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Job market report

Greater Melbourne job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Greater Melbourne, Victoria, 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 2GMEL
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Steady: online job ads in Greater Melbourne were down 0.6% on a year earlier, from 38,386 to 38,170 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Victoria and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists had the most online ads, 2,428 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (2,087) and sales assistants and salespersons (1,927).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for farmers and farm managers rose fastest, up 50.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 44% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (41% more).

    Public administration and safety had 19% fewer employee jobs than in 2019, and agriculture, forestry and fishing 9% fewer.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 5.3% of the labour force in Greater Melbourne was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria.

    It was 6.8% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 64.1%, against 62.4% across Victoria. 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.

Greater Melbourne
−0.6%
38,170 ads a month[1]
Victoria
+0.1%
the sum of its areas[1][2]
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, Greater MelbourneThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
30k40k50k60kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Greater MelbourneGreater Melbourne, Sep 2026: 38,17038,170

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Greater Melbourne
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 202356,620
November 202352,852
December 202346,212
January 202444,491
February 202444,612
March 202448,915
April 202447,542
May 202447,232
June 202445,348
July 202443,841
August 202442,618
September 202442,955
October 202444,333
November 202442,000
December 202436,979
January 202535,485
February 202535,582
March 202539,794
April 202537,793
May 202538,075
June 202537,031
July 202538,275
August 202537,698
September 202538,386
October 202538,722
November 202537,008
December 202532,761
January 202632,176
February 202633,666
March 202638,309
April 202637,025
May 202636,706
June 202635,548
July 202636,904
August 202637,460
September 202638,170

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, Greater MelbourneThe 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.
Medical practitioners and nurses: +16.1%Medical practitioners and nurses+16.1%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +2.9%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+2.9%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +2.4%Hospitality, retail and service managers+2.4%Sales assistants and salespersons: +0.8%Sales assistants and salespersons+0.8%Other clerical and administrative workers: −1.2%Other clerical and administrative workers−1.2%Business, finance and human resource professionals: −2.4%Business, finance and human resource professionals−2.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −5.9%Legal, social and welfare professionals−5.9%Numerical clerks: −6.7%Numerical clerks−6.7%Corporate managers: −7.9%Corporate managers−7.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −9.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−9.5%ICT professionals: −12.3%ICT professionals−12.3%Carers and aides: −14.6%Carers and aides−14.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Greater Melbourne
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists2,4282,682−9.5%
Medical practitioners and nurses2,0871,798+16.1%
Sales assistants and salespersons1,9271,911+0.8%
Corporate managers1,9062,069−7.9%
Carers and aides1,7652,066−14.6%
Business, finance and human resource professionals1,6971,739−2.4%
Legal, social and welfare professionals1,5341,630−5.9%
ICT professionals1,5171,730−12.3%
Hospitality, retail and service managers1,4321,398+2.4%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals1,3961,356+2.9%
Other clerical and administrative workers1,3261,342−1.2%
Numerical clerks1,2591,350−6.7%
Construction, production and distribution managers1,1471,044+9.9%
Automotive and engineering trades1,1421,1420.0%
Food trades971819+18.6%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries963960+0.3%
Sales representatives and agents9621,077−10.7%
Drivers and storepersons863851+1.4%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians816789+3.4%
Hospitality workers814616+32.1%
Other labourers728680+7.1%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals725764−5.1%
Engineers700610+14.8%
Construction trades588543+8.3%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades579436+32.8%
Mobile plant operators553455+21.5%
Education professionals537729−26.3%
Health, education, ICT and other managers494455+8.6%
Cleaners and laundry workers483396+22.0%
Information professionals452522−13.4%
Sports, travel and personal service workers451489−7.8%
Factory process workers426469−9.2%
Transport and design professionals, and architects391423−7.6%
Machine and stationary plant operators391400−2.2%
Health and welfare support workers377370+1.9%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators259249+4.0%
Arts and media professionals255220+15.9%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers249265−6.0%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers228236−3.4%
Sales support workers226211+7.1%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades195214−8.9%
Science professionals and veterinarians193203−4.9%
Protective service workers190167+13.8%
Food preparation assistants183178+2.8%
Construction and mining labourers139144−3.5%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers11189+24.7%
Farm, forestry and garden workers82820.0%
Farmers and farm managers3322+50.0%

