08 November 2007

Latest SEEK Australian employment index shows demand remains strong

The Australian labour market continues to provide opportunities for people applying for Australian visas, according to the latest SEEK Employment Index. The index measures the ration of new job ads to job applications and the October 2007 report reveals that demand for skilled labour remains strong across all the Australian states.

The number of new job advertisements listed with SEEK has been growing at an annual rate of over 40 per cent annually, both in the year to October 2007 and over the past four months.

Labour demand is 12.3 per cent higher than the same time last year, although employers in some regions found it easier to recruit in the last month. Western Australia and Queensland continued to experience rising demand while the labour market softened slightly in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.

SEEK Sales Director Joe Powell pointed out that it is low skilled jobs that are reporting more applicants whereas the national shortages in skilled sectors such as construction, law, defence and healthcare continue to be a problem.

The top jobs that employers found most difficult to fill in October were landscape architects, senior associate solicitors, radiologists/sonographers and geoscientists.

Australia needs skilled workers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements.