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Job market report

Geelong job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Geelong, Victoria, 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 203 Geelong
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in Geelong were up 6.4% on a year earlier, from 1,589 to 1,690 a month in the three months to September 2026.

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

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Carers and aides had the most online ads, 135 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (121) and sales assistants and salespersons (121).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades rose fastest, up 87.5%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 50% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (45% more).

    Public administration and safety had 17% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 4.1% of the labour force in Geelong was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria.

    It was 6.0% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 61.2%, against 62.4% across Victoria. 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.

Geelong
+6.4%
1,690 ads a month[1]
Victoria
+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, GeelongThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1k1.5k2k2.5k3kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026GeelongGeelong, Sep 2026: 1,6901,690

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Geelong
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20232,507
November 20232,407
December 20232,149
January 20242,065
February 20241,989
March 20242,153
April 20242,105
May 20242,081
June 20241,965
July 20241,828
August 20241,755
September 20241,723
October 20241,760
November 20241,679
December 20241,486
January 20251,439
February 20251,442
March 20251,604
April 20251,525
May 20251,529
June 20251,480
July 20251,534
August 20251,516
September 20251,589
October 20251,623
November 20251,595
December 20251,402
January 20261,402
February 20261,424
March 20261,615
April 20261,490
May 20261,486
June 20261,468
July 20261,576
August 20261,625
September 20261,690

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, GeelongThe 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.
Cleaners and laundry workers: +39.4%Cleaners and laundry workers+39.4%Health and welfare support workers: +34.3%Health and welfare support workers+34.3%Sales assistants and salespersons: +16.3%Sales assistants and salespersons+16.3%Drivers and storepersons: +16.2%Drivers and storepersons+16.2%Medical practitioners and nurses: +14.2%Medical practitioners and nurses+14.2%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +4.8%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+4.8%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +4.6%Hospitality, retail and service managers+4.6%Food trades: +3.8%Food trades+3.8%Carers and aides: +2.3%Carers and aides+2.3%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +1.4%Legal, social and welfare professionals+1.4%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −5.6%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−5.6%Automotive and engineering trades: −6.5%Automotive and engineering trades−6.5%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Geelong
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Carers and aides135132+2.3%
Medical practitioners and nurses121106+14.2%
Sales assistants and salespersons121104+16.3%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists119126−5.6%
Legal, social and welfare professionals7372+1.4%
Hospitality, retail and service managers6865+4.6%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals6562+4.8%
Automotive and engineering trades5862−6.5%
Food trades5553+3.8%
Health and welfare support workers4735+34.3%
Cleaners and laundry workers4633+39.4%
Drivers and storepersons4337+16.2%
Other labourers4340+7.5%
Corporate managers4240+5.0%
Business, finance and human resource professionals4147−12.8%
Hospitality workers3829+31.0%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians3635+2.9%
Numerical clerks3422+54.5%
Construction, production and distribution managers3331+6.5%
Other clerical and administrative workers3334−2.9%
Construction trades30300.0%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades3016+87.5%
Sales representatives and agents2834−17.6%
ICT professionals2526−3.8%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries2531−19.4%
Sports, travel and personal service workers2321+9.5%
Education professionals2235−37.1%
Engineers2217+29.4%
Health, education, ICT and other managers2015+33.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators1917+11.8%
Mobile plant operators1917+11.8%
Food preparation assistants1611+45.5%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals1516−6.3%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers1413+7.7%
Information professionals1319−31.6%
Transport and design professionals, and architects1311+18.2%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades129+33.3%
Factory process workers1214−14.3%
Science professionals and veterinarians117+57.1%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers1110+10.0%
Sales support workers1114−21.4%
Construction and mining labourers1112−8.3%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators98+12.5%
Arts and media professionals95+80.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers96+50.0%
Protective service workers57−28.6%
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
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, GeelongShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • Geelong
  • Victoria
4%5%6%7%201120162021GeelongGeelong, 2011: 5.3%Geelong, 2016: 6.0%Geelong, 2021: 4.1%4.1%VictoriaVictoria, 2011: 5.4%Victoria, 2016: 6.6%Victoria, 2021: 5.0%5.0%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Geelong
CensusGeelongVictoria
2011 Census5.3%5.4%
2016 Census6.0%6.6%
2021 Census4.1%5.0%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, GeelongShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • Geelong
  • Victoria
58%59%60%61%62%63%201120162021GeelongGeelong, 2011: 59.5%Geelong, 2016: 58.5%Geelong, 2021: 61.2%61.2%VictoriaVictoria, 2011: 61.4%Victoria, 2016: 60.5%Victoria, 2021: 62.4%62.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Geelong
CensusGeelongVictoria
2011 Census59.5%61.4%
2016 Census58.5%60.5%
2021 Census61.2%62.4%