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, Greater MelbourneShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • Greater Melbourne
  • Victoria
5%5.5%6%6.5%7%201120162021Greater MelbourneGreater Melbourne, 2011: 5.5%Greater Melbourne, 2016: 6.8%Greater Melbourne, 2021: 5.3%5.3%VictoriaVictoria, 2011: 5.4%Victoria, 2016: 6.6%Victoria, 2021: 5.0%5.0%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Greater Melbourne
CensusGreater MelbourneVictoria
2011 Census5.5%5.4%
2016 Census6.8%6.6%
2021 Census5.3%5.0%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Greater MelbourneShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • Greater Melbourne
  • Victoria
60%61%62%63%64%65%201120162021Greater MelbourneGreater Melbourne, 2011: 62.5%Greater Melbourne, 2016: 61.9%Greater Melbourne, 2021: 64.1%64.1%VictoriaVictoria, 2011: 61.4%Victoria, 2016: 60.5%Victoria, 2021: 62.4%62.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Greater Melbourne
CensusGreater MelbourneVictoria
2011 Census62.5%61.4%
2016 Census61.9%60.5%
2021 Census64.1%62.4%

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, Greater Melbourne, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Education and training: +43.5%Education and training+43.5%Accommodation and food services: +40.5%Accommodation and food services+40.5%Health care and social assistance: +39.1%Health care and social assistance+39.1%Retail trade: +25.9%Retail trade+25.9%Arts and recreation services: +20.9%Arts and recreation services+20.9%Financial and insurance services: +20.0%Financial and insurance services+20.0%Construction: +19.6%Construction+19.6%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +17.7%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+17.7%Information media and telecommunications: +17.1%Information media and telecommunications+17.1%Other services: +15.6%Other services+15.6%Administrative and support services: +14.3%Administrative and support services+14.3%Professional, scientific and technical services: +13.5%Professional, scientific and technical services+13.5%Transport, postal and warehousing: +9.7%Transport, postal and warehousing+9.7%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +8.4%Rental, hiring and real estate services+8.4%Manufacturing: +5.9%Manufacturing+5.9%Mining: +4.1%Mining+4.1%Wholesale trade: +1.9%Wholesale trade+1.9%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: −9.4%Agriculture, forestry and fishing−9.4%Public administration and safety: −18.9%Public administration and safety−18.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Greater Melbourne, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance405,047563,522+39.1%
Administrative and support services399,028456,141+14.3%
Retail trade336,903424,129+25.9%
Accommodation and food services288,007404,740+40.5%
Professional, scientific and technical services324,864368,797+13.5%
Education and training234,372336,405+43.5%
Construction205,615245,835+19.6%
Manufacturing226,346239,683+5.9%
Financial and insurance services175,405210,483+20.0%
Public administration and safety256,348208,001−18.9%
Wholesale trade171,572174,839+1.9%
Transport, postal and warehousing117,427128,844+9.7%
Other services108,028124,933+15.6%
Arts and recreation services77,24293,381+20.9%
Information media and telecommunications74,52987,277+17.1%
Rental, hiring and real estate services67,89973,580+8.4%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services25,59130,110+17.7%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing24,30222,008−9.4%
Mining5,1645,377+4.1%
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Greater Melbourne, 20234,250,278 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 563,522Health care and social assistance563,522Administrative and support services: 456,141Administrative and support services456,141Retail trade: 424,129Retail trade424,129Accommodation and food services: 404,740Accommodation and food services404,740Professional, scientific and technical services: 368,797Professional, scientific and technical services368,797Education and training: 336,405Education and training336,405Construction: 245,835Construction245,835Manufacturing: 239,683Manufacturing239,683

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Greater Melbourne, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance563,52213%
Administrative and support services456,14111%
Retail trade424,12910%
Accommodation and food services404,74010%
Professional, scientific and technical services368,7979%
Education and training336,4058%
Construction245,8356%
Manufacturing239,6836%
Financial and insurance services210,4835%
Public administration and safety208,0015%
Wholesale trade174,8394%
Transport, postal and warehousing128,8443%
Other services124,9333%
Arts and recreation services93,3812%
Information media and telecommunications87,2772%
Rental, hiring and real estate services73,5802%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services30,1101%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing22,0081%
Mining5,3770%
All industries4,250,278100%

