Recruitment in Australia looks very different depending on where you are, the sector you’re in and the size of the business. Until now, that’s made it challenging to get a complete picture of labour demand.
While online job ads remain a popular recruitment tool, their use shifts over time and doesn’t always capture the full story, especially as labour market conditions change. This makes it harder to spot emerging trends and understand where hiring activity is really occurring.
The new Total New Vacancies (TNV) data closes the gap. It estimates the total number of new vacancies created each quarter, going beyond online ads to capture the full breadth of recruitment activity.
The measure combines data from JSA’s Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) with employer insights from the Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey (REOS), which tracks how businesses recruit. By incorporating information on informal hiring methods such as word of mouth, shopfront signs and local social media groups, TNV provides a more accurate view of the jobs available in any given quarter.
This improved approach is particularly valuable for regional areas and industries where online advertising is less common, including many Trade and Labourer occupations. With the TNV, policymakers, industry and communities will have a clearer understanding of labour demand across Australia’s diverse economy.
For questions, please email: JSA-Nowcasting@jobsandskills.gov.au
