The Australian Labour Market for Migrants report provides information on Australian labour market conditions. It is intended to inform people interested in working in Australia on a temporary or permanent basis, and to organisations providing services to all migrants and visa applicants.
Key findings include:
- The national trend unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in August 2026, from 4.3% a year earlier.
- Advertised vacancies for medical practitioners and nurses increased by 19.2% over the year to August 2026, while vacancies for Education professionals fell by 18.5%.
The Hot Topic analyses the labour market contribution of the permanent employer-sponsored skilled visas to regional Australia.
Findings for the 5 years covered by the analysis include:
- Most primary visas were for on-shore applicants (who do not contribute to net overseas migration), and were for positions in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry.
- Geographic distribution of primary visas differs, for example, Software Engineer and External Auditor have a high concentration in inner-city areas; while Chef, Carpenter, Motor Mechanic and Registered Nurse are more generally distributed across other areas within Major Cities.
- For remote and very remote Australia, most primary visas are for Health Care and Social Assistance, and the Accommodation and Food Services industries.
For more information, download the full report.