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, Geelong, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Education and training: +50.5%Education and training+50.5%Accommodation and food services: +45.4%Accommodation and food services+45.4%Health care and social assistance: +41.0%Health care and social assistance+41.0%Arts and recreation services: +40.0%Arts and recreation services+40.0%Professional, scientific and technical services: +35.1%Professional, scientific and technical services+35.1%Information media and telecommunications: +31.0%Information media and telecommunications+31.0%Construction: +30.3%Construction+30.3%Retail trade: +29.4%Retail trade+29.4%Financial and insurance services: +27.1%Financial and insurance services+27.1%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +22.7%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+22.7%Other services: +21.9%Other services+21.9%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +16.2%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+16.2%Administrative and support services: +15.8%Administrative and support services+15.8%Wholesale trade: +12.8%Wholesale trade+12.8%Manufacturing: +11.3%Manufacturing+11.3%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +6.7%Rental, hiring and real estate services+6.7%Transport, postal and warehousing: +5.6%Transport, postal and warehousing+5.6%Public administration and safety: −16.8%Public administration and safety−16.8%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Geelong, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance30,55543,070+41.0%
Retail trade22,74129,419+29.4%
Accommodation and food services17,92026,051+45.4%
Education and training16,01324,099+50.5%
Administrative and support services18,29221,183+15.8%
Construction15,92320,744+30.3%
Public administration and safety19,44416,174−16.8%
Professional, scientific and technical services11,71115,816+35.1%
Manufacturing11,94013,288+11.3%
Financial and insurance services9,85712,533+27.1%
Wholesale trade7,7648,761+12.8%
Other services6,2737,644+21.9%
Transport, postal and warehousing7,0167,407+5.6%
Arts and recreation services4,4806,270+40.0%
Rental, hiring and real estate services3,6243,866+6.7%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing2,5293,102+22.7%
Information media and telecommunications2,2012,883+31.0%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,9092,218+16.2%
Mining666599n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Geelong, 2023267,408 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 43,070Health care and social assistance43,070Retail trade: 29,419Retail trade29,419Accommodation and food services: 26,051Accommodation and food services26,051Education and training: 24,099Education and training24,099Administrative and support services: 21,183Administrative and support services21,183Construction: 20,744Construction20,744Public administration and safety: 16,174Public administration and safety16,174Professional, scientific and technical services: 15,816Professional, scientific and technical services15,816

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Geelong, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance43,07016%
Retail trade29,41911%
Accommodation and food services26,05110%
Education and training24,0999%
Administrative and support services21,1838%
Construction20,7448%
Public administration and safety16,1746%
Professional, scientific and technical services15,8166%
Manufacturing13,2885%
Financial and insurance services12,5335%
Wholesale trade8,7613%
Other services7,6443%
Transport, postal and warehousing7,4073%
Arts and recreation services6,2702%
Rental, hiring and real estate services3,8661%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing3,1021%
Information media and telecommunications2,8831%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services2,2181%
Mining5990%
All industries267,408100%

