Jobs and Skills Australia’s latest Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey results show that recruitment activity has picked up over the last three months, despite falling by 1 percentage point to 48 per cent in April 2025. In smoothed terms, the recruitment rate is now trending upwards. Recruitment activity also remains consistent with levels recorded a year ago. Employers were more optimistic in April about increasing their staffing in the months ahead.
Key findings from the April 2025 survey include:
- Recruitment activity – The recruitment rate fell slightly to 48 per cent in April but remains consistent with levels a year earlier. Over the past three months, activity has strengthened, and smoothed data show an upward trend.
- Employer expectations – Hiring outlook has improved with 23 per cent of employers expecting to increase staffing in the next three months. This is three percentage points higher than it was a year earlier.
- Recruitment difficulty – The proportion of employers reporting difficulty rose sharply to 53 per cent in April. This was more common in Rest of State areas and for higher skilled roles. However, the smoothed difficulty rate remained broadly stable, following a steady decline since mid-2024.
For more insights, read the full April report.
