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Job market report

Sunshine Coast job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 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 316 Sunshine Coast
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Shrinking: online job ads in the Sunshine Coast were down 3.4% on a year earlier, from 3,331 to 3,218 a month in the three months to September 2026.

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

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Sales assistants and salespersons had the most online ads, 260 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (254) and general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (214).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for chief executives, managing directors & legislators rose fastest, up 71.4%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, arts and recreation services grew fastest, with 60% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (44% more).

    Public administration and safety had 2% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 4.4% of the labour force in the Sunshine Coast was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.4% across Queensland.

    It was 7.1% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.3%, against 61.6% across Queensland. 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.

Sunshine Coast
−3.4%
3,218 ads a month[1]
Queensland
+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, Sunshine CoastThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
2.75k3k3.25k3.5k3.75kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, Sep 2026: 3,2183,218

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Sunshine Coast
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20233,671
November 20233,453
December 20233,008
January 20242,990
February 20242,922
March 20243,214
April 20243,042
May 20243,057
June 20242,991
July 20243,067
August 20243,192
September 20243,400
October 20243,544
November 20243,481
December 20243,039
January 20252,975
February 20252,856
March 20253,075
April 20252,832
May 20252,865
June 20252,939
July 20253,108
August 20253,160
September 20253,331
October 20253,394
November 20253,346
December 20252,930
January 20262,919
February 20262,947
March 20263,261
April 20262,995
May 20262,868
June 20262,767
July 20262,945
August 20263,058
September 20263,218

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, Sunshine CoastThe 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.
Other labourers: +16.5%Other labourers+16.5%Cleaners and laundry workers: +14.6%Cleaners and laundry workers+14.6%Drivers and storepersons: +7.6%Drivers and storepersons+7.6%Sales assistants and salespersons: 0.0%Sales assistants and salespersons0.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −0.8%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−0.8%Food trades: −2.1%Food trades−2.1%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −2.2%Hospitality, retail and service managers−2.2%Medical practitioners and nurses: −2.5%Medical practitioners and nurses−2.5%Automotive and engineering trades: −5.7%Automotive and engineering trades−5.7%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −9.8%Legal, social and welfare professionals−9.8%Carers and aides: −11.8%Carers and aides−11.8%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −19.5%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−19.5%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Sunshine Coast
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Sales assistants and salespersons2602600.0%
Carers and aides254288−11.8%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists214266−19.5%
Medical practitioners and nurses192197−2.5%
Food trades138141−2.1%
Hospitality, retail and service managers133136−2.2%
Other labourers120103+16.5%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals117118−0.8%
Drivers and storepersons113105+7.6%
Automotive and engineering trades99105−5.7%
Cleaners and laundry workers9482+14.6%
Legal, social and welfare professionals92102−9.8%
Hospitality workers9089+1.1%
Sales representatives and agents8597−12.4%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians7975+5.3%
Corporate managers7666+15.2%
Business, finance and human resource professionals7495−22.1%
Construction trades7195−25.3%
Numerical clerks6761+9.8%
Other clerical and administrative workers6080−25.0%
Construction, production and distribution managers5740+42.5%
Education professionals5659−5.1%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries5155−7.3%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers4543+4.7%
Engineers4432+37.5%
Health and welfare support workers4443+2.3%
Sports, travel and personal service workers4434+29.4%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades4344−2.3%
Mobile plant operators4232+31.3%
Construction and mining labourers3935+11.4%
Food preparation assistants3338−13.2%
Machine and stationary plant operators32320.0%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals2837−24.3%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades2733−18.2%
Factory process workers2327−14.8%
Sales support workers2217+29.4%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers2019+5.3%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1917+11.8%
ICT professionals1724−29.2%
Farm, forestry and garden workers17170.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects1623−30.4%
Science professionals and veterinarians1621−23.8%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators127+71.4%
Information professionals10fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workers108+25.0%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers1014−28.6%
Arts and media professionals914−35.7%
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, Sunshine CoastShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Queensland.
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Queensland
4%5%6%7%8%201120162021Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, 2011: 7.1%Sunshine Coast, 2016: 7.1%Sunshine Coast, 2021: 4.4%4.4%QueenslandQueensland, 2011: 6.1%Queensland, 2016: 7.6%Queensland, 2021: 5.4%5.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Sunshine Coast
CensusSunshine CoastQueensland
2011 Census7.1%6.1%
2016 Census7.1%7.6%
2021 Census4.4%5.4%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Sunshine CoastShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Queensland.
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Queensland
56%58%60%62%64%201120162021Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, 2011: 58.4%Sunshine Coast, 2016: 57.3%Sunshine Coast, 2021: 58.3%58.3%QueenslandQueensland, 2011: 62.8%Queensland, 2016: 61.0%Queensland, 2021: 61.6%61.6%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Sunshine Coast
CensusSunshine CoastQueensland
2011 Census58.4%62.8%
2016 Census57.3%61.0%
2021 Census58.3%61.6%

