Newcastle & Hunter: online job ads

Online job ads in this New South Wales region, from Jobs and Skills Australia, as three-month averages to September 2026.

In plain English

In the three months to September 2026, an average of 5,040 new online job ads a month were placed in the Newcastle & Hunter region (New South Wales).
Compared with a year earlier, ads were down 5.5%, so by our rule ads here are falling.
Five years earlier, in the three months to September 2021, the average was 4,980, so ads are now up 1.2% on then.
Professionals had the most ads (1,390 a month, 27.6% of the region's total).
Among detailed groups with at least 50 ads, the biggest rise over the year was Medical Practitioners and Nurses (up 16.0%).
The biggest fall over the year was Mobile Plant Operators (down 31.4%).

Region figures are three-month averages and do not add up to state totals. For unemployment and the seasonally adjusted picture, see New South Wales.

Online job ads, the past five years

Job ads by occupation group

Online job ads by major occupation group, Newcastle & Hunter, three-month average
Occupation group	Ads, three months to September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Managers	470	up 3.9%	up 4.5%	Steady
Professionals	1,390	up 2.3%	down 3.9%	Steady
Technicians and Trades Workers	830	up 3.2%	down 7.0%	Falling
Community and Personal Service Workers	640	up 1.5%	down 8.3%	Falling
Clerical and Administrative Workers	590	up 7.9%	down 5.1%	Falling
Sales Workers	410	up 11.4%	down 4.8%	Steady
Machinery Operators and Drivers	290	down 2.3%	down 15.0%	Falling
Labourers	420	up 10.9%	down 7.0%	Falling
All occupations	5,040	up 4.2%	down 5.5%	Falling

All detailed occupation groups

Online job ads by detailed occupation group, Newcastle & Hunter, three-month average
Occupation group	Ads, three months to September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Chief Executives, Managing Directors & Legislators	18	unchanged	up 42.1%	Too few to call
Farmers and Farm Managers	6	up 38.5%	up 157.2%	Too few to call
Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers	170	up 7.9%	up 4.1%	Steady
Corporate Managers	120	up 8.0%	up 4.6%	Steady
Construction, Production and Distribution Managers	110	down 8.4%	down 0.9%	Steady
Health, Education, ICT and Other Managers	50	up 9.6%	up 0.7%	Too few to call
Arts and Media Professionals	15	down 16.4%	down 13.2%	Too few to call
Education Professionals	96	unchanged	down 28.5%	Falling
ICT Professionals	38	up 4.5%	down 33.9%	Too few to call
Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals	210	down 4.2%	down 12.4%	Falling
Business, Finance and Human Resource Professionals	140	up 3.5%	down 2.2%	Steady
Information Professionals	28	up 1.2%	down 2.3%	Too few to call
Sales, Marketing & Public Relations Professionals	32	up 9.1%	up 5.5%	Too few to call
Transport and Design Professionals, and Architects	29	up 12.8%	down 17.8%	Too few to call
Engineers	120	up 2.0%	down 9.9%	Falling
Science Professionals and Veterinarians	28	up 12.0%	down 21.5%	Too few to call
Health Diagnostic and Therapy Professionals	170	down 1.0%	down 1.7%	Steady
Medical Practitioners and Nurses	480	up 6.1%	up 16.0%	Rising
Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians	110	down 0.6%	down 4.0%	Steady
Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers	290	up 6.2%	down 7.5%	Falling
Construction Trades Workers	91	down 1.1%	down 17.1%	Falling
Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers	120	up 4.1%	up 10.2%	Rising
Food Trades Workers	120	up 2.3%	down 17.3%	Falling
Skilled Animal and Horticultural Workers	42	up 4.1%	down 11.3%	Too few to call
Hairdressers, Printing, Clothing and Wood Trades Workers	24	unchanged	down 18.9%	Too few to call
Jewellers, Arts and Other Trades Workers	37	up 5.7%	up 31.8%	Too few to call
Health and Welfare Support Workers	80	up 4.8%	up 7.1%	Rising
Carers and Aides	350	down 2.2%	down 17.9%	Falling
Hospitality Workers	120	up 10.8%	down 1.6%	Steady
Protective Service Workers	26	down 6.1%	up 79.1%	Too few to call
Sports, Travel and Personal Service Workers	60	up 6.5%	up 7.8%	Rising
Numerical Clerks	79	up 11.8%	unchanged	Steady
Clerical and Office Support Workers	19	down 1.7%	up 1.8%	Too few to call
Other Clerical and Administrative Workers	97	up 14.6%	down 4.6%	Steady
Office Managers, Administrators and Secretaries	76	unchanged	down 13.0%	Falling
General-Inquiry Clerks, Call Centre Workers, and Receptionists	320	up 7.6%	down 4.7%	Steady
Sales Representatives and Agents	100	down 2.3%	down 17.7%	Falling
Sales Assistants and Salespersons	290	up 16.2%	up 3.2%	Steady
Sales Support Workers	24	up 22.4%	down 25.3%	Too few to call
Machine and Stationary Plant Operators	59	down 10.2%	down 21.8%	Falling
Mobile Plant Operators	63	down 3.1%	down 31.4%	Falling
Drivers and Storepersons	170	up 1.0%	down 3.6%	Steady
Cleaners and Laundry Workers	120	up 16.2%	up 2.9%	Steady
Construction and Mining Labourers	68	up 14.0%	unchanged	Steady
Factory Process Workers	28	up 9.1%	down 10.6%	Too few to call
Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers	25	up 19.4%	up 10.5%	Too few to call
Food Preparation Assistants	25	up 8.8%	down 1.3%	Too few to call
Other Labourers	160	up 5.6%	down 17.5%	Falling

Month by month

Online job ads, Newcastle & Hunter, three-month average, the past thirteen months
Three months to	Online job ads
September 2025	5,330
October 2025	5,250
November 2025	5,140
December 2025	4,460
January 2026	4,520
February 2026	4,630
March 2026	5,250
April 2026	4,920
May 2026	4,830
June 2026	4,580
July 2026	4,750
August 2026	4,840
September 2026	5,040

What this means

General notes on reading job ads in Newcastle & Hunter, chosen by the direction of job ads over the year. They are not advice about your situation.

For job seekers

Fewer ads usually means more competition for each opening. It can help to widen the search: related occupation groups, nearby regions, and employers who fill roles without advertising online.

For students

A fall in ads now is not a forecast either. Markets move in cycles, and a course finishes later. Look at the longer five-year picture here and at Jobs and Skills Australia's employment projections (opens another site) before deciding anything.

For employers

Fewer competing ads may mean more applicants for each one you place. It may also reflect slower hiring in your field, so check the trend in your own occupation group, not only the total.

Job ads are not all jobs: many roles are filled without an online ad. See the limits of the data.

Sources and licences

Online job ads: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index (opens another site), September 2026 data, released 21 October 2026. © Commonwealth of Australia, used under CC BY 4.0 (opens another site). Figures rounded; changes, shares and descriptions by Career Calling Insights.

Neither publisher endorses this site. How the numbers are turned into words: methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.