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Job market report

Greater Perth job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Greater Perth, Western Australia, 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 Greater Capital City Statistical Area 5GPER
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in Greater Perth were up 8.6% on a year earlier, from 21,363 to 23,190 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 7.5% across Western Australia and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Automotive and engineering trades had the most online ads, 1,756 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (1,443) and sales assistants and salespersons (1,127).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for clerical and office support workers, couriers rose fastest, up 59.2%.[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 46% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by mining (44% more).[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 5.3% of the labour force in Greater Perth was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.1% across Western Australia.

    It was 8.1% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 65.2%, against 63.9% across Western Australia. 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.

Greater Perth
+8.6%
23,190 ads a month[1]
Western Australia
+7.5%
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, Greater PerthThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
18k20k22k24k26k28kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Greater PerthGreater Perth, Sep 2026: 23,19023,190

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Greater Perth
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 202326,861
November 202325,729
December 202323,062
January 202422,738
February 202422,823
March 202424,847
April 202423,851
May 202423,984
June 202423,103
July 202422,979
August 202422,399
September 202422,780
October 202423,363
November 202422,208
December 202419,615
January 202518,946
February 202519,131
March 202521,461
April 202520,461
May 202520,735
June 202520,190
July 202521,002
August 202520,769
September 202521,363
October 202521,724
November 202521,205
December 202519,086
January 202618,998
February 202619,613
March 202622,181
April 202621,090
May 202621,102
June 202620,562
July 202621,801
August 202622,343
September 202623,190

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, Greater PerthThe 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: +25.6%Machine and stationary plant operators+25.6%Drivers and storepersons: +25.2%Drivers and storepersons+25.2%Engineers: +19.0%Engineers+19.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +16.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers+16.0%Engineering, ICT and science technicians: +14.4%Engineering, ICT and science technicians+14.4%Automotive and engineering trades: +12.3%Automotive and engineering trades+12.3%Sales assistants and salespersons: +10.0%Sales assistants and salespersons+10.0%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades: +9.5%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades+9.5%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +5.8%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+5.8%Business, finance and human resource professionals: +3.4%Business, finance and human resource professionals+3.4%Corporate managers: +1.0%Corporate managers+1.0%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −0.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−0.9%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Greater Perth
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Automotive and engineering trades1,7561,563+12.3%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists1,4431,456−0.9%
Sales assistants and salespersons1,1271,025+10.0%
Engineers1,110933+19.0%
Business, finance and human resource professionals918888+3.4%
Drivers and storepersons893713+25.2%
Hospitality, retail and service managers819706+16.0%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians793693+14.4%
Corporate managers770762+1.0%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals729689+5.8%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades727664+9.5%
Machine and stationary plant operators717571+25.6%
Medical practitioners and nurses707663+6.6%
Construction, production and distribution managers682624+9.3%
Other clerical and administrative workers628546+15.0%
Carers and aides617735−16.1%
Other labourers570547+4.2%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries563528+6.6%
Legal, social and welfare professionals562559+0.5%
Numerical clerks561484+15.9%
Mobile plant operators550439+25.3%
Construction trades519492+5.5%
Sales representatives and agents480469+2.3%
Food trades471372+26.6%
ICT professionals420462−9.1%
Construction and mining labourers408317+28.7%
Hospitality workers335244+37.3%
Science professionals and veterinarians271251+8.0%
Cleaners and laundry workers244179+36.3%
Sports, travel and personal service workers2332330.0%
Education professionals221315−29.8%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals219238−8.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects212224−5.4%
Information professionals200192+4.2%
Health, education, ICT and other managers194225−13.8%
Health and welfare support workers180223−19.3%
Factory process workers173156+10.9%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers171155+10.3%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers156142+9.9%
Arts and media professionals137103+33.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades134126+6.3%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers11371+59.2%
Sales support workers10587+20.7%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators10378+32.1%
Protective service workers9681+18.5%
Food preparation assistants8469+21.7%
Farm, forestry and garden workers6169−11.6%
Farmers and farm managers13fewer 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, Greater PerthShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Western Australia.
  • Greater Perth
  • Western Australia
4%5%6%7%8%9%201120162021Greater PerthGreater Perth, 2011: 4.8%Greater Perth, 2016: 8.1%Greater Perth, 2021: 5.3%5.3%Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2011: 4.7%Western Australia, 2016: 7.8%Western Australia, 2021: 5.1%5.1%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Greater Perth
CensusGreater PerthWestern Australia
2011 Census4.8%4.7%
2016 Census8.1%7.8%
2021 Census5.3%5.1%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Greater PerthShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Western Australia.
  • Greater Perth
  • Western Australia
62%63%64%65%66%201120162021Greater PerthGreater Perth, 2011: 64.5%Greater Perth, 2016: 63.7%Greater Perth, 2021: 65.2%65.2%Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2011: 64.0%Western Australia, 2016: 62.9%Western Australia, 2021: 63.9%63.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Greater Perth
CensusGreater PerthWestern Australia
2011 Census64.5%64.0%
2016 Census63.7%62.9%
2021 Census65.2%63.9%

