The January 2026 edition of ALMM includes a Hot Topic that provides an overview of the contribution of temporary work visa holders to Australia, using Department of Home Affairs’ administrative data Australian Census and Temporary Entrants Integrated Dataset. It also includes information on the geographic distribution and main occupations of employment for some temporary work visa programs.
The report notes the Australian economy and labour market remains resilient, although there are signs of further softening in labour market conditions (with decreases in trend employment over the 12 months to November 2025 for Wholesale Trade, Manufacturing, and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing).
The national trend unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.3% in November 2025, up from 4.0% a year earlier. Tasmania was the only state or territory with a decrease in the unemployment rate (4.1% to 4.0%). Employment growth varied across occupations, with the largest gains for:
- Professionals (+198,100)
- Community and Personal Service Workers (+82,000)
- Technicians and Trades Workers (+11,900).
Declines were recorded for:
- Clerical and Administrative Workers (-29,700).
- Machinery Operators and Drivers (-23,400)
For more information, read the full report.
