Australia’s labour market remains resilient, although conditions are softening, with the national trend unemployment rate reaching 4.6% in August 2026, up from 4.3% a year earlier.
The latest Australian Labour Market for Migrants publication from Jobs and Skills Australia explores changing labour market conditions and the contribution of skilled migrants to Australia’s workforce.
Job opportunities continue to vary across occupations. Advertised vacancies for medical practitioners and nurses increased by 19.2% over the year to August 2026, while vacancies for education professionals declined by 18.5%.
The publication also highlights the role of permanent employer-sponsored skilled visas in supplementing workforce needs across regional Australia. In outer regional areas, nurses, chefs and mechanics were among the top occupations for visa grants, while remote and very remote areas saw most primary visas granted for positions in health care and social assistance, and accommodation and food services.
The geographic distribution of permanent employer sponsored skilled migrants also varies by occupation. Within major cities, software engineers and external auditors are more concentrated in inner-city areas, while chefs, carpenters, motor mechanics and registered nurses are more widely distributed.
For more insights, download the full report.
The ALMM report provides high-level data and analysis on the Australian labour market, to better inform people interested in working in Australia on a temporary or permanent basis, and organisations providing services to migrants and potential visa applicants.
