Australian employers continued to recruit steadily in the June quarter 2026, while recruitment difficulties eased compared with a year ago, according to the latest Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey (REOS).
Almost half (48%) of employers recruited staff during the quarter, up slightly from 47% a year earlier. Western Australia recorded the highest recruitment rate among the states (55%), while the Northern Territory led all jurisdictions at 57%.
Recruitment challenges also eased over the quarter, with 44% of recruiting employers reporting difficulty filling vacancies, down from 49% in the June quarter 2025. Tasmania recorded the highest recruitment difficulty rate of any state at 56%.
Looking ahead, 17% of employers expected to increase staffing over the next three months, down from 20% a year earlier. Queensland reported the strongest hiring intentions, with one in five employers planning to expand their workforce.
Accommodation and Food Services recorded the highest recruitment rate (62%), while Wholesale Trade had the highest recruitment difficulty (54%). Technicians and Trades Workers remained the hardest occupation to recruit, with 58% of employers reporting difficulty filling vacancies and more than half (53%) of vacancies remaining unfilled for longer than a month.
Read the report for more insights.