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, Sunshine Coast, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Arts and recreation services: +60.1%Arts and recreation services+60.1%Accommodation and food services: +43.7%Accommodation and food services+43.7%Professional, scientific and technical services: +42.6%Professional, scientific and technical services+42.6%Information media and telecommunications: +41.9%Information media and telecommunications+41.9%Health care and social assistance: +38.5%Health care and social assistance+38.5%Other services: +33.9%Other services+33.9%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +32.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services+32.5%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +31.1%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+31.1%Retail trade: +29.5%Retail trade+29.5%Administrative and support services: +28.7%Administrative and support services+28.7%Wholesale trade: +27.7%Wholesale trade+27.7%Financial and insurance services: +27.6%Financial and insurance services+27.6%Mining: +26.9%Mining+26.9%Manufacturing: +23.4%Manufacturing+23.4%Transport, postal and warehousing: +22.8%Transport, postal and warehousing+22.8%Construction: +20.5%Construction+20.5%Education and training: +18.1%Education and training+18.1%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +9.5%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+9.5%Public administration and safety: −2.4%Public administration and safety−2.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Sunshine Coast, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance36,70250,847+38.5%
Accommodation and food services26,58438,206+43.7%
Retail trade26,93034,870+29.5%
Construction23,87128,761+20.5%
Education and training21,69225,618+18.1%
Administrative and support services19,17824,677+28.7%
Professional, scientific and technical services14,74621,023+42.6%
Manufacturing12,04014,862+23.4%
Financial and insurance services10,87513,874+27.6%
Other services9,03812,102+33.9%
Public administration and safety11,46211,192−2.4%
Rental, hiring and real estate services7,3839,779+32.5%
Wholesale trade7,3459,380+27.7%
Transport, postal and warehousing6,7458,282+22.8%
Arts and recreation services3,9136,265+60.1%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing3,8644,231+9.5%
Mining3,3324,228+26.9%
Information media and telecommunications2,1673,074+41.9%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,8912,479+31.1%
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Sunshine Coast, 2023328,726 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 50,847Health care and social assistance50,847Accommodation and food services: 38,206Accommodation and food services38,206Retail trade: 34,870Retail trade34,870Construction: 28,761Construction28,761Education and training: 25,618Education and training25,618Administrative and support services: 24,677Administrative and support services24,677Professional, scientific and technical services: 21,023Professional, scientific and technical services21,023Manufacturing: 14,862Manufacturing14,862

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Sunshine Coast, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance50,84715%
Accommodation and food services38,20612%
Retail trade34,87011%
Construction28,7619%
Education and training25,6188%
Administrative and support services24,6778%
Professional, scientific and technical services21,0236%
Manufacturing14,8625%
Financial and insurance services13,8744%
Other services12,1024%
Public administration and safety11,1923%
Rental, hiring and real estate services9,7793%
Wholesale trade9,3803%
Transport, postal and warehousing8,2823%
Arts and recreation services6,2652%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing4,2311%
Mining4,2281%
Information media and telecommunications3,0741%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services2,4791%
All industries328,726100%

