How many occupations are in shortage in Australia?

293 of 1,022 assessed occupations (28.7%) are in national shortage, according to the Jobs & Skills Australia Occupation Shortage List (via FairWork Mate). Shortages are concentrated in professional and technical/trades roles.

Which types of jobs are most in shortage?

Professionals account for the most shortage occupations (132), followed by Technicians & Trades Workers (110). Together they make up the bulk of Australia's skills shortages.

How many job vacancies are there in Australia?

There were about 204,262 online job vacancies nationally in the latest month (down 1.7% year-on-year), per the Jobs & Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index.

FairWork Mate Insights · Skills & demand

What jobs are in shortage in Australia?

Name: Australian Skills Shortages & Job Demand
Creator: FairWork Mate
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

293 occupations are in national shortage — concentrated in professional and trades roles. Which jobs are hardest to fill, where the demand is, and what they pay.

Source: Jobs & Skills Australia — Occupation Shortage List + Internet Vacancy Index.

293

occupations in national shortage

28.7%

of 1,022 assessed occupations

204,262

online job vacancies

-1.7%

vacancies year-on-year

Where the shortages are

Number of in-shortage occupations by major occupation group. Professionals and skilled trades dominate — the roles that take years to train.

Professionals132

Technicians & Trades Workers110

Machinery Operators & Drivers20

Community & Personal Service19

Labourers8

Managers2

Clerical & Administrative2

Occupations in national shortage

A sample of the roles assessed as in shortage across Australia. If you work in one of these, you're in demand — check what the role should pay.

Construction Project ManagerTaxation AccountantExternal AuditorActuaryFilm and Video EditorEngineering SurveyorGeospatial SpecialistLand SurveyorMine SurveyorGeospatial Information Professionals and Surveyors necBuilding SurveyorQuantity SurveyorExtractive MetallurgistCivil EngineerGeotechnical EngineerRail EngineerStructural EngineerTransport EngineerWater EngineerElectrical EngineerRail Signalling Engineer

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How we compiled this. Shortage assessments are from the Jobs & Skills Australia Occupation Shortage List (OSCA-coded); vacancy counts are from the JSA Internet Vacancy Index. “In shortage” covers national, regional and metro shortage ratings. Point-in-time; refreshed as JSA updates. General information, not career or legal advice.

FairWork Mate Insights — Australian skills shortages & job demand, from Jobs & Skills Australia open data.

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