1%
December 20235.8%4.0%3.8%53.4%67.1%67.1%
January 20245.2%4.4%4.5%51.9%65.7%65.7%
February 20244.8%4.3%4.0%53.2%67.6%67.3%
March 20245.8%4.5%4.1%53.1%66.9%66.9%
April 20246.0%4.2%4.2%53.8%67.4%66.8%
May 20245.7%4.0%3.9%53.9%67.6%67.1%
June 20245.2%3.8%3.9%53.8%67.6%66.9%
July 20245.8%4.4%4.1%53.4%66.8%67.0%
August 20245.2%4.1%4.1%53.2%66.8%66.7%
September 20245.5%3.8%3.9%53.4%66.7%66.8%
October 20245.2%3.6%3.9%53.9%67.5%66.9%
November 20244.7%3.6%3.6%53.5%67.4%67.0%
December 20244.9%3.6%3.8%53.9%67.8%67.5%
January 20255.8%4.2%4.5%53.2%66.6%66.6%
February 20256.0%4.4%4.4%53.9%67.4%67.2%
March 20256.2%4.3%4.3%53.7%67.0%67.0%
April 20256.0%4.3%4.1%54.2%67.5%67.1%
May 20254.8%3.7%4.0%54.1%67.9%67.4%
June 20254.6%4.0%4.2%53.7%67.6%67.1%
July 20255.0%4.3%4.2%53.5%67.1%66.9%
August 20255.8%4.3%4.3%53.4%66.6%66.4%
September 20255.5%4.0%4.3%53.6%66.8%66.7%
October 20255.4%3.9%4.2%53.5%66.8%66.7%
November 20255.0%3.9%4.0%53.2%66.6%66.8%
December 20254.8%3.6%3.9%53.4%66.8%67.1%
January 20266.2%4.7%4.5%53.5%66.4%66.1%
February 20266.2%4.8%4.6%54.2%67.5%67.4%
March 20265.0%4.0%4.5%53.5%66.9%67.1%
April 20266.0%4.3%4.6%53.8%66.8%66.7%
May 20264.5%3.7%4.3%53.7%67.4%67.0%
June 20265.2%4.3%4.3%53.9%67.4%67.1%
July 20265.7%4.4%4.4%54.1%67.1%66.7%
August 20265.8%4.4%4.6%53.8%66.7%66.6%
September 20265.5%4.4%4.6%53.5%66.6%66.5%
Employed people as an index, January 2019 = 100, and youth unemployment
MonthEmployed people, index, Wide BayEmployed people, index, QueenslandEmployed people, index, AustraliaYouth unemployment rate (15–24), Wide Bay
January 2019100.0100.0100.021.3%
February 2019102.1102.2101.720.8%
March 2019101.9101.9101.521.9%
April 2019102.3102.0101.921.4%
May 2019103.0102.6102.521.2%
June 2019102.3101.9102.322.9%
July 2019102.4102.8102.222.7%
August 2019102.2102.3102.121.6%
September 2019103.3103.4102.621.0%
October 2019102.8103.0102.322.2%
November 2019103.8104.0103.020.8%
December 2019104.1104.2103.818.4%
January 2020104.9102.1101.623.1%
February 2020106.9104.3103.421.1%
March 2020106.4103.4103.021.6%
April 2020101.697.998.322.0%
May 2020100.195.396.621.7%
June 2020103.197.698.122.8%
July 2020104.298.998.823.8%
August 2020106.9101.599.519.9%
September 2020107.8102.499.519.4%
October 2020108.9103.6100.719.7%
November 2020108.9103.7101.917.8%
December 2020110.3105.2102.816.2%
January 2021108.4103.2100.719.1%
February 2021110.7105.6103.116.6%
March 2021111.0105.7103.316.1%
April 2021110.9105.5103.115.4%
May 2021112.2107.1104.513.9%
June 2021112.8107.5104.313.4%
July 2021112.8107.4104.112.8%
August 2021112.3106.5102.714.7%
September 2021113.1107.8101.913.5%
October 2021112.8107.8101.715.5%
November 2021113.6108.8105.114.6%
December 2021114.4109.5106.313.6%
January 2022112.5107.8104.214.1%
February 2022115.3110.8107.015.7%
March 2022114.8110.6106.813.0%
April 2022114.9110.5107.013.8%
May 2022116.4112.1108.113.2%
June 2022117.0112.5108.512.0%
July 2022116.7112.4108.211.8%
August 2022116.9112.5108.310.5%
September 2022116.9112.4108.611.4%
October 2022117.0112.6109.19.6%
November 2022117.9113.5110.29.5%
December 2022118.0113.7110.710.6%
January 2023116.2111.8108.113.0%
February 2023117.4113.4110.813.0%
March 2023118.3114.3111.214.8%
April 2023117.7113.6110.813.1%
May 2023119.7115.7112.313.4%
June 2023119.6115.6112.012.5%
July 2023118.5114.6111.714.0%
August 2023118.1114.1111.711.4%
September 2023118.7114.9112.011.9%
October 2023119.4115.5112.613.1%
November 2023120.8117.0113.614.3%
December 2023121.1117.4113.714.2%
January 2024118.7114.8110.712.9%
February 2024122.3118.5114.112.1%
March 2024121.2117.3113.614.3%
April 2024122.8118.8113.514.6%
May 2024123.5119.4114.513.9%
June 2024124.2119.9114.412.5%
July 2024122.5117.9114.413.9%
August 2024123.0118.5114.112.4%
September 2024123.3119.0114.812.6%
October 2024125.1120.8114.911.8%
November 2024125.0120.9115.710.5%
December 2024125.9121.7116.611.0%
January 2025123.3119.0114.313.0%
February 2025124.8120.5115.813.7%
March 2025124.6120.2115.814.1%
April 2025125.9121.4116.214.0%
May 2025127.6122.9116.911.5%
June 2025127.1122.4116.411.2%
July 2025126.1121.2116.312.5%
August 2025125.3120.4115.614.4%
September 2025126.2121.4116.113.9%
October 2025126.4121.6116.513.3%
November 2025126.3121.5116.912.3%
December 2025127.2122.3117.811.5%
January 2026125.8120.6115.414.9%
February 2026127.7122.6117.815.0%
March 2026127.8122.9117.712.2%
April 2026127.3122.3117.014.4%
May 2026129.4124.5118.010.7%
June 2026129.1124.0118.412.1%
July 2026128.8123.4117.713.1%
August 2026128.1122.8117.513.4%
September 2026128.1122.9117.412.7%