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, Greater Perth, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Health care and social assistance: +45.7%Health care and social assistance+45.7%Mining: +43.9%Mining+43.9%Accommodation and food services: +43.1%Accommodation and food services+43.1%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +36.4%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+36.4%Retail trade: +31.3%Retail trade+31.3%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +28.1%Rental, hiring and real estate services+28.1%Other services: +27.2%Other services+27.2%Administrative and support services: +26.5%Administrative and support services+26.5%Financial and insurance services: +26.0%Financial and insurance services+26.0%Professional, scientific and technical services: +24.7%Professional, scientific and technical services+24.7%Construction: +20.6%Construction+20.6%Arts and recreation services: +20.6%Arts and recreation services+20.6%Transport, postal and warehousing: +19.1%Transport, postal and warehousing+19.1%Manufacturing: +18.8%Manufacturing+18.8%Wholesale trade: +18.1%Wholesale trade+18.1%Information media and telecommunications: +17.8%Information media and telecommunications+17.8%Education and training: +13.0%Education and training+13.0%Public administration and safety: +8.8%Public administration and safety+8.8%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +7.7%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+7.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Greater Perth, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance180,054262,357+45.7%
Administrative and support services154,507195,517+26.5%
Retail trade140,788184,894+31.3%
Accommodation and food services122,986175,933+43.1%
Professional, scientific and technical services118,904148,270+24.7%
Education and training124,930141,151+13.0%
Construction116,675140,749+20.6%
Mining73,810106,191+43.9%
Manufacturing82,62298,131+18.8%
Public administration and safety82,27089,528+8.8%
Wholesale trade55,04864,985+18.1%
Other services50,38964,107+27.2%
Transport, postal and warehousing51,36861,191+19.1%
Financial and insurance services45,89557,812+26.0%
Arts and recreation services33,24040,093+20.6%
Rental, hiring and real estate services30,04538,486+28.1%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing15,79817,014+7.7%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services11,73516,006+36.4%
Information media and telecommunications13,19515,545+17.8%
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Greater Perth, 20231,936,808 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 262,357Health care and social assistance262,357Administrative and support services: 195,517Administrative and support services195,517Retail trade: 184,894Retail trade184,894Accommodation and food services: 175,933Accommodation and food services175,933Professional, scientific and technical services: 148,270Professional, scientific and technical services148,270Education and training: 141,151Education and training141,151Construction: 140,749Construction140,749Mining: 106,191Mining106,191

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Greater Perth, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance262,35714%
Administrative and support services195,51710%
Retail trade184,89410%
Accommodation and food services175,9339%
Professional, scientific and technical services148,2708%
Education and training141,1517%
Construction140,7497%
Mining106,1915%
Manufacturing98,1315%
Public administration and safety89,5285%
Wholesale trade64,9853%
Other services64,1073%
Transport, postal and warehousing61,1913%
Financial and insurance services57,8123%
Arts and recreation services40,0932%
Rental, hiring and real estate services38,4862%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing17,0141%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services16,0061%
Information media and telecommunications15,5451%
All industries1,936,808100%