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, GeelongIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • Geelong
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023GeelongGeelong, 2019: $50,476Geelong, 2020: $52,052Geelong, 2021: $54,469Geelong, 2022: $56,609Geelong, 2023: $60,533$60,533VictoriaVictoria, 2019: $51,487Victoria, 2020: $53,010Victoria, 2021: $55,526Victoria, 2022: $57,653Victoria, 2023: $61,397$61,397AustraliaAustralia, 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, Geelong
YearGeelongVictoriaAustralia
2019$50,476$51,487$52,256
2020$52,052$53,010$53,878
2021$54,469$55,526$56,485
2022$56,609$57,653$58,260
2023$60,533$61,397$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, GeelongIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • Geelong
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$55k$60k$65k$70k$75k20192020202120222023GeelongGeelong, 2019: $59,433Geelong, 2020: $61,400Geelong, 2021: $64,407Geelong, 2022: $67,039Geelong, 2023: $71,020$71,020VictoriaVictoria, 2019: $62,207Victoria, 2020: $64,331Victoria, 2021: $67,299Victoria, 2022: $70,089Victoria, 2023: $73,591$73,591AustraliaAustralia, 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, Geelong
YearGeelongVictoriaAustralia
2019$59,433$62,207$63,517
2020$61,400$64,331$65,591
2021$64,407$67,299$68,452
2022$67,039$70,089$70,950
2023$71,020$73,591$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
355,990
ABS, 2025 · up 11.1% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
217,353
ABS, 2024 · up 7.4% since 2020[3]

Victoria's population was up 6.9% from 2020 to 2025, and Geelong's up 11.1%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
30,027
ABS, 2025 · up 18.8% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Geelong, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 19,298No employees19,2981–4 employees: 7,3611–4 employees7,3615–19 employees: 2,6485–19 employees2,64820 or more employees: 72020 or more employees720

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Geelong, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees14,60319,298+32.2%
1–4 employees7,6107,361−3.3%
5–19 employees2,4832,648+6.6%
20 or more employees571720+26.1%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

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

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Geelong and the Bellarine
481
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Geelong and the BellarineThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Retail & Consumer Products: 97Retail & Consumer Products97Healthcare & Medical: 81Healthcare & Medical81Hospitality & Tourism: 51Hospitality & Tourism51Community Services & Development: 48Community Services & Development48Education & Training: 34Education & Training34Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 25Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics25Trades & Services: 24Trades & Services24Marketing & Communications: 13Marketing & Communications13

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Geelong and the Bellarine
ClassificationLive jobs
Retail & Consumer Products97
Healthcare & Medical81
Hospitality & Tourism51
Community Services & Development48
Education & Training34
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics25
Trades & Services24
Marketing & Communications13

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in Geelong?

1,690 online job ads a month were placed in Geelong, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Geelong's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in Geelong were up 6.4% on a year earlier, from 1,589 to 1,690 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Victoria and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in Geelong?

Carers and aides had the most online ads, 135 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (121) and sales assistants and salespersons (121). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades rose fastest, up 87.5%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Geelong?

4.1% of the labour force in Geelong was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria. It was 6.0% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 61.2%, against 62.4% across Victoria. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in Geelong?

Average (mean) employee income in Geelong was $71,020 in 2023; the median was $60,533, against $61,397 across Victoria and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Geelong?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Geelong: 43,070 in 2023, 16% of the 267,408 employee jobs. Next were retail trade (29,419) and accommodation and food services (26,051).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Geelong?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 50% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by accommodation and food services (45% more). Public administration and safety had 17% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Geelong's population growing?

355,990 people lived in Geelong in 2025, up 11.1% since 2020. Victoria's population was up 6.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 217,353 in 2024, up 7.4% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Geelong?

At least 481 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Geelong, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Geelong and the Bellarine, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Retail & Consumer Products (97), Healthcare & Medical (81) and Hospitality & Tourism (51).

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
Geelong here is ABS SA4 203 Geelong. 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). Geelong job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/vic/geelong

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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