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

Figure 4.1: Largest occupations by estimated employment, Wide Bay, September 2026The 10 occupations with the most people employed in September 2026, of an estimated 146,260 people employed in the Wide Bay across all occupations. The table adds September 2025 and the change. 7 of the Wide Bay's 10 largest occupations are in national shortage.
Sales Assistants (General): 7,669Sales Assistants (General)7,669Aged and Disabled Carers: 7,554Aged and Disabled Carers7,554Registered Nurses: 4,249Registered Nurses4,249Truck Drivers: 3,331Truck Drivers3,331General Clerks: 2,714General Clerks2,714Secondary School Teachers: 2,661Secondary School Teachers2,661Metal Fitters and Machinists: 2,550Metal Fitters and Machinists2,550Electricians: 2,497Electricians2,497Child Carers: 2,369Child Carers2,369Retail Managers: 2,355Retail Managers2,355

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

Show the numbers
Largest occupations by estimated employment, Wide Bay, September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025ChangeNational shortage, 2026
Sales Assistants (General)7,6697,620+0.6%
Aged and Disabled Carers7,5547,148+5.7%Shortage
Registered Nurses4,2494,404−3.5%Shortage
Truck Drivers3,3313,422−2.7%Shortage
General Clerks2,7142,599+4.4%
Secondary School Teachers2,6612,668−0.3%Shortage
Metal Fitters and Machinists2,5502,144+18.9%Shortage
Electricians2,4972,461+1.5%Shortage
Child Carers2,3692,305+2.8%Shortage
Retail Managers2,3552,560−8.0%
Figure 4.2: Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Wide Bay, 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.
Forklift Drivers: +29.4%Forklift Drivers+29.4%Private Tutors and Teachers: +25.9%Private Tutors and Teachers+25.9%Crop Farmers: +25.8%Crop Farmers+25.8%Retail Supervisors: +24.4%Retail Supervisors+24.4%Human Resource Managers: +23.9%Human Resource Managers+23.9%Bus and Coach Drivers: −16.7%Bus and Coach Drivers−16.7%Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers: −16.8%Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers−16.8%Bank Workers: −18.1%Bank Workers−18.1%Counsellors: −18.4%Counsellors−18.4%Hairdressers: −19.6%Hairdressers−19.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
Fastest growing and shrinking occupations by estimated employment, Wide Bay, September 2025 to September 2026
OccupationPeople employed, September 2026September 2025Change
Forklift Drivers1,083837+29.4%
Private Tutors and Teachers589468+25.9%
Crop Farmers1,029818+25.8%
Retail Supervisors1,3861,114+24.4%
Human Resource Managers1,130912+23.9%
Bus and Coach Drivers454545−16.7%
Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers661794−16.8%
Bank Workers366447−18.1%
Counsellors586718−18.4%
Hairdressers524652−19.6%
Figure 4.3: People employed in the largest occupations, Wide Bay, 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)
  • Aged and Disabled Carers
  • Registered Nurses
  • Truck Drivers
  • General Clerks
