Occupation shortages across Australia are showing signs of easing, with the latest Occupation Shortage Report revealing a slight improvement in job vacancy fill rates.
The national job vacancy fill rate rose by 0.8 percentage points in December quarter 2024 to 68.9%, supported by an increase in the number of qualified and suitable applicants per vacancy. This aligns with broader signs of a softening labour market.
Both metropolitan (metro) and regional areas saw improvements, but metro areas are recovering faster. The metro fill rate reached 70.6%, well above the 63.5% in regional areas, indicating that shortages remain more pronounced outside major cities.
The fill rate improved across Skill Level 1 to 3 occupations, but Skill Level 3 occupation fill rates remain much lower than the other skill level groups with a fill rate of just 55.3%.
This quarter’s report also highlights broader labour market trends. It shows that rising unemployment is accompanied by falling vacancy rates and increasing fill rates, suggesting lower shortage pressures and shifts in the balance between labour supply and demand.
Read more in the full report.