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, Sunshine CoastIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, 2019: $45,857Sunshine Coast, 2020: $47,046Sunshine Coast, 2021: $49,477Sunshine Coast, 2022: $51,469Sunshine Coast, 2023: $54,799$54,799QueenslandQueensland, 2019: $50,776Queensland, 2020: $52,137Queensland, 2021: $54,414Queensland, 2022: $56,569Queensland, 2023: $59,751$59,751AustraliaAustralia, 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, Sunshine Coast
YearSunshine CoastQueenslandAustralia
2019$45,857$50,776$52,256
2020$47,046$52,137$53,878
2021$49,477$54,414$56,485
2022$51,469$56,569$58,260
2023$54,799$59,751$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Sunshine CoastIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$55k$60k$65k$70k$75k20192020202120222023Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, 2019: $55,603Sunshine Coast, 2020: $57,277Sunshine Coast, 2021: $60,212Sunshine Coast, 2022: $62,779Sunshine Coast, 2023: $66,623$66,623QueenslandQueensland, 2019: $60,307Queensland, 2020: $62,160Queensland, 2021: $64,570Queensland, 2022: $67,160Queensland, 2023: $70,571$70,571AustraliaAustralia, 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, Sunshine Coast
YearSunshine CoastQueenslandAustralia
2019$55,603$60,307$63,517
2020$57,277$62,160$65,591
2021$60,212$64,570$68,452
2022$62,779$67,160$70,950
2023$66,623$70,571$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
441,508
ABS, 2025 · up 11.8% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
263,348
ABS, 2024 · up 9.3% since 2020[3]

Queensland's population was up 9.8% from 2020 to 2025, and the Sunshine Coast's up 11.8%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
47,327
ABS, 2025 · up 16.2% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Sunshine Coast, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 28,592No employees28,5921–4 employees: 13,1551–4 employees13,1555–19 employees: 4,4075–19 employees4,40720 or more employees: 1,17320 or more employees1,173

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Sunshine Coast, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees23,27328,592+22.9%
1–4 employees12,74713,155+3.2%
5–19 employees3,8544,407+14.3%
20 or more employees8431,173+39.1%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the Sunshine Coast, a ViewJobs region that reaches beyond this ABS area: 56% of its towns are in the area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in the Sunshine Coast
988
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Sunshine CoastThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Hospitality & Tourism: 221Hospitality & Tourism221Healthcare & Medical: 178Healthcare & Medical178Retail & Consumer Products: 120Retail & Consumer Products120Community Services & Development: 83Community Services & Development83Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 75Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics75Education & Training: 43Education & Training43Trades & Services: 42Trades & Services42Call Centre & Customer Service: 28Call Centre & Customer Service28

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Sunshine Coast
ClassificationLive jobs
Hospitality & Tourism221
Healthcare & Medical178
Retail & Consumer Products120
Community Services & Development83
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics75
Education & Training43
Trades & Services42
Call Centre & Customer Service28

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in the Sunshine Coast?

3,218 online job ads a month were placed in the Sunshine Coast, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the Sunshine Coast's job market growing or shrinking?

Shrinking: online job ads in the Sunshine Coast were down 3.4% on a year earlier, from 3,331 to 3,218 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Queensland and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in the Sunshine Coast?

Sales assistants and salespersons had the most online ads, 260 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (254) and general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (214). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for chief executives, managing directors & legislators rose fastest, up 71.4%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the Sunshine Coast?

4.4% of the labour force in the Sunshine Coast was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.4% across Queensland. It was 7.1% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.3%, against 61.6% across Queensland. 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 Sunshine Coast?

Average (mean) employee income in the Sunshine Coast was $66,623 in 2023; the median was $54,799, against $59,751 across Queensland and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in the Sunshine Coast?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in the Sunshine Coast: 50,847 in 2023, 15% of the 328,726 employee jobs. Next were accommodation and food services (38,206) and retail trade (34,870).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in the Sunshine Coast?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, arts and recreation services grew fastest, with 60% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (44% more). Public administration and safety had 2% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is the Sunshine Coast's population growing?

441,508 people lived in the Sunshine Coast in 2025, up 11.8% since 2020. Queensland's population was up 9.8% over the same years. The working-age population was 263,348 in 2024, up 9.3% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the Sunshine Coast?

988 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Sunshine Coast, a ViewJobs region that reaches beyond the ABS area of the same name, as of 25 Oct 2026. 56% of its towns are in the area. The most advertised are Hospitality & Tourism (221), Healthcare & Medical (178) and Retail & Consumer Products (120).

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 Sunshine Coast here is ABS SA4 316 Sunshine Coast. 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). Sunshine Coast job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/qld/sunshine-coast

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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