2k4k6k8kSep 2022Sep 2024Sep 2026Sales Assistants (General)Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2021: 4,765Sales Assistants (General), Sep 2026: 7,6697,669Aged and Disabled CarersAged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2021: 5,597Aged and Disabled Carers, Sep 2026: 7,5547,554Registered NursesRegistered Nurses, Sep 2021: 3,737Registered Nurses, Sep 2026: 4,2494,249Truck DriversTruck Drivers, Sep 2021: 3,014Truck Drivers, Sep 2026: 3,3313,331General ClerksGeneral Clerks, Sep 2021: 3,599General Clerks, Sep 2026: 2,7142,714

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Show the numbers
People employed in the largest occupations, Wide Bay, September 2021 to September 2026
MonthSales Assistants (General)Aged and Disabled CarersRegistered NursesTruck DriversGeneral Clerks
September 20214,7655,5973,7373,0143,599
September 20226,2495,3854,1973,0553,406
September 20237,1845,2404,4013,5843,327
September 20247,6296,2294,3683,6633,001
September 20257,6207,1484,4043,4222,599
September 20267,6697,5544,2493,3312,714

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 Wide Bay, 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, Wide BayPeople in employment services at each snapshot, November 2024 to June 2026.
12.5k13k13.5k14k14.5kMar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Wide BayWide Bay, Jun 2026: 13,94513,945

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, Wide Bay, against Queensland and AustraliaShare of people in employment services who had been in services for 12 months or more, and in the Wide Bay for 24 months or more, November 2024 to June 2026.
  • Wide Bay, 12 months or more
  • Wide Bay, 24 months or more
  • Queensland, 12 months or more
  • Australia, 12 months or more
40%50%60%70%Mar 2025Aug 2025Jan 2026Jun 2026Wide Bay, 12 months or moreWide Bay, 12 months or more, Jun 2026: 65.9%65.9%Wide Bay, 24 months or moreWide Bay, 24 months or more, Jun 2026: 44.9%44.9%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[8].

Show the numbers below
Numbers for Figures 5.1 and 5.2: People in employment services at each snapshot, Wide Bay, 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, Wide BayIn services 12 months or more, Wide BayIn services 24 months or more, Wide BayIn services 12 months or more, QueenslandIn services 12 months or more, Australia
November 202412,90063.1%43.1%61.1%60.8%
December 202413,00062.7%42.7%61.0%60.7%
January 202513,33063.1%42.8%60.9%60.5%
February 202513,53063.2%42.7%60.8%60.3%
March 202513,76063.3%42.3%61.0%60.3%
April 202513,86062.9%42.1%60.7%60.5%
May 202513,91063.0%42.0%60.8%60.7%
June 202513,79563.7%42.3%61.5%61.3%
July 202513,66564.1%42.7%61.8%61.7%
August 202513,57564.6%43.0%62.3%62.2%
September 202513,58064.7%43.1%62.6%62.4%
October 202513,62565.0%43.4%62.8%62.7%
November 202513,46564.6%43.2%62.6%62.5%
December 202513,41565.0%43.5%62.7%62.6%
January 202613,67564.9%43.6%62.6%62.7%
February 202613,84565.1%44.1%62.9%63.1%
March 202613,98065.6%44.3%63.2%63.4%
April 202614,01565.6%44.4%63.6%63.8%
May 202614,05565.8%44.6%64.0%64.2%
June 202613,94565.9%44.9%64.2%64.4%
Figure 5.3: People in employment services by age group, Wide Bay, June 2026The 5 age groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
Under 25: 3,645Under 253,64525–34: 2,97025–342,97035–44: 2,59535–442,59545–54: 2,25045–542,25055 and over: 2,47555 and over2,475

