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Job market report

West and North West job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in the West and North West, Tasmania, 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 604 West and North West
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in the West and North West were up 7.3% on a year earlier, from 605 to 649 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were down 4.3% across Tasmania and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 67 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (46) and general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (41).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for construction trades rose fastest, up 116.7%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 38% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by financial and insurance services (35% more).

    Agriculture, forestry and fishing had 4% fewer employee jobs than in 2019, and public administration and safety 4% fewer.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 5.5% of the labour force in the West and North West was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.9% across Tasmania.

    It was 7.6% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 54.8%, against 58.2% across Tasmania. 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.

West and North West
+7.3%
649 ads a month[1]
Tasmania
−4.3%
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, West and North WestThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
500600700800Jan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026West and North WestWest and North West, Sep 2026: 649649

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, West and North West
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 2023729
November 2023713
December 2023662
January 2024686
February 2024709
March 2024766
April 2024738
May 2024701
June 2024639
July 2024588
August 2024574
September 2024594
October 2024629
November 2024621
December 2024579
January 2025566
February 2025559
March 2025580
April 2025563
May 2025564
June 2025562
July 2025590
August 2025566
September 2025605
October 2025563
November 2025574
December 2025524
January 2026562
February 2026586
March 2026667
April 2026668
May 2026677
June 2026615
July 2026613
August 2026604
September 2026649

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, West and North WestThe 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.
Machine and stationary plant operators: +61.5%Machine and stationary plant operators+61.5%Engineering, ICT and science technicians: +46.2%Engineering, ICT and science technicians+46.2%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades: +26.7%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades+26.7%Carers and aides: +15.0%Carers and aides+15.0%Sales assistants and salespersons: +13.8%Sales assistants and salespersons+13.8%Drivers and storepersons: +8.3%Drivers and storepersons+8.3%Automotive and engineering trades: −2.7%Automotive and engineering trades−2.7%Other labourers: −4.3%Other labourers−4.3%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −6.8%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−6.8%Medical practitioners and nurses: −6.9%Medical practitioners and nurses−6.9%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −11.1%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−11.1%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −24.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals−24.4%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, West and North West
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses6772−6.9%
Carers and aides4640+15.0%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists4144−6.8%
Automotive and engineering trades3637−2.7%
Sales assistants and salespersons3329+13.8%
Legal, social and welfare professionals3141−24.4%
Drivers and storepersons2624+8.3%
Other labourers2223−4.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators2113+61.5%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians1913+46.2%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades1915+26.7%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals1618−11.1%
Food trades1617−5.9%
Construction, production and distribution managers157+114.3%
Business, finance and human resource professionals1410+40.0%
Construction trades136+116.7%
Health and welfare support workers13130.0%
Engineers1213−7.7%
Other clerical and administrative workers1213−7.7%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1210+20.0%
Hospitality, retail and service managers11110.0%
Corporate managers106+66.7%
Health, education, ICT and other managers107+42.9%
Hospitality workers109+11.1%
Sales representatives and agents108+25.0%
Cleaners and laundry workers1012−16.7%
Education professionals96+50.0%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries97+28.6%
Factory process workers911−18.2%
Numerical clerks880.0%
Science professionals and veterinarians7fewer than 5n/a
Food preparation assistants710−30.0%
Mobile plant operators67−14.3%
Construction and mining labourers68−25.0%
Sports, travel and personal service workers550.0%
Sales support workers5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Transport and design professionals, and architectsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Jewellers, arts and other trades workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Skilled animal and horticultural workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer 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, West and North WestShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Tasmania.
  • West and North West
  • Tasmania
5%6%7%8%201120162021West and North WestWest and North West, 2011: 7.0%West and North West, 2016: 7.6%West and North West, 2021: 5.5%5.5%TasmaniaTasmania, 2011: 6.4%Tasmania, 2016: 7.0%Tasmania, 2021: 5.9%5.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, West and North West
CensusWest and North WestTasmania
2011 Census7.0%6.4%
2016 Census7.6%7.0%
2021 Census5.5%5.9%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, West and North WestShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Tasmania.
  • West and North West
  • Tasmania
52%54%56%58%60%201120162021West and North WestWest and North West, 2011: 56.0%West and North West, 2016: 53.5%West and North West, 2021: 54.8%54.8%TasmaniaTasmania, 2011: 57.8%Tasmania, 2016: 55.5%Tasmania, 2021: 58.2%58.2%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, West and North West
CensusWest and North WestTasmania
2011 Census56.0%57.8%
2016 Census53.5%55.5%
2021 Census54.8%58.2%

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, West and North West, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Health care and social assistance: +37.9%Health care and social assistance+37.9%Financial and insurance services: +34.9%Financial and insurance services+34.9%Other services: +31.5%Other services+31.5%Professional, scientific and technical services: +31.1%Professional, scientific and technical services+31.1%Transport, postal and warehousing: +25.6%Transport, postal and warehousing+25.6%Accommodation and food services: +23.2%Accommodation and food services+23.2%Education and training: +22.7%Education and training+22.7%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +22.2%Rental, hiring and real estate services+22.2%Mining: +20.5%Mining+20.5%Construction: +19.9%Construction+19.9%Retail trade: +17.5%Retail trade+17.5%Manufacturing: +13.5%Manufacturing+13.5%Administrative and support services: +12.0%Administrative and support services+12.0%Wholesale trade: −1.9%Wholesale trade−1.9%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: −3.7%Agriculture, forestry and fishing−3.7%Public administration and safety: −4.2%Public administration and safety−4.2%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, West and North West, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance9,41812,985+37.9%
Retail trade6,9618,182+17.5%
Manufacturing6,3027,151+13.5%
Accommodation and food services5,7477,083+23.2%
Administrative and support services6,1226,859+12.0%
Education and training5,4306,664+22.7%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing6,7086,457−3.7%
Construction4,3855,257+19.9%
Transport, postal and warehousing3,6074,531+25.6%
Public administration and safety4,3804,196−4.2%
Other services2,3563,097+31.5%
Professional, scientific and technical services2,1552,825+31.1%
Mining2,0082,420+20.5%
Wholesale trade2,2382,196−1.9%
Financial and insurance services1,6142,178+34.9%
Rental, hiring and real estate services8891,086+22.2%
Arts and recreation services799989n/a
Electricity, gas, water and waste services593687n/a
Information media and telecommunications345546n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, West and North West, 202386,022 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 12,985Health care and social assistance12,985Retail trade: 8,182Retail trade8,182Manufacturing: 7,151Manufacturing7,151Accommodation and food services: 7,083Accommodation and food services7,083Administrative and support services: 6,859Administrative and support services6,859Education and training: 6,664Education and training6,664Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 6,457Agriculture, forestry and fishing6,457Construction: 5,257Construction5,257

