Job Statistics by Salaries/Growth/Regions/Industries

The Australian Department of Immigration publishes a list of skills where there is a shortage, known as the Skilled Occupation List or SOL and the Consolidated Skilled Occupation List or CSOL.

While this is a good indication of skill shortages, keep in mind that the actual market conditions may differ. There are cases when people come under the skilled occupation list, but still have to wait awhile for a job.

If you are planning to migrate to Australia, it’s prudent to conduct your own analysis before making any decisions to enter the country. This level of judiciousness will put you in a better position when it comes to planning your move to Australia.

The Australian job occupation matrix published by the Australian Department of Employment gives a good indication of the jobs, unemployment rate, salary bracket and possible growth. This guide will help you take a look at the job market based on several categories.

Jobs by Salaries

The general rule is that highly skilled or high-risk jobs command a higher salary. If you are in the below professions, you can expect a salary in excess of $1700 per week, which is considered to be excellent to enjoy a high standard of living.

• Actuaries, Mathematicians and Statisticians
• Chemical, Gas, Petroleum & Power Plant Operators
• Civil Engineering Technicians and Draftspersons
• Civil, Mining and Electrical Engineers
• Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers
• Economists
• Education Advisers and Reviewers
• Engineering and Building Technicians
• General Managers, Managing Directors and Chief Executives
• Geologists and Geophysicists
• Land Economists and Valuers
• Managers (Corporate Services, Engineering, Finance, HR, ICT, Policy and Planning)
• Medical Practitioners and Surgeons
• School Principals, University Lecturers and Tutors

If you are qualified but do not come under the top category, you may fall into the second category. These jobs below command a salary between $1,300 to $1,700 per week:

• Accountants
• Air Transport Professionals
• Architects and Landscape Architects
• Architectural, Building and Surveying Technicians
• Archivists, Curators and Records Managers
• Auditors and Company Secretaries
• Barristers
• Chemists and Food and Wine Scientists
• Computer Network Professionals
• Crane, Hoist and Lift Operators
• Construction and Mining Labourers
• Dental Hygienists, Technicians and Therapists
• Directors, Artistic, and Media Producers and Presenters
• Electricians and Electrical Distribution Trades Workers
• Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians (Electrical and Mechanical)
• Engineers (Electronics, ICT Support and Test, Industrial, Mechanical and Production, Telecom, Chemical and Materials )
• Environmental and Occupational Health Professionals
• Financial Dealers, Investment Advisers and Managers
• Fire and Emergency Workers
• Health Diagnostic and Promotion Professionals
• ICT professions including Business and Systems Analysts, Sales Professionals, Security, Database and Systems Administrators, Support and Test Engineers
• ICT Sales Professionals
• Intelligence and Policy Analysts
• Journalists and Other Writers
• Legal Executives and Conveyancers
• Management and Organisation Analysts
• Managers (Advertising and Sales, Construction, Health and Welfare Services, Retail, Hospitality, Production, R&D, Supply and Distribution)
• Manufacturers
• Media Producers and Presenters, and Artistic Directors
• Medical Imaging Professionals
• Nurse Managers, Educators and Researchers
• Optometrists and Orthoptists
• Programme and Project Administrators
• Physiotherapists
• Police
• Policy and Intelligence Analysts
• Prison Officers
• Psychologists
• Scientists,( Agricultural and Forestry, Environmental, Life, Medical Laboratory, Food and Wine, and Chemists)
• Software and Applications Programmers
• Solicitors
• Sportspersons
• Structural Steel Construction Workers
• Teachers, ( Primary, Secondary, Special, Vocational)
• Technicians and Draftspersons, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
• Technicians, Architectural, Building and Surveying
• Technical Sales Representatives
• Telecommunications Technical Specialists
• Training and Development Professionals
• Train and Tram Drivers
• Veterinarians

Jobs by Growth in the Next 5 Years

The Australian Department of Employment has predicted more than 100% growth in the below professions over the next 5 years:

• Dental Hygienists, Technicians and Therapists
• Nurse Educators and Researchers
• Optometrists and Orthoptists
• Retail Supervisors
• Early Childhood Teachers (Pre-primary School)

While these are expected to nearly double in the next 5 years, some jobs are expected to grow between 50 and 100 percent over the next few years:

• Anaesthetists
• Barristers
• Clerks
• Farm Workers, Mixed Crop and Livestock
• Gallery, Library and Museum Technicians
• Geologists and Geophysicists
• Greenkeepers
• ICT Managers
• Internal Medicine Specialists
• Legal Executives and Conveyancers
• Mining Engineers
• Occupational Therapists
• Plastics and Rubber Factory Workers
• Pharmacists
• Retail Supervisors
• Actors, Dancers and Other Entertainers

On the other hand, there is expected to be a decline of over 50 percent in some professions, so people engaged in these industries should exercise caution.

• Health Therapists
• Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians, Electronic
• Machine Operators, Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone
• Photographic Developers and Printers
• Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Technicians and Draftspersons, Electronic Engineering
• Upholsterers

Jobs by Regions

Healthcare and Social Assistance, retail trade, manufacturing and education industries employ the highest number of people across all states. But some jobs have higher demand in some states than others. The list below refers to popular occupations in each Australian state.

New South Wales (NSW)

• Financial and Insurance services
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Transport and Warehousing
• Accommodation and food services
• Wholesale Trade

Victoria (VIC) 

• Manufacturing
• Retail trade
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Queensland (QLD)

• Agriculture
• Mining
• Construction
• Retail trade
• Accommodation and food service
• Transport postal and warehousing

South Australia (SA)

• Agriculture
• Manufacturing
• Retail Trade
• Healthcare

Western Australia (WA)

• Mining (300% more than the country average)
• Construction

Tasmania (TAS)

• Agriculture
• Electricity, Water and Gas
• Retail trade
• Food and Accommodation services
• Public administration
• Education and training
• Healthcare

Northern Territory (NT)

• Public Admin and Safety
• Mining
• Education and Training

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

• Public Admin and Safety
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Education and Training

Jobs by Industry

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) typically releases data of people employed in Australia by industry.

• Agriculture, fishing and forestry employ 2.8 per cent of the population.
• Construction employs 8.8 per cent of the population.
• Manufacturing employs 8.1 per cent of the population.
• Retail trade employs 10.9 per cent of the population.
• Warehousing, transport and postal employs 5.1 per cent of the population.
• Healthcare and social assistance employ 12.2 per cent of the population.
• Education and training employ 7.8 per cent of the population.
• Scientific, professional and technical services employ 7.6 per cent of the population.
• Financial and insurance services employ 3.6 per cent of the population.
• Information media and telecommunications employ 1.7 per cent of the population.

If you’re just starting your career in regional or rural areas, you can refer to this web page for more information. You can also get more information about Australian jobs and occupations with the help of this Occupation Matrix. More information and statistics can also be found here.

MIGRANT NINJA TIP – Key Facts about Rural Australia

• Rural and regional areas accommodate more than a third of Australia’s population and generate two-thirds of its net export.
• Seven million people, or 37 per cent of the Australian population, live outside the state and territory capital cities.
• The healthy, friendly and safe environment and community lifestyle of regional Australia attract many people from the cities.
• In 2006, regional Australia contributed around $65 billion, or about 67 per cent, of the country’s export revenue.
• Major sectors of the Australian economy—resources, energy and primary industries—are located in regional Australia