ViewJobs
Sign In

Job market report

Australian Capital Territory job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in the Australian Capital Territory, from Jobs and Skills Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Every figure is numbered and sourced.

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
25 October 2026
Area
ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 8ACTE
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Shrinking: online job ads in the Australian Capital Territory were down 6.9% on a year earlier, from 4,985 to 4,643 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. ICT professionals had the most online ads, 508 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (340) and medical practitioners and nurses (228).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for construction trades rose fastest, up 37.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 34% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (29% more).[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 3.8% of the labour force in the Australian Capital Territory was unemployed at the 2021 Census.

    It was 4.7% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 69.6%. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.[3]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation →

1 Job ads and demand

Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads.

Australian Capital Territory
−6.9%
4,643 ads a month[1]
Australia
+0.6%
the sum of every area[1][2]

Change in online job ads, the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 1.1: Online job ads a month, Australian Capital TerritoryThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
4k6k8k10kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, Sep 2026: 4,6434,643

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Australian Capital Territory
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20238,110
November 20237,478
December 20236,473
January 20246,158
February 20246,152
March 20246,881
April 20246,842
May 20246,812
June 20246,439
July 20246,194
August 20246,099
September 20246,341
October 20246,488
November 20246,176
December 20245,292
January 20254,980
February 20254,839
March 20255,323
April 20255,125
May 20255,062
June 20254,768
July 20254,827
August 20254,689
September 20254,985
October 20254,880
November 20254,678
December 20254,056
January 20264,012
February 20264,122
March 20264,630
April 20264,489
May 20264,441
June 20264,259
July 20264,393
August 20264,434
September 20264,643

2 Which jobs are in demand

Online job ads by occupation group (ANZSCO sub-major groups), the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 2.1: Change in online job ads by occupation, Australian Capital TerritoryThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Construction, production and distribution managers: 0.0%Construction, production and distribution managers0.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −0.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−0.6%Corporate managers: −2.2%Corporate managers−2.2%Carers and aides: −4.1%Carers and aides−4.1%Medical practitioners and nurses: −5.0%Medical practitioners and nurses−5.0%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −6.8%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−6.8%Business, finance and human resource professionals: −7.8%Business, finance and human resource professionals−7.8%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −10.5%Hospitality, retail and service managers−10.5%ICT professionals: −15.8%ICT professionals−15.8%Sales assistants and salespersons: −18.1%Sales assistants and salespersons−18.1%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −19.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals−19.4%Office managers, administrators and secretaries: −23.7%Office managers, administrators and secretaries−23.7%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Australian Capital Territory
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
ICT professionals508603−15.8%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists340365−6.8%
Medical practitioners and nurses228240−5.0%
Corporate managers221226−2.2%
Sales assistants and salespersons204249−18.1%
Carers and aides186194−4.1%
Legal, social and welfare professionals183227−19.4%
Hospitality, retail and service managers179200−10.5%
Business, finance and human resource professionals178193−7.8%
Construction, production and distribution managers1641640.0%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals158159−0.6%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries132173−23.7%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians103108−4.6%
Numerical clerks10096+4.2%
Information professionals97134−27.6%
Other clerical and administrative workers97129−24.8%
Drivers and storepersons9173+24.7%
Food trades8495−11.6%
Sales representatives and agents8478+7.7%
Transport and design professionals, and architects8172+12.5%
Health, education, ICT and other managers7976+3.9%
Hospitality workers7881−3.7%
Protective service workers77770.0%
Arts and media professionals7667+13.4%
Other labourers7567+11.9%
Construction trades7454+37.0%
Education professionals7365+12.3%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals6463+1.6%
Automotive and engineering trades6166−7.6%
Engineers6057+5.3%
Sports, travel and personal service workers5962−4.8%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades5756+1.8%
Cleaners and laundry workers4753−11.3%
Health and welfare support workers40400.0%
Factory process workers3950−22.0%
Sales support workers3431+9.7%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers3239−17.9%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers3235−8.6%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators2835−20.0%
Mobile plant operators2722+22.7%
Science professionals and veterinarians2225−12.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades2223−4.3%
Construction and mining labourers1914+35.7%
Food preparation assistants1612+33.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators1217−29.4%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers1112−8.3%
Farm, forestry and garden workers11110.0%
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation

Unemployment and labour force participation at each Census, from the ABS. These are the rates at the Census named, not current rates.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Australian Capital TerritoryShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses.
3.5%4%4.5%5%201120162021Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, 2011: 3.6%Australian Capital Territory, 2016: 4.7%Australian Capital Territory, 2021: 3.8%3.8%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Australian Capital Territory
CensusAustralian Capital Territory
2011 Census3.6%
2016 Census4.7%
2021 Census3.8%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Australian Capital TerritoryShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses.
66%67%68%69%70%201120162021Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, 2011: 69.9%Australian Capital Territory, 2016: 66.9%Australian Capital Territory, 2021: 69.6%69.6%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Australian Capital Territory
CensusAustralian Capital Territory
2011 Census69.9%
2016 Census66.9%
2021 Census69.6%

Note: This report takes unemployment from the Census. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.

