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Job market report

Riverina job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in the Riverina, New South Wales, 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
24 October 2026
Area
ABS SA4 113 Riverina
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the Riverina were up 6.9% on a year earlier, from 1,158 to 1,238 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were down 0.8% across New South Wales and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 164 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (86) and automotive and engineering trades (80).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for medical practitioners and nurses rose fastest, up 70.8%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 47% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (29% more).[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 3.8% of the labour force in the Riverina was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 4.9% across New South Wales.

    It was 5.2% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 60.6%, against 58.7% across New South Wales. 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.

Riverina
+6.9%
1,238 ads a month[1]
New South Wales
−0.8%
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, RiverinaThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.2k1.4k1.6k1.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026RiverinaRiverina, Sep 2026: 1,2381,238

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Riverina
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,612
November 20231,530
December 20231,396
January 20241,355
February 20241,338
March 20241,380
April 20241,352
May 20241,337
June 20241,240
July 20241,149
August 20241,134
September 20241,193
October 20241,238
November 20241,192
December 20241,085
January 20251,065
February 20251,035
March 20251,127
April 20251,084
May 20251,122
June 20251,087
July 20251,136
August 20251,114
September 20251,158
October 20251,159
November 20251,133
December 20251,042
January 20261,052
February 20261,100
March 20261,205
April 20261,129
May 20261,098
June 20261,041
July 20261,102
August 20261,171
September 20261,238

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, RiverinaThe 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: +70.8%Medical practitioners and nurses+70.8%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +26.5%Legal, social and welfare professionals+26.5%Sales assistants and salespersons: +23.7%Sales assistants and salespersons+23.7%Mobile plant operators: +21.7%Mobile plant operators+21.7%Business, finance and human resource professionals: +11.1%Business, finance and human resource professionals+11.1%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +4.9%Hospitality, retail and service managers+4.9%Carers and aides: +2.6%Carers and aides+2.6%Other labourers: +2.3%Other labourers+2.3%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −1.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−1.5%Drivers and storepersons: −2.3%Drivers and storepersons−2.3%Automotive and engineering trades: −3.6%Automotive and engineering trades−3.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −14.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−14.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Riverina
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses16496+70.8%
Legal, social and welfare professionals8668+26.5%
Automotive and engineering trades8083−3.6%
Carers and aides7977+2.6%
Sales assistants and salespersons7359+23.7%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists6465−1.5%
Other labourers4544+2.3%
Hospitality, retail and service managers4341+4.9%
Drivers and storepersons4243−2.3%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3541−14.6%
Business, finance and human resource professionals3027+11.1%
Mobile plant operators2823+21.7%
Engineers2717+58.8%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians2633−21.2%
Food trades2616+62.5%
Corporate managers2528−10.7%
Numerical clerks2315+53.3%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades2226−15.4%
Cleaners and laundry workers2124−12.5%
Construction, production and distribution managers1918+5.6%
Construction trades19190.0%
Health and welfare support workers1836−50.0%
Hospitality workers1815+20.0%
Factory process workers1819−5.3%
Education professionals1715+13.3%
Other clerical and administrative workers1720−15.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1720−15.0%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1314−7.1%
Sales representatives and agents139+44.4%
Machine and stationary plant operators1319−31.6%
Health, education, ICT and other managers128+50.0%
Farmers and farm managers1113−15.4%
Science professionals and veterinarians1014−28.6%
Sales support workers98+12.5%
Construction and mining labourers96+50.0%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers815−46.7%
Sports, travel and personal service workers810−20.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects7fewer than 5n/a
Food preparation assistants7fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators550.0%
ICT professionals56−16.7%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers510−50.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workers5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 55n/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, RiverinaShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against New South Wales.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
3%4%5%6%7%201120162021RiverinaRiverina, 2011: 4.9%Riverina, 2016: 5.2%Riverina, 2021: 3.8%3.8%New South WalesNew South Wales, 2011: 5.9%New South Wales, 2016: 6.3%New South Wales, 2021: 4.9%4.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Riverina
CensusRiverinaNew South Wales
2011 Census4.9%5.9%
2016 Census5.2%6.3%
2021 Census3.8%4.9%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, RiverinaShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against New South Wales.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
58%59%60%61%201120162021RiverinaRiverina, 2011: 60.8%Riverina, 2016: 58.7%Riverina, 2021: 60.6%60.6%New South WalesNew South Wales, 2011: 59.7%New South Wales, 2016: 59.2%New South Wales, 2021: 58.7%58.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Riverina
CensusRiverinaNew South Wales
2011 Census60.8%59.7%
2016 Census58.7%59.2%
2021 Census60.6%58.7%

