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Job vacancy statistics can be used to assess changes in the demand for labour, and are considered to be a leading indicator of employment. The ABS defines a job vacancy as an employee job available for immediate filling on the survey reference date and for which recruitment action has been taken by the employer.
Graph 8.58 presents quarterly trend estimates of job vacancies for the period May 1991 to May 2011. It shows that the number of job vacancies decreased to 30,300 in August 1991, reflecting the labour market downturn in the early 1990s. The number of job vacancies then trended upwards to a high of 115,100 in May 2000, before falling to 88,900 in November 2001. Job vacancies then increased again, reaching a new record high of 182,900 in February 2008. There was a drop in the number of job vacancies, which became apparent after the survey was reinstated in November 2009. Since then, job vacancies have trended upwards from 150,600 in November 2009 to a peak of 189,200 in February 2011. In May 2011, there were 186,200 job vacancies.
The number of job vacancies in May 2011 (table 8.59) was highest in the Professional, scientific and technical services industry (25,000 or 14% of all job vacancies) followed by Administrative and support services (24,000), Construction (19,400) and Health care and social assistance (16,600) industries (13%, 11% and 9% respectively).
8.59 JOB VACANCIES, By industry(a)—May 2011
'000
%
Mining
9.5
5.2
Manufacturing
10.7
5.9
Electricity, gas, water and waste services
1.0
0.6
Construction
19.4
10.7
Wholesale trade
*12.8
*7.1
Retail trade
11.0
6.1
Accommodation and food services
11.9
6.6
Transport, postal and warehousing
*5.5
*3.0
Information media and telecommunications
2.7
1.5
Financial and insurance services
8.6
4.8
Rental, hiring and real estate services
*3.2
*1.8
Professional, scientific and technical services
25.0
13.8
Administrative and support services
24.0
13.3
Public administration and safety
10.3
5.7
Education and training
3.0
1.7
Health care and social assistance
16.6
9.2
Arts and recreation services
1.5
0.8
Other services
*4.5
*2.5
All industries
181.0
100.0
* estimate has a relative standard error between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution
(a) Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 1.0) (1292.0).
Statistics contained in the Year Book are the most recent available at the time of preparation. In many cases, the ABS website and the websites of other organisations provide access to more recent data. Each Year Book table or graph and the bibliography at the end of each chapter provides hyperlinks to the most up to date data release where available.
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This page first published 24 May 2012, last updated 11 November 2015
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JOB VACANCIES
Job vacancy statistics can be used to assess changes in the demand for labour, and are considered to be a leading indicator of employment. The ABS defines a job vacancy as an employee job available for immediate filling on the survey reference date and for which recruitment action has been taken by the employer.
Graph 8.58 presents quarterly trend estimates of job vacancies for the period May 1991 to May 2011. It shows that the number of job vacancies decreased to 30,300 in August 1991, reflecting the labour market downturn in the early 1990s. The number of job vacancies then trended upwards to a high of 115,100 in May 2000, before falling to 88,900 in November 2001. Job vacancies then increased again, reaching a new record high of 182,900 in February 2008. There was a drop in the number of job vacancies, which became apparent after the survey was reinstated in November 2009. Since then, job vacancies have trended upwards from 150,600 in November 2009 to a peak of 189,200 in February 2011. In May 2011, there were 186,200 job vacancies.
The number of job vacancies in May 2011 (table 8.59) was highest in the Professional, scientific and technical services industry (25,000 or 14% of all job vacancies) followed by Administrative and support services (24,000), Construction (19,400) and Health care and social assistance (16,600) industries (13%, 11% and 9% respectively).
8.59 JOB VACANCIES, By industry(a)—May 2011