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by age group, Wide Bay, June 2026
Age groupPeopleShare
Under 253,64526%
25–342,97021%
35–442,59519%
45–542,25016%
55 and over2,47518%
Figure 5.4: People in employment services by allowance group, Wide Bay, June 2026The 3 allowance groups at the latest snapshot; the table adds each group's share of all people in employment services.
JobSeeker Payment: 10,025JobSeeker Payment10,025Youth Allowance (other): 2,150Youth Allowance (other)2,150Other: 1,775Other1,775

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

Show the numbers
People in employment services by allowance group, Wide Bay, June 2026
Allowance groupPeopleShare
JobSeeker Payment10,02572%
Youth Allowance (other)2,15015%
Other1,77513%

6 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast reaches beyond this ABS area: 44% of its towns are in the area. The Fraser Coast and Bundaberg have all their towns in it.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
2,041
ViewJobs, 30 Oct 2026[9]
Figure 6.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Fraser Coast, Bundaberg and Sunshine CoastThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 30 Oct 2026.
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 435Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics435Healthcare & Medical: 387Healthcare & Medical387Hospitality & Tourism: 262Hospitality & Tourism262Retail & Consumer Products: 174Retail & Consumer Products174Community Services & Development: 166Community Services & Development166Education & Training: 81Education & Training81Self Employment: 79Self Employment79Trades & Services: 68Trades & Services68

Source: ViewJobs live ads[9].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Fraser Coast, Bundaberg and Sunshine Coast
ClassificationLive jobs
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics435
Healthcare & Medical387
Hospitality & Tourism262
Retail & Consumer Products174
Community Services & Development166
Education & Training81
Self Employment79
Trades & Services68

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, Wide Bay, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)Average salary and wages per earner, 2021–22 to 2023–24 income years (ATO), against Queensland and Australia.
  • Wide Bay
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k2021–222022–232023–24Wide BayWide Bay, 2021–22: $55,517Wide Bay, 2022–23: $58,815Wide Bay, 2023–24: $62,331$62,331QueenslandQueensland, 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, Wide Bay, 2021–22 to 2023–24 (ATO)
Income yearWide BayQueenslandAustralia
2021–22$55,517$66,874$69,980
2022–23$58,815$70,435$73,647
2023–24$62,331$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 the Wide Bay's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Wide Bay?

1,804 online job ads a month were placed in the Wide Bay, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Wide Bay's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Wide Bay were up 2.6% on a year earlier, from 1,759 to 1,804 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 the Wide Bay?

Carers and aides had the most online ads, 179 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (164) and sales assistants and salespersons (121). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for corporate managers rose fastest, up 47.8%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Wide Bay?

The unemployment rate in the Wide Bay was 5.5% in September 2026, against 4.4% across Queensland. A year earlier it was 5.5%. 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 Wide Bay?

No, it is about the same. Unemployment in the Wide Bay was about the same as a year earlier in September 2026, at 5.5% against 5.5% (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 the Wide Bay?

An estimated 7,669 of the 146,260 people employed in the Wide Bay in September 2026 worked as Sales Assistants (General), the largest occupation there. Next were Aged and Disabled Carers (7,554 people) and Registered Nurses (4,249 people). These are Jobs and Skills Australia's experimental nowcast estimates.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[6].

Which occupations are growing fastest in the Wide Bay?

Among occupations with at least 200 people employed in both September 2025 and September 2026, Forklift Drivers grew fastest in the Wide Bay, up 29.4% to an estimated 1,083 people employed, followed by Private Tutors and Teachers (up 25.9%) and Crop Farmers (up 25.8%). 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 Wide Bay?

13,945 people in the Wide Bay were in Workforce Australia employment services at 30 June 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier. 65.9% 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 the Wide Bay been in Workforce Australia employment services?

At 30 June 2026, 65.9% had been in employment services for 12 months or more, and 44.9% for two years or more, against 64.2% and 43.1% across Queensland.

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

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Wide Bay?

2,041 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast, as of 30 Oct 2026. The Sunshine Coast reaches beyond the Wide Bay: 44% of its towns are in the area. The most advertised are Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (435), Healthcare & Medical (387) and Hospitality & Tourism (262).

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 Wide Bay here is ABS SA4 319 Wide Bay. 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). Wide Bay job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/qld/wide-bay

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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