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, West and North West, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance12,98515%
Retail trade8,18210%
Manufacturing7,1518%
Accommodation and food services7,0838%
Administrative and support services6,8598%
Education and training6,6648%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing6,4578%
Construction5,2576%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,5315%
Public administration and safety4,1965%
Other services3,0974%
Professional, scientific and technical services2,8253%
Mining2,4203%
Wholesale trade2,1963%
Financial and insurance services2,1783%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,0861%
Arts and recreation services9891%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services6871%
Information media and telecommunications5461%
All industries86,022100%

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, West and North WestIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Tasmania and Australia.
  • West and North West
  • Tasmania
  • Australia
$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023West and North WestWest and North West, 2019: $46,401West and North West, 2020: $48,252West and North West, 2021: $49,900West and North West, 2022: $51,526West and North West, 2023: $54,212$54,212TasmaniaTasmania, 2019: $47,525Tasmania, 2020: $48,915Tasmania, 2021: $50,875Tasmania, 2022: $52,999Tasmania, 2023: $56,350$56,350AustraliaAustralia, 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, West and North West
YearWest and North WestTasmaniaAustralia
2019$46,401$47,525$52,256
2020$48,252$48,915$53,878
2021$49,900$50,875$56,485
2022$51,526$52,999$58,260
2023$54,212$56,350$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, West and North WestIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Tasmania and Australia.
  • West and North West
  • Tasmania
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023West and North WestWest and North West, 2019: $51,995West and North West, 2020: $54,175West and North West, 2021: $55,962West and North West, 2022: $57,714West and North West, 2023: $60,520$60,520TasmaniaTasmania, 2019: $53,375Tasmania, 2020: $55,209Tasmania, 2021: $57,349Tasmania, 2022: $59,536Tasmania, 2023: $62,793$62,793AustraliaAustralia, 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, West and North West
YearWest and North WestTasmaniaAustralia
2019$51,995$53,375$63,517
2020$54,175$55,209$65,591
2021$55,962$57,349$68,452
2022$57,714$59,536$70,950
2023$60,520$62,793$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
120,091
ABS, 2025 · up 2.6% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
71,537
ABS, 2024 · up 0.9% since 2020[3]

Tasmania's population was up 3.4% from 2020 to 2025, and the West and North West's up 2.6%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
8,340
ABS, 2025 · up 5.8% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, West and North West, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 4,909No employees4,9091–4 employees: 2,1261–4 employees2,1265–19 employees: 1,0375–19 employees1,03720 or more employees: 26820 or more employees268

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, West and North West, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees4,4464,909+10.4%
1–4 employees2,1882,126−2.8%
5–19 employees1,0191,037+1.8%
20 or more employees227268+18.1%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the North West and the West Coast, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
149
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, North West and West CoastThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Community Services & Development: 28Community Services & Development28Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 22Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics22Retail & Consumer Products: 19Retail & Consumer Products19Healthcare & Medical: 15Healthcare & Medical15Trades & Services: 13Trades & Services13Hospitality & Tourism: 10Hospitality & Tourism10Engineering: 8Engineering8Construction: 6Construction6

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, North West and West Coast
ClassificationLive jobs
Community Services & Development28
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics22
Retail & Consumer Products19
Healthcare & Medical15
Trades & Services13
Hospitality & Tourism10
Engineering8
Construction6

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in the West and North West?

649 online job ads a month were placed in the West and North West, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is the West and North West's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in the West and North West were up 7.3% on a year earlier, from 605 to 649 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were down 4.3% across Tasmania and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in the West and North West?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 67 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (46) and general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (41). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for construction trades rose fastest, up 116.7%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in the West and North West?

5.5% of the labour force in the West and North West was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.9% across Tasmania. It was 7.6% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 54.8%, against 58.2% across Tasmania. 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 West and North West?

Average (mean) employee income in the West and North West was $60,520 in 2023; the median was $54,212, against $56,350 across Tasmania and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in the West and North West?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in the West and North West: 12,985 in 2023, 15% of the 86,022 employee jobs. Next were retail trade (8,182) and manufacturing (7,151).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in the West and North West?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 38% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by financial and insurance services (35% more). Agriculture, forestry and fishing had 4% fewer employee jobs than in 2019, and public administration and safety 4% fewer.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is the West and North West's population growing?

120,091 people lived in the West and North West in 2025, up 2.6% since 2020. Tasmania's population was up 3.4% over the same years. The working-age population was 71,537 in 2024, up 0.9% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in the West and North West?

At least 149 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the West and North West, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the North West and the West Coast, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Community Services & Development (28), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (22) and Retail & Consumer Products (19).

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 West and North West here is ABS SA4 604 West and North West. 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). West and North West job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/tas/west-and-north-west

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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