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, Riverina, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Accommodation and food services: +46.9%Accommodation and food services+46.9%Arts and recreation services: +29.2%Arts and recreation services+29.2%Health care and social assistance: +27.9%Health care and social assistance+27.9%Administrative and support services: +22.2%Administrative and support services+22.2%Professional, scientific and technical services: +22.0%Professional, scientific and technical services+22.0%Wholesale trade: +18.0%Wholesale trade+18.0%Retail trade: +17.7%Retail trade+17.7%Financial and insurance services: +17.0%Financial and insurance services+17.0%Public administration and safety: +15.1%Public administration and safety+15.1%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +13.5%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+13.5%Construction: +13.4%Construction+13.4%Education and training: +12.0%Education and training+12.0%Transport, postal and warehousing: +9.4%Transport, postal and warehousing+9.4%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +9.2%Rental, hiring and real estate services+9.2%Other services: +7.3%Other services+7.3%Manufacturing: +4.8%Manufacturing+4.8%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +2.0%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+2.0%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Riverina, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance14,03817,952+27.9%
Accommodation and food services8,90613,083+46.9%
Retail trade10,87012,790+17.7%
Manufacturing10,81111,329+4.8%
Education and training9,94411,136+12.0%
Administrative and support services8,79610,745+22.2%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing9,17910,418+13.5%
Public administration and safety8,5799,875+15.1%
Construction6,9087,831+13.4%
Wholesale trade4,4025,193+18.0%
Professional, scientific and technical services3,9364,802+22.0%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,2984,702+9.4%
Financial and insurance services2,9253,421+17.0%
Other services3,0703,294+7.3%
Arts and recreation services1,1811,526+29.2%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,3331,455+9.2%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,3461,373+2.0%
Information media and telecommunications480683n/a
Mining512576n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Riverina, 2023133,242 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 17,952Health care and social assistance17,952Accommodation and food services: 13,083Accommodation and food services13,083Retail trade: 12,790Retail trade12,790Manufacturing: 11,329Manufacturing11,329Education and training: 11,136Education and training11,136Administrative and support services: 10,745Administrative and support services10,745Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 10,418Agriculture, forestry and fishing10,418Public administration and safety: 9,875Public administration and safety9,875

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Riverina, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance17,95213%
Accommodation and food services13,08310%
Retail trade12,79010%
Manufacturing11,3299%
Education and training11,1368%
Administrative and support services10,7458%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing10,4188%
Public administration and safety9,8757%
Construction7,8316%
Wholesale trade5,1934%
Professional, scientific and technical services4,8024%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,7024%
Financial and insurance services3,4213%
Other services3,2942%
Arts and recreation services1,5261%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,4551%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,3731%
Information media and telecommunications6831%
Mining5760%
All industries133,242100%

