What is Australia’s employment market doing in October 2025?

As we enter the final quarter for 2025, Australia’s hiring market looks very different from where it started the year. After a prolonged period of going backwards, job ads have been rising steadily since April, according to SEEK’s most recent Employment Report. 

But applications per job are at record levels too, indicating more competition for roles but also giving employers more choice when it comes to attracting and retaining talent.

So where does the hiring market stand in October 2025? And what should employers be thinking about as they head towards year’s end? 

We analyse the data to help you find out.

The broad trend: momentum returning to Australia’s jobs market

National job ads rose 0.8% in August, according to SEEK’s data, marking the fourth straight month of growth. While the volume of job listings is still down from a year ago – it’s now only by -2.8%. This is the smallest annual decline since late 2022.

Applications, however, continue to surge, climbing another 0.7% in July (recorded with a one-month lag) to reach the highest level in SEEK’s history – a sign that more employees also feel more confident making a move. 

In other words, even as demand for workers rises, supply is outpacing it, with more candidates vying for every role advertised.

For employers, we think this dual trend has two important implications:

• greater job application numbers means greater choice than at any point in recent years, but
• competition for the best candidates remains intense, as quality talent can still pick and choose.

Services and construction drive growth

Victoria led the way for job growth out of all the states in August, with a 1.6% monthly rise in job ads. This was fuelled by strong demand in the Hospitality & Tourism sector (+5.7%) and rising Trades & Services roles (+2.2%). 

New South Wales also posted its third consecutive month of growth (+1.3%), again driven by tourism-related hiring.

The biggest industry story continues to be Community Services & Development. Job ads in this sector jumped 2.4% in August and are now more than 50% higher than pre-COVID levels. With aged care, disability support and employment services under sustained pressure, the need for talent is structural, not cyclical. 

So expect shortages in this sector for some time to come. 

Hospitality & Tourism has also enjoyed a run of job ads growth (+7.6% since February), reflecting both the post-COVID rebound in travel – Australia received 7.8 million visitors in the year to June 2025 – and seasonal hiring ahead of summer.

Another industry looking for people was Construction and Trades. Construction ads rose 1.8% in August, supported by demand for Trades & Services (+1.4%) and Engineering (+0.4%). 

Given the push for new housing supply and infrastructure, these industries are also likely to remain strong throughout the next year. 

What this means for employers in 2025 and 2026

With the hiring market reshaping itself, employers across the board need to think hard about what they can do to keep attracting the best talent effectively, but also efficiently. Here are our key takeaways based on the SEEK numbers. 

1. Expect more applicants, but not always the right fit.

Right now, SEEK is recording the highest number of applications per job ad in history. On the surface, that might sound like great news, but the reality is a bit more complex.

That’s because more applications doesn’t automatically translate into better candidates. Without effective screening, you’ll risk having to spend hours filtering through CVs of candidates that don’t meet your requirements.

To make sure this doesn’t happen, you should consider:

• Investing in smarter screening technology (i.e. AI-driven shortlisting tools or skills-based assessments)
• Considering outsourcing initial hiring stages to a recruitment partner to save internal bandwidth, and
• Rewriting your job ads so that candidates self-filter before they apply.

Read more about how to streamline your hiring process

2. Focus on your employee value proposition (EVP)

Just because more people are likely to apply for any job you advertise, that doesn’t make top talent any easier to come by. Good employees still expect a competitive salary. But, even more than that, they want to be part of a good culture and a company that offers them genuine career progression.

That means you need to articulate a strong EVP – that is, a reason why employees should choose to work for your organisation. When you do, think about factors such as:

• Professional growth: Clear career pathways, as well as training and mentoring programs show employees you’re invested in their long-term success.
• Flexibility and work-life balance: Even if yours is an office-first workplace, many employees still want to know they have the option of hybrid or remote work options, flexible hours or even a nine-day fortnight to help them balance their career with the rest of their lives.
• Purpose and impact: Make sure you connect employees’ day-to-day work with a bigger mission.
• Culture and belonging: Good employees usually expect to be part of an inclusive, respectful workplace where they feel safe, supported and recognised for their contributions.
• Wellbeing and benefits: Beyond standard leave, things like extra parental leave, wellness programs or even financial advice services can help people feel valued and attract them to your organisation.

Read more about how to develop an effective Employee Value Proposition

3. Plan now for summer and 2026

In sectors like tourism and retail, most employers have already started their seasonal hiring for the Christmas holiday period. But it’s not as common in other sectors.

If you’re in an industry like construction and community services – where good employees are becoming harder to attract – you really need to begin your workforce planning right now. That way you can avoid having to compete with other organisations and make sure your staffing levels keep pace with demand into the new year.

Looking ahead towards 2026

The rising number of job openings is no longer confined to isolated sectors: it’s becoming a broad trend with almost all industries (outside perhaps of professional services) showing momentum. But it’s also being accompanied by a lot more job applications, as more employees feel confident enough to start making a move. 

For employers, this creates both challenges and opportunities. 

While greater candidate choice should mean a better chance of finding the right people, good employees can still pick and choose. 

That means getting the right ingredients in place – competitive salary, good culture and the right screening processes – remain just as important as ever.

Want more?

Need help attracting the right talent to work in your organisation? Get in touch with our team of HR experts.