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, Greater PerthIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Western Australia and Australia.
  • Greater Perth
  • Western Australia
  • Australia
$50k$55k$60k$65k$70k20192020202120222023Greater PerthGreater Perth, 2019: $56,224Greater Perth, 2020: $57,800Greater Perth, 2021: $60,696Greater Perth, 2022: $62,957Greater Perth, 2023: $66,543$66,543Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2019: $55,094Western Australia, 2020: $56,664Western Australia, 2021: $59,700Western Australia, 2022: $61,638Western Australia, 2023: $65,310$65,310AustraliaAustralia, 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, Greater Perth
YearGreater PerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
2019$56,224$55,094$52,256
2020$57,800$56,664$53,878
2021$60,696$59,700$56,485
2022$62,957$61,638$58,260
2023$66,543$65,310$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Greater PerthIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Western Australia and Australia.
  • Greater Perth
  • Western Australia
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k$85k20192020202120222023Greater PerthGreater Perth, 2019: $69,524Greater Perth, 2020: $71,312Greater Perth, 2021: $74,422Greater Perth, 2022: $77,036Greater Perth, 2023: $81,163$81,163Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2019: $68,090Western Australia, 2020: $69,914Western Australia, 2021: $73,026Western Australia, 2022: $75,363Western Australia, 2023: $79,629$79,629AustraliaAustralia, 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, Greater Perth
YearGreater PerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
2019$69,524$68,090$63,517
2020$71,312$69,914$65,591
2021$74,422$73,026$68,452
2022$77,036$75,363$70,950
2023$81,163$79,629$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
2,452,765
ABS, 2025 · up 13.5% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
1,577,206
ABS, 2024 · up 10.9% since 2020[3]

Western Australia's population was up 12.2% from 2020 to 2025, and Greater Perth's up 13.5%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
214,310
ABS, 2025 · up 17.2% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Greater Perth, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 140,616No employees140,6161–4 employees: 48,2971–4 employees48,2975–19 employees: 18,9995–19 employees18,99920 or more employees: 6,39820 or more employees6,398

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Greater Perth, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees113,379140,616+24.0%
1–4 employees47,62048,297+1.4%
5–19 employees17,10118,999+11.1%
20 or more employees4,8366,398+32.3%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

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

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Destination Perth
6,534
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Destination PerthThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 639Healthcare & Medical639Retail & Consumer Products: 633Retail & Consumer Products633Hospitality & Tourism: 573Hospitality & Tourism573Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 539Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics539Trades & Services: 498Trades & Services498Mining, Resources & Energy: 466Mining, Resources & Energy466Engineering: 436Engineering436Construction: 361Construction361

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Destination Perth
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical639
Retail & Consumer Products633
Hospitality & Tourism573
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics539
Trades & Services498
Mining, Resources & Energy466
Engineering436
Construction361

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in Greater Perth?

23,190 online job ads a month were placed in Greater Perth, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Greater Perth's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in Greater Perth were up 8.6% on a year earlier, from 21,363 to 23,190 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 7.5% across Western Australia and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in Greater Perth?

Automotive and engineering trades had the most online ads, 1,756 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (1,443) and sales assistants and salespersons (1,127). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for clerical and office support workers, couriers rose fastest, up 59.2%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Greater Perth?

5.3% of the labour force in Greater Perth was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.1% across Western Australia. It was 8.1% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 65.2%, against 63.9% across Western Australia. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in Greater Perth?

Average (mean) employee income in Greater Perth was $81,163 in 2023; the median was $66,543, against $65,310 across Western Australia and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Greater Perth?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Greater Perth: 262,357 in 2023, 14% of the 1,936,808 employee jobs. Next were administrative and support services (195,517) and retail trade (184,894).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Greater Perth?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, health care and social assistance grew fastest, with 46% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by mining (44% more).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Greater Perth's population growing?

2,452,765 people lived in Greater Perth in 2025, up 13.5% since 2020. Western Australia's population was up 12.2% over the same years. The working-age population was 1,577,206 in 2024, up 10.9% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Greater Perth?

At least 6,534 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Greater Perth, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Destination Perth, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (639), Retail & Consumer Products (633) and Hospitality & Tourism (573).

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
Greater Perth here is ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Area 5GPER. It takes in 6 ABS SA4 regions: Mandurah, Perth - Inner, Perth - North East, Perth - North West, Perth - South East and Perth - South 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). Greater Perth job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/wa/greater-perth

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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