4 Industries growing and shrinking

Employee jobs by industry (ANZSIC division) in the year to 30 June, from the ABS. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Shrinking means fewer employee jobs in the ABS count.

Figure 4.1: Change in employee jobs by industry, Australian Capital Territory, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Health care and social assistance: +34.1%Health care and social assistance+34.1%Accommodation and food services: +29.2%Accommodation and food services+29.2%Information media and telecommunications: +23.2%Information media and telecommunications+23.2%Professional, scientific and technical services: +21.2%Professional, scientific and technical services+21.2%Construction: +19.9%Construction+19.9%Financial and insurance services: +19.5%Financial and insurance services+19.5%Retail trade: +18.6%Retail trade+18.6%Public administration and safety: +17.1%Public administration and safety+17.1%Arts and recreation services: +14.9%Arts and recreation services+14.9%Other services: +14.6%Other services+14.6%Transport, postal and warehousing: +14.6%Transport, postal and warehousing+14.6%Administrative and support services: +13.8%Administrative and support services+13.8%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +13.6%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+13.6%Education and training: +13.1%Education and training+13.1%Wholesale trade: +12.5%Wholesale trade+12.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +11.2%Rental, hiring and real estate services+11.2%Manufacturing: +3.7%Manufacturing+3.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Australian Capital Territory, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Public administration and safety96,028112,476+17.1%
Professional, scientific and technical services34,98542,393+21.2%
Accommodation and food services30,95539,985+29.2%
Health care and social assistance29,17639,130+34.1%
Administrative and support services30,58734,819+13.8%
Retail trade26,29231,193+18.6%
Education and training22,10724,999+13.1%
Construction16,18419,410+19.9%
Other services10,40811,926+14.6%
Financial and insurance services6,8348,165+19.5%
Arts and recreation services6,8137,826+14.9%
Information media and telecommunications5,2746,500+23.2%
Manufacturing6,2556,487+3.7%
Rental, hiring and real estate services5,0915,660+11.2%
Wholesale trade4,6545,238+12.5%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,3204,950+14.6%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,7161,949+13.6%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing920944n/a
Mining212253n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Australian Capital Territory, 2023408,698 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Public administration and safety: 112,476Public administration and safety112,476Professional, scientific and technical services: 42,393Professional, scientific and technical services42,393Accommodation and food services: 39,985Accommodation and food services39,985Health care and social assistance: 39,130Health care and social assistance39,130Administrative and support services: 34,819Administrative and support services34,819Retail trade: 31,193Retail trade31,193Education and training: 24,999Education and training24,999Construction: 19,410Construction19,410

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Australian Capital Territory, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Public administration and safety112,47628%
Professional, scientific and technical services42,39310%
Accommodation and food services39,98510%
Health care and social assistance39,13010%
Administrative and support services34,8199%
Retail trade31,1938%
Education and training24,9996%
Construction19,4105%
Other services11,9263%
Financial and insurance services8,1652%
Arts and recreation services7,8262%
Information media and telecommunications6,5002%
Manufacturing6,4872%
Rental, hiring and real estate services5,6601%
Wholesale trade5,2381%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,9501%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,9490%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing9440%
Mining2530%
All industries408,698100%

5 Pay

Employee income per person with wage or salary income, before tax, including part-time and part-year workers, from the ABS. The median is the middle earner; the mean (average) is pulled up by high earners.

Figure 5.1: Median employee income, Australian Capital TerritoryIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Australia.
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, 2019: $68,331Australian Capital Territory, 2020: $70,510Australian Capital Territory, 2021: $73,539Australian Capital Territory, 2022: $75,677Australian Capital Territory, 2023: $79,659$79,659AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $52,256Australia, 2020: $53,878Australia, 2021: $56,485Australia, 2022: $58,260Australia, 2023: $61,966$61,966

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Median employee income, Australian Capital Territory
YearAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
2019$68,331$52,256
2020$70,510$53,878
2021$73,539$56,485
2022$75,677$58,260
2023$79,659$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Australian Capital TerritoryIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Australia.
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Australia
$60k$70k$80k$90k20192020202120222023Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory, 2019: $75,128Australian Capital Territory, 2020: $77,878Australian Capital Territory, 2021: $80,963Australian Capital Territory, 2022: $83,506Australian Capital Territory, 2023: $87,801$87,801AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $63,517Australia, 2020: $65,591Australia, 2021: $68,452Australia, 2022: $70,950Australia, 2023: $74,579$74,579

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Mean employee income, Australian Capital Territory
YearAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
2019$75,128$63,517
2020$77,878$65,591
2021$80,963$68,452
2022$83,506$70,950
2023$87,801$74,579

6 People

Estimated resident population and the working-age population (15 to 64), from the ABS.

