Australian job advertisements declined by 5.8% over the past year, yet remaining positions offer higher pay and attract record applicant numbers.
Salaries rise as hiring slows
Data from SEEK reveals advertised salaries increased 4.2% year-on-year in June, picking up pace from earlier months. The latest monthly rise of 0.3% was smaller than March’s 0.4% but still exceeded gains in April and May.
Blair Chapman, the company’s chief economist, described the growth as significant amid economic challenges. “Annual advertised salary growth remains relatively strong, despite the challenging environment for businesses, and while growth picked up slightly in June, the monthly pace has softened since March,” he said.
He cautioned that the trend might reverse. “Businesses are dealing with higher input and borrowing costs alongside continued global uncertainty, which is impacting the hiring outlook for pockets of the labour market. Annual advertised salary growth is back around the pace last seen in July 2024, although recent monthly growth suggests that we may see a moderation in annual growth over the next few months.”
Fewer ads, more competition
Job postings fell 0.9% in June, marking the eleventh consecutive monthly decline. The 5.8% annual drop is the steepest since early 2025. Meanwhile, applications per posting reached a new high, increasing 2.0% from May as fewer openings attracted more candidates.
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The decline in postings varies by sector. Professional and public sector roles experienced the largest decreases, while trades, construction, and resources expanded. Chapman said this reflects a labour market adjusting to new conditions. “Job ads continued their incremental decline in June, due to subdued hiring activity in the Professional and Public sectors,” he said. “Meanwhile a growing number of trades-based and technical roles recorded increased demand. This reinforces the story of a labour market in transition.”
Western Australia and South Australia were the only states to report growth in June, rising 0.5% and 0.2%. WA’s 1.5% annual increase stemmed from construction, manufacturing, and engineering. Other states saw declines, with New South Wales and Victoria down 1.3% and 0.7% respectively, weighed down by retail, healthcare, and administrative roles.
A clear industry divide exists. Government and defence postings fell 16.8% annually, while mining and construction grew. Trades and services was the only major sector to rise in June, increasing 0.5%. Roles tied to artificial intelligence climbed 3.2% month-on-month and 64.1% year-on-year, though they represent just 2% of all ads.
Chapman pointed out that jobseekers will find better prospects in skilled trades and technical fields. While AI-related roles are expanding, they still account for a small share of opportunities.
The report did not address a discrepancy in SEEK’s data, which listed AI skill growth at two slightly different rates.