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Job market report

North West Victoria job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in North West Victoria, 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 215 North West
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Steady: online job ads in North West Victoria were up 0.4% on a year earlier, from 919 to 923 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. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 116 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (78) and sales assistants and salespersons (61).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for machine and stationary plant operators rose fastest, up 71.4%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 62% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by wholesale trade (31% more).

    Public administration and safety had 32% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 4.0% of the labour force in North West Victoria was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria.

    It was 5.8% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 55.9%, 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.

North West Victoria
+0.4%
923 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, North West VictoriaThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
8001k1.2k1.4kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026North West VictoriaNorth West Victoria, Sep 2026: 923923

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, North West Victoria
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,366
November 20231,311
December 20231,189
January 20241,142
February 20241,116
March 20241,222
April 20241,171
May 20241,133
June 2024979
July 2024923
August 2024906
September 2024970
October 2024987
November 2024964
December 2024888
January 2025893
February 2025859
March 2025918
April 2025865
May 2025891
June 2025865
July 2025922
August 2025892
September 2025919
October 2025922
November 2025920
December 2025878
January 2026871
February 2026886
March 2026943
April 2026907
May 2026908
June 2026886
July 2026899
August 2026900
September 2026923

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, North West VictoriaThe 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.
Food trades: +38.9%Food trades+38.9%Medical practitioners and nurses: +17.2%Medical practitioners and nurses+17.2%Education professionals: +15.8%Education professionals+15.8%Sales assistants and salespersons: +15.1%Sales assistants and salespersons+15.1%Health and welfare support workers: +11.1%Health and welfare support workers+11.1%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +11.1%Hospitality, retail and service managers+11.1%Drivers and storepersons: +3.3%Drivers and storepersons+3.3%Legal, social and welfare professionals: 0.0%Legal, social and welfare professionals0.0%Automotive and engineering trades: −2.6%Automotive and engineering trades−2.6%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −11.9%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−11.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −14.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−14.9%Carers and aides: −17.9%Carers and aides−17.9%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, North West Victoria
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses11699+17.2%
Carers and aides7895−17.9%
Sales assistants and salespersons6153+15.1%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists5767−14.9%
Legal, social and welfare professionals50500.0%
Automotive and engineering trades3839−2.6%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3742−11.9%
Drivers and storepersons3130+3.3%
Hospitality, retail and service managers3027+11.1%
Health and welfare support workers3027+11.1%
Food trades2518+38.9%
Education professionals2219+15.8%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2218+22.2%
Other labourers2229−24.1%
Corporate managers2127−22.2%
Other clerical and administrative workers1814+28.6%
Mobile plant operators1715+13.3%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1720−15.0%
Construction, production and distribution managers1614+14.3%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians1617−5.9%
Cleaners and laundry workers1613+23.1%
Numerical clerks1516−6.3%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades1218−33.3%
Machine and stationary plant operators127+71.4%
Science professionals and veterinarians118+37.5%
Construction trades11110.0%
Food preparation assistants119+22.2%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators9fewer than 5n/a
Health, education, ICT and other managers910−10.0%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries910−10.0%
Sales representatives and agents810−20.0%
Sales support workers89−11.1%
Engineers75+40.0%
Factory process workers78−12.5%
Hospitality workers660.0%
Sports, travel and personal service workers67−14.3%
Farmers and farm managers57−28.6%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers550.0%
Construction and mining labourers5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionalsfewer than 57n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 57n/a
Jewellers, arts and other trades workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Transport and design professionals, and architectsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer 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, North West VictoriaShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • North West Victoria
  • Victoria
4%5%6%7%201120162021North West VictoriaNorth West Victoria, 2011: 4.9%North West Victoria, 2016: 5.8%North West Victoria, 2021: 4.0%4.0%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, North West Victoria
CensusNorth West VictoriaVictoria
2011 Census4.9%5.4%
2016 Census5.8%6.6%
2021 Census4.0%5.0%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, North West VictoriaShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • North West Victoria
  • Victoria
54%56%58%60%62%64%201120162021North West VictoriaNorth West Victoria, 2011: 56.7%North West Victoria, 2016: 54.5%North West Victoria, 2021: 55.9%55.9%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, North West Victoria
CensusNorth West VictoriaVictoria
2011 Census56.7%61.4%
2016 Census54.5%60.5%
2021 Census55.9%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, North West Victoria, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Education and training: +61.8%Education and training+61.8%Wholesale trade: +30.6%Wholesale trade+30.6%Accommodation and food services: +28.6%Accommodation and food services+28.6%Health care and social assistance: +26.0%Health care and social assistance+26.0%Other services: +24.1%Other services+24.1%Administrative and support services: +22.5%Administrative and support services+22.5%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +21.9%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+21.9%Financial and insurance services: +18.8%Financial and insurance services+18.8%Retail trade: +15.8%Retail trade+15.8%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +13.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services+13.5%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +12.3%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+12.3%Transport, postal and warehousing: +9.3%Transport, postal and warehousing+9.3%Construction: +6.1%Construction+6.1%Arts and recreation services: +2.9%Arts and recreation services+2.9%Professional, scientific and technical services: −2.9%Professional, scientific and technical services−2.9%Manufacturing: −3.3%Manufacturing−3.3%Public administration and safety: −31.6%Public administration and safety−31.6%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, North West Victoria, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance14,12117,793+26.0%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing12,22414,901+21.9%
Retail trade10,28411,910+15.8%
Administrative and support services8,88610,885+22.5%
Accommodation and food services7,7059,905+28.6%
Education and training5,5558,990+61.8%
Public administration and safety10,3197,063−31.6%
Manufacturing7,2967,056−3.3%
Construction5,6876,036+6.1%
Wholesale trade4,1855,464+30.6%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,2274,620+9.3%
Professional, scientific and technical services3,8383,728−2.9%
Financial and insurance services2,7963,322+18.8%
Other services2,5323,142+24.1%
Arts and recreation services1,8511,905+2.9%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,2991,474+13.5%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services9451,061+12.3%
Mining709793n/a
Information media and telecommunications666689n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, North West Victoria, 2023121,831 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 17,793Health care and social assistance17,793Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 14,901Agriculture, forestry and fishing14,901Retail trade: 11,910Retail trade11,910Administrative and support services: 10,885Administrative and support services10,885Accommodation and food services: 9,905Accommodation and food services9,905Education and training: 8,990Education and training8,990Public administration and safety: 7,063Public administration and safety7,063Manufacturing: 7,056Manufacturing7,056

