Publications

Showing 1 - 10 of 90 results

Skills, Mobility and Productivity: Why Australia needs a skills-first tertiary education system

As workforce needs evolve and lifelong learning becomes increasingly important, tertiary education systems must provide more flexible and connected pathways between learning and work. JSA’s latest occasional paper, Skills, Mobility and Productivity: Why Australia needs a skills-first tertiary education system, examines how stronger connections between skills and qualifications can improve learner mobility, workforce participation and productivity. It makes the case for a tertiary education system that recognises and values both, while creating clearer pathways for individuals to develop, demonstrate and use capability throughout their lives. The paper highlights the need for a more joined‑up, human‑centred approach to tertiary education reform. It shows how improving the systems architecture that underpins how skills are described, recognised and transferred across the system can better support careers, lifelong learning and workforce mobility.It highlights opportunities to improve the visibility of skills with qualifications, strengthen recognition of prior learning, and expand multidirectional credit transfer across the tertiary education system. The report also explores the infrastructure needed to support consistency, transparency and mobility, and outlines a practical reform agenda aimed at creating a more connected, equitable and future focused tertiary education system. Read the full report to explore the evidence, analysis and recommendations. 

17 June 2026

Occupation Shortage Report - March 2026

The Occupation Shortage Report offers analysis on possible shortage pressures in the labour market. Over the quarter, highlights include: National vacancy fill rates fell to 68.2%. Recruitment conditions weakened across both metropolitan and regional Australia. The gap between metropolitan and regional vacancy fill rates have widened. Vacancy fill rates declined across all skill level occupation groups. For more insights, download the full report.

3 June 2026

International Labour Market Update - May 2026

The International Labour Market Update provides labour market data and information for Australia and selected overseas countries and country groups. The update also highlights the influence of artificial intelligence on productivity and employment, ongoing challenges for younger workers, and uneven wage recovery across OECD countries.   Key takeaways: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports on a softening in the international labour market in the first quarter of 2026. OECD analysis which shows that, while unemployment rates were unchanged in 19 member economies, there was variability in the youth unemployment rate. Comparisons of labour productivity and productivity growth for selected countries, with other labour market data provided for the Euro Area, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. For more insights, download the full report.  

29 May 2026

2025 Skills in Demand (SID) Report

The 2025 Skills in Demand (SID) Report is a response to the Australian Government’s Migration Strategy. The report analyses the employer sponsored temporary SID visa program across three streams (Specialist Skills, Core Skills, Labour Agreement) from December 2024 to 30 September 2025. The early analysis in this report suggests the SID program is broadly meeting Migration Strategy objectives, but data is still limited. Key findings:  indexed salary thresholds and the SID visa have lifted nominated salaries for primary applicants compared with the former TSS visa most visas align to higher skill occupation groups (Dec 2024–30 Sep 2025) Labour Agreements are being used more, and their role has grown following policy changes visa grants under SID and the legacy TSS remain high, in part reflecting a resilient labour market.

29 May 2026

Migration

Australian Labour Market for Migrants - April 2026

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, as well as organisations that provide services to migrants and visa applicants. The report notes that while the Australian economy and labour market remain resilient, there are signs of further softening, with declines in trend employment over the 12 months to February 2026 continuing for Wholesale Trade, Manufacturing, and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. The Hot Topic provides an overview of the geographic and labour market distribution of the Australian population, with key findings including: Female migrants had higher unemployment rates than male migrants (except for Tasmania and the Northern Territory (NT)). For 2024-25, Net Overseas Migration (NOM) was highest in New South Wales and Victoria, and lowest in Tasmania and the NT. Australia’s population growth is expected to slow to 1.3% in 2025-26 and gradually fall to 1.2% from 2026-27 onwards. For more information, download the full report.

30 April 2026

Forces at work: adult learning and the Australian labour market

Jobs and Skills Australia’s latest working paper explores how major economic forces are transforming the way Australians develop skills across their working lives. From rapid technological change to an ageing workforce, the paper highlights why lifelong learning is becoming essential for individuals, employers and the broader economy. This paper is part of the Lifelong Learning series, examining how learning extends beyond initial education and across entire careers.

28 April 2026

Employer attitudes toward disability inclusion in the Australian workforce

A new disability module was included in the Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey to capture employer experiences, attitudes, and challenges in hiring people with disability. Drawing on responses from over 2,200 employers collected between May and September 2025, the module examined recruitment practices, workplace adjustments, use of government supports, and perceived barriers, providing evidence to inform understanding of inclusive employment practices. Key findings: New Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey module reveals that 29% of employers (over 2,200 surveyed) reported having staff with disability. 59% of those who hadn’t, said they were open to doing so. Most employers (82%) who hired a person with disability did not access government incentives or wage subsidies. Flexible work, job redesign, and workstation adjustments were the most common workplace modifications. For more information, download the Insights report. 

30 March 2026

Employment and disability in Australia

People with disability make up a significant share of Australia’s working-age population but continue to face challenges in the labour market. New JSA insights highlight these challenges, identify a sizeable job‑ready cohort, and outline opportunities to unlock their potential through inclusive employment and targeted support. Key findings: The participation rate for people with disability has increased from 53.4% in 2018 to 60.5% in 2022. People with disability have a lower participation rate (60.5%) and higher unemployment rate (7.5%) than those without disability. Around 260,000 people with disability are not employed but are potentially job ready. Commonly cited barriers include limited suitable jobs, transport problems, and a lack of workplace adjustments, rather than reasons related to their disability. For more information, download the Insights report.

30 March 2026

First Nations VET Workforce Research Paper

The First Nations VET Workforce Research Paper is a focused extension of Jobs and Skills Australia’s VET Workforce Study. It brings together insights into accredited training from First Nations voices, national datasets and stakeholders to strengthen understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce within vocational education and training (VET) and what’s needed to support its growth. The Paper shows that culturally responsive, First Nations-led approaches are essential for building a strong, sustainable VET workforce that supports Community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners. It highlights that self-determination, genuine community engagement, and valuing Indigenous expertise are core enablers of quality training. Key insights include: Strong growth, ongoing underrepresentation: The First Nations VET workforce grew 18% between 2016 and 2021, outpacing the overall workforce, yet representation remains 2%, below the 3.8% population share. Better learner outcomes: Evidence indicates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners have stronger engagement and better completion outcomes when taught by First Nations educators. National priority and regional impact: Strengthening the First Nations VET workforce supports Closing the Gap Priority Reforms, builds local workforce pipelines, and helps address skills needs, particularly in regional and remote Australia. For questions or assistance, please email: VETWorkforceAnalysis@jobsandskills.gov.au 

17 March 2026

Occupation Shortage Report - December 2025

The Occupation Shortage Report offers analysis on possible shortage pressures in the labour market. Some highlights this quarter: National fill rate reached 70.7% in December 2025, up 2.1 percentage points over the past year but only marginally up from the last quarter. Regional areas saw strong gains, with fill rates rising 5.6 points in the last 12 months to 68.6%. The gap between metro and regional fill rates is the smallest since 2023, now at just 3.2 percentage points. Employers are finding more suitable candidates for vacant roles, with steady improvement across Australia. All Skill Level occupation groups saw improved fill rates this quarter, but Skill Level 3 remains low at 54.5%. For more insights, download the full report. 

12 March 2026