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, Greater MelbourneIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • Greater Melbourne
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023Greater MelbourneGreater Melbourne, 2019: $52,896Greater Melbourne, 2020: $54,426Greater Melbourne, 2021: $57,055Greater Melbourne, 2022: $59,446Greater Melbourne, 2023: $63,274$63,274VictoriaVictoria, 2019: $51,487Victoria, 2020: $53,010Victoria, 2021: $55,526Victoria, 2022: $57,653Victoria, 2023: $61,397$61,397AustraliaAustralia, 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, Greater Melbourne
YearGreater MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
2019$52,896$51,487$52,256
2020$54,426$53,010$53,878
2021$57,055$55,526$56,485
2022$59,446$57,653$58,260
2023$63,274$61,397$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Greater MelbourneIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • Greater Melbourne
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k20192020202120222023Greater MelbourneGreater Melbourne, 2019: $64,541Greater Melbourne, 2020: $66,665Greater Melbourne, 2021: $69,822Greater Melbourne, 2022: $72,885Greater Melbourne, 2023: $76,405$76,405VictoriaVictoria, 2019: $62,207Victoria, 2020: $64,331Victoria, 2021: $67,299Victoria, 2022: $70,089Victoria, 2023: $73,591$73,591AustraliaAustralia, 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, Greater Melbourne
YearGreater MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
2019$64,541$62,207$63,517
2020$66,665$64,331$65,591
2021$69,822$67,299$68,452
2022$72,885$70,089$70,950
2023$76,405$73,591$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
5,435,590
ABS, 2025 · up 7.4% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
3,625,430
ABS, 2024 · up 6.0% since 2020[3]

Victoria's population was up 6.9% from 2020 to 2025, and Greater Melbourne's up 7.4%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
596,547
ABS, 2025 · up 16.4% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Greater Melbourne, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 404,608No employees404,6081–4 employees: 134,1831–4 employees134,1835–19 employees: 43,5435–19 employees43,54320 or more employees: 14,21320 or more employees14,213

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Greater Melbourne, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees311,534404,608+29.9%
1–4 employees146,782134,183−8.6%
5–19 employees42,13043,543+3.4%
20 or more employees11,94514,213+19.0%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Melbourne, the Peninsula, the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, and Macedon, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
16,925
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Melbourne, Peninsula, Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, and MacedonThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Education & Training: 2,069Education & Training2,069Healthcare & Medical: 1,872Healthcare & Medical1,872Information & Communication Technology: 1,306Information & Communication Technology1,306Hospitality & Tourism: 1,301Hospitality & Tourism1,301Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 1,226Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics1,226Retail & Consumer Products: 1,204Retail & Consumer Products1,204Sales: 733Sales733Community Services & Development: 729Community Services & Development729

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Melbourne, Peninsula, Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, and Macedon
ClassificationLive jobs
Education & Training2,069
Healthcare & Medical1,872
Information & Communication Technology1,306
Hospitality & Tourism1,301
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics1,226
Retail & Consumer Products1,204
Sales733
Community Services & Development729

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in Greater Melbourne?

38,170 online job ads a month were placed in Greater Melbourne, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Greater Melbourne's job market growing or shrinking?

Steady: online job ads in Greater Melbourne were down 0.6% on a year earlier, from 38,386 to 38,170 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Victoria and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in Greater Melbourne?

General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists had the most online ads, 2,428 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (2,087) and sales assistants and salespersons (1,927). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for farmers and farm managers rose fastest, up 50.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Greater Melbourne?

5.3% of the labour force in Greater Melbourne was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria. It was 6.8% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 64.1%, against 62.4% across Victoria. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in Greater Melbourne?

Average (mean) employee income in Greater Melbourne was $76,405 in 2023; the median was $63,274, against $61,397 across Victoria and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Greater Melbourne?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Greater Melbourne: 563,522 in 2023, 13% of the 4,250,278 employee jobs. Next were administrative and support services (456,141) and retail trade (424,129).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Greater Melbourne?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 44% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (41% more). Public administration and safety had 19% fewer employee jobs than in 2019, and agriculture, forestry and fishing 9% fewer.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Greater Melbourne's population growing?

5,435,590 people lived in Greater Melbourne in 2025, up 7.4% since 2020. Victoria's population was up 6.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 3,625,430 in 2024, up 6.0% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Greater Melbourne?

At least 16,925 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Greater Melbourne, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Melbourne, the Peninsula, the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, and Macedon, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Education & Training (2,069), Healthcare & Medical (1,872) and Information & Communication Technology (1,306).

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
Greater Melbourne here is ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 2GMEL. It takes in 9 ABS SA4 regions: Melbourne - Inner, Melbourne - Inner East, Melbourne - Inner South, Melbourne - North East, Melbourne - North West, Melbourne - Outer East, Melbourne - South East, Melbourne - West and Mornington Peninsula. 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). Greater Melbourne job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/vic/greater-melbourne

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.

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