People living in the area
484,630
ABS, 2025 · up 8.9% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
325,205
ABS, 2024 · up 7.2% since 2020[3]

7 Businesses

Counts of businesses by how many people they employ, from the ABS.

Businesses in the area
36,934
ABS, 2025 · up 17.6% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Australian Capital Territory, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 21,564No employees21,5641–4 employees: 10,6831–4 employees10,6835–19 employees: 3,5865–19 employees3,58620 or more employees: 1,10120 or more employees1,101

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Australian Capital Territory, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees17,23421,564+25.1%
1–4 employees9,96810,683+7.2%
5–19 employees3,2823,586+9.3%
20 or more employees9211,101+19.5%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Canberra, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Canberra
2,040
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, CanberraThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Information & Communication Technology: 528Information & Communication Technology528Healthcare & Medical: 171Healthcare & Medical171Government & Defence: 160Government & Defence160Consulting & Strategy: 135Consulting & Strategy135Retail & Consumer Products: 109Retail & Consumer Products109Hospitality & Tourism: 102Hospitality & Tourism102Engineering: 92Engineering92Community Services & Development: 81Community Services & Development81

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Canberra
ClassificationLive jobs
Information & Communication Technology528
Healthcare & Medical171
Government & Defence160
Consulting & Strategy135
Retail & Consumer Products109
Hospitality & Tourism102
Engineering92
Community Services & Development81

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

Short answers to the questions people ask about the Australian Capital Territory's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in the Australian Capital Territory?

4,643 online job ads a month were placed in the Australian Capital Territory, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Australian Capital Territory's job market growing or shrinking?

Shrinking: online job ads in the Australian Capital Territory were down 6.9% on a year earlier, from 4,985 to 4,643 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.6% across Australia.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[1]; ViewJobs analysis[2].

Which jobs are most in demand in the Australian Capital Territory?

ICT professionals had the most online ads, 508 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (340) and medical practitioners and nurses (228). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for construction trades rose fastest, up 37.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Australian Capital Territory?

3.8% of the labour force in the Australian Capital Territory was unemployed at the 2021 Census. It was 4.7% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 69.6%. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in the Australian Capital Territory?

Average (mean) employee income in the Australian Capital Territory was $87,801 in 2023; the median was $79,659, against $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in the Australian Capital Territory?

Public administration and safety had the most employee jobs in the Australian Capital Territory: 112,476 in 2023, 28% of the 408,698 employee jobs. Next were professional, scientific and technical services (42,393) and accommodation and food services (39,985).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in the Australian Capital Territory?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 34% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (29% more).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is the Australian Capital Territory's population growing?

484,630 people lived in the Australian Capital Territory in 2025, up 8.9% since 2020. The working-age population was 325,205 in 2024, up 7.2% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Australian Capital Territory?

At least 2,040 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Australian Capital Territory, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Canberra, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Information & Communication Technology (528), Healthcare & Medical (171) and Government & Defence (160).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

10 Notes and method

What the figures count, where they come from, and the rules this report applies to them.

The area
The Australian Capital Territory here is ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 8ACTE. It takes in 1 ABS SA4 regions: Australian Capital Territory. The reports cover 50 areas, 42 regional ABS regions and the eight capital cities: the areas Jobs and Skills Australia publishes online job ads for.
Online job ads
Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads. It counts ads, not jobs filled, by occupation and area.
State and national ads
This report reads the index's series by area, so a state or national figure here is the sum of its areas, marked as ViewJobs analysis. It can differ from the state and national totals Jobs and Skills Australia publishes separately.[2]
Small numbers
A figure under 5 ads a month is shown as "fewer than 5". A group with fewer than 5 ads a month, now or a year earlier, is left out of every change, and every ranking by change.
ABS figures
The latest ABS income and jobs figures here are for the year to 30 June 2023; population and business counts are more recent. Every figure shows its year. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Industries with fewer than 1,000 employee jobs are listed but not ranked.
Unemployment
This report takes unemployment from the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses: each figure is the rate at the Census named, not a current rate. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.
Jobs on ViewJobs
ViewJobs regions do not follow ABS boundaries. Section 8 counts the ads open on ViewJobs on 25 Oct 2026 in each ViewJobs region with at least 20% of its towns in this area, and counts each region whole: a region that reaches beyond the area can include ads from outside it, and a region with fewer of its towns here is left out. A classification links to its own page once it has enough ads for one.

11 References

Every figure on this page points at one of these entries.

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/internet_vacancies_anzsco2_occupations_gccsa_and_sa4_regions_-_september_2026.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  2. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/internet-vacancy-index. State and national figures are the sum of the ABS areas in Jobs and Skills Australia's regional series.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, v1.6.0. dbr.abs.gov.au. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Australian Capital Territory job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/act/australian-capital-territory

Licence

Contains data from Jobs and Skills Australia, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under CC BY 4.0. ViewJobs has charted the data and, where marked as ViewJobs analysis, added areas together.

ViewJobs

Across 85+ mastheads