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, RiverinaIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023RiverinaRiverina, 2019: $48,512Riverina, 2020: $50,019Riverina, 2021: $52,410Riverina, 2022: $53,744Riverina, 2023: $56,771$56,771New South WalesNew South Wales, 2019: $53,104New South Wales, 2020: $54,989New South Wales, 2021: $57,891New South Wales, 2022: $58,972New South Wales, 2023: $63,301$63,301AustraliaAustralia, 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, Riverina
YearRiverinaNew South WalesAustralia
2019$48,512$53,104$52,256
2020$50,019$54,989$53,878
2021$52,410$57,891$56,485
2022$53,744$58,972$58,260
2023$56,771$63,301$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, RiverinaIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against New South Wales and Australia.
  • Riverina
  • New South Wales
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023RiverinaRiverina, 2019: $52,940Riverina, 2020: $54,787Riverina, 2021: $57,106Riverina, 2022: $58,787Riverina, 2023: $61,873$61,873New South WalesNew South Wales, 2019: $66,377New South Wales, 2020: $68,690New South Wales, 2021: $71,848New South Wales, 2022: $74,232New South Wales, 2023: $78,078$78,078AustraliaAustralia, 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, Riverina
YearRiverinaNew South WalesAustralia
2019$52,940$66,377$63,517
2020$54,787$68,690$65,591
2021$57,106$71,848$68,452
2022$58,787$74,232$70,950
2023$61,873$78,078$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
166,404
ABS, 2025 · up 1.5% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
100,760
ABS, 2024 · down 0.7% since 2020[3]

New South Wales' population was up 5.9% from 2020 to 2025, and the Riverina's up 1.5%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
17,594
ABS, 2025 · up 8.4% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Riverina, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 10,703No employees10,7031–4 employees: 4,7191–4 employees4,7195–19 employees: 1,7185–19 employees1,71820 or more employees: 45420 or more employees454

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Riverina, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees9,29010,703+15.2%
1–4 employees4,8324,719−2.3%
5–19 employees1,7231,718−0.3%
20 or more employees386454+17.6%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

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

Live jobs on ViewJobs in the Riverina
276
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, RiverinaThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Retail & Consumer Products: 44Retail & Consumer Products44Healthcare & Medical: 37Healthcare & Medical37Farming, Animals & Conservation: 31Farming, Animals & Conservation31Trades & Services: 24Trades & Services24Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 23Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics23Community Services & Development: 19Community Services & Development19Mining, Resources & Energy: 17Mining, Resources & Energy17Hospitality & Tourism: 15Hospitality & Tourism15

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Riverina
ClassificationLive jobs
Retail & Consumer Products44
Healthcare & Medical37
Farming, Animals & Conservation31
Trades & Services24
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics23
Community Services & Development19
Mining, Resources & Energy17
Hospitality & Tourism15

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in the Riverina?

1,238 online job ads a month were placed in the Riverina, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Riverina's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the Riverina were up 6.9% on a year earlier, from 1,158 to 1,238 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were down 0.8% across New South Wales and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in the Riverina?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 164 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by legal, social and welfare professionals (86) and automotive and engineering trades (80). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for medical practitioners and nurses rose fastest, up 70.8%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Riverina?

3.8% of the labour force in the Riverina was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 4.9% across New South Wales. It was 5.2% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 60.6%, against 58.7% across New South Wales. 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 Riverina?

Average (mean) employee income in the Riverina was $61,873 in 2023; the median was $56,771, against $63,301 across New South Wales and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in the Riverina?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in the Riverina: 17,952 in 2023, 13% of the 133,242 employee jobs. Next were accommodation and food services (13,083) and retail trade (12,790).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in the Riverina?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 47% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (29% more).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is the Riverina's population growing?

166,404 people lived in the Riverina in 2025, up 1.5% since 2020. New South Wales' population was up 5.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 100,760 in 2024, down 0.7% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Riverina?

At least 276 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Riverina, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the ViewJobs region of the same name, whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Retail & Consumer Products (44), Healthcare & Medical (37) and Farming, Animals & Conservation (31).

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 Riverina here is ABS SA4 113 Riverina. 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 24 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 24 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. preview.viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Riverina job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/nsw/riverina

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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