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, North West Victoria, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance17,79315%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing14,90112%
Retail trade11,91010%
Administrative and support services10,8859%
Accommodation and food services9,9058%
Education and training8,9907%
Public administration and safety7,0636%
Manufacturing7,0566%
Construction6,0365%
Wholesale trade5,4644%
Transport, postal and warehousing4,6204%
Professional, scientific and technical services3,7283%
Financial and insurance services3,3223%
Other services3,1423%
Arts and recreation services1,9052%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,4741%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services1,0611%
Mining7931%
Information media and telecommunications6891%
All industries121,831100%

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, North West VictoriaIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • North West Victoria
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$40k$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023North West VictoriaNorth West Victoria, 2019: $42,787North West Victoria, 2020: $43,835North West Victoria, 2021: $46,813North West Victoria, 2022: $48,229North West Victoria, 2023: $50,013$50,013VictoriaVictoria, 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, North West Victoria
YearNorth West VictoriaVictoriaAustralia
2019$42,787$51,487$52,256
2020$43,835$53,010$53,878
2021$46,813$55,526$56,485
2022$48,229$57,653$58,260
2023$50,013$61,397$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, North West VictoriaIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • North West Victoria
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023North West VictoriaNorth West Victoria, 2019: $47,015North West Victoria, 2020: $48,627North West Victoria, 2021: $51,570North West Victoria, 2022: $53,251North West Victoria, 2023: $55,367$55,367VictoriaVictoria, 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, North West Victoria
YearNorth West VictoriaVictoriaAustralia
2019$47,015$62,207$63,517
2020$48,627$64,331$65,591
2021$51,570$67,299$68,452
2022$53,251$70,089$70,950
2023$55,367$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
153,762
ABS, 2025 · down 1.3% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
91,885
ABS, 2024 · down 2.6% since 2020[3]

Victoria's population was up 6.9% from 2020 to 2025, and North West Victoria's down 1.3%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
17,403
ABS, 2025 · up 4.1% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, North West Victoria, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 10,639No employees10,6391–4 employees: 4,6041–4 employees4,6045–19 employees: 1,7645–19 employees1,76420 or more employees: 39620 or more employees396

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, North West Victoria, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees9,45610,639+12.5%
1–4 employees5,0404,604−8.7%
5–19 employees1,8451,764−4.4%
20 or more employees383396+3.4%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the Mallee, the Central Murray and the Wimmera, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
294
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Mallee, Central Murray and WimmeraThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Education & Training: 50Education & Training50Retail & Consumer Products: 39Retail & Consumer Products39Community Services & Development: 30Community Services & Development30Healthcare & Medical: 30Healthcare & Medical30Farming, Animals & Conservation: 25Farming, Animals & Conservation25Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 22Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics22Hospitality & Tourism: 17Hospitality & Tourism17Administration & Office Support: 13Administration & Office Support13

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Mallee, Central Murray and Wimmera
ClassificationLive jobs
Education & Training50
Retail & Consumer Products39
Community Services & Development30
Healthcare & Medical30
Farming, Animals & Conservation25
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics22
Hospitality & Tourism17
Administration & Office Support13

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in North West Victoria?

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

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is North West Victoria's job market growing or shrinking?

Steady: online job ads in North West Victoria were up 0.4% on a year earlier, from 919 to 923 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 North West Victoria?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 116 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (78) and sales assistants and salespersons (61). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for machine and stationary plant operators rose fastest, up 71.4%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in North West Victoria?

4.0% of the labour force in North West Victoria was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria. It was 5.8% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 55.9%, 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 North West Victoria?

Average (mean) employee income in North West Victoria was $55,367 in 2023; the median was $50,013, against $61,397 across Victoria and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in North West Victoria?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in North West Victoria: 17,793 in 2023, 15% of the 121,831 employee jobs. Next were agriculture, forestry and fishing (14,901) and retail trade (11,910).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in North West Victoria?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 62% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by wholesale trade (31% more). Public administration and safety had 32% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is North West Victoria's population growing?

153,762 people lived in North West Victoria in 2025, down 1.3% since 2020. Victoria's population was up 6.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 91,885 in 2024, down 2.6% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in North West Victoria?

At least 294 jobs are live on ViewJobs in North West Victoria, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the Mallee, the Central Murray and the Wimmera, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Education & Training (50) and Retail & Consumer Products (39).

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
North West Victoria here is ABS SA4 215 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). North West Victoria job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/vic/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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