Jobs in South Australia

Online job ads and the labour force in South Australia, from the latest official releases. Data to September 2026.

Online job ads, September 2026

14,400

up 5.2% on a year earlier Rising

Unemployment rate, September 2026

4.2%

down 0.3 points on a year earlier Falling

Employed people, September 2026

991,300

up 0.5% on a year earlier

Job ads seasonally adjusted. Labour force seasonally adjusted.

In plain English

In September 2026 there were 14,400 new online job ads in South Australia, seasonally adjusted.
Compared with September 2025, ads were up 5.2%, so by our rule they are rising over the year.
Over the month, ads held steady (up 1.1% on August 2026).
Compared with the 2019 monthly average of 7,660, ads were up 87.6%.
The unemployment rate was 4.2% in September 2026 (seasonally adjusted), down 0.5 points on August 2026 and down 0.3 points on a year earlier: falling by our rule.
Employment was little changed over the year (up 0.5%), to 991,300 people. The participation rate was 64.1%.
Professionals had the most ads (3,890, 27.1% of the total).
Among detailed groups with at least 200 ads in both months, ads rose most over the year for Cleaners and Laundry Workers (up 28.2%).
They fell most for Business, Finance and Human Resource Professionals (down 17.6%).

The words follow fixed rules from the numbers: see the methodology.

Online job ads, the past five years

Unemployment rate, the past five years

Job ads by occupation group

The eight major groups, seasonally adjusted.

Online job ads by major occupation group, South Australia, seasonally adjusted
Occupation group	Ads, September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Managers	1,560	up 1.8%	up 14.8%	Rising
Professionals	3,890	up 5.4%	up 2.8%	Steady
Technicians and Trades Workers	2,010	down 4.6%	up 3.5%	Steady
Community and Personal Service Workers	1,390	down 4.9%	down 1.9%	Steady
Clerical and Administrative Workers	2,080	up 4.0%	down 1.5%	Steady
Sales Workers	1,090	down 1.0%	up 7.0%	Rising
Machinery Operators and Drivers	1,090	up 4.5%	up 19.6%	Rising
Labourers	1,210	up 2.2%	up 14.8%	Rising
All occupations	14,400	up 1.1%	up 5.2%	Rising

All detailed occupation groups

Online job ads by detailed occupation group, South Australia, seasonally adjusted
Occupation group	Ads, September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Chief Executives, Managing Directors & Legislators	67	up 3.6%	up 4.4%	Steady
Farmers and Farm Managers	24	up 25.9%	up 282.6%	Too few to call
Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers	480	down 2.7%	up 9.6%	Rising
Corporate Managers	440	up 3.9%	down 0.6%	Steady
Construction, Production and Distribution Managers	390	up 8.2%	up 25.3%	Rising
Health, Education, ICT and Other Managers	190	up 34.5%	up 57.2%	Rising
Arts and Media Professionals	77	up 12.0%	up 9.7%	Rising
Education Professionals	150	up 41.4%	up 22.5%	Rising
ICT Professionals	300	up 4.1%	down 16.6%	Falling
Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals	560	up 8.5%	up 17.9%	Rising
Business, Finance and Human Resource Professionals	380	down 5.3%	down 17.6%	Falling
Information Professionals	120	up 5.8%	up 11.0%	Rising
Sales, Marketing & Public Relations Professionals	140	up 1.5%	up 1.5%	Steady
Transport and Design Professionals, and Architects	100	down 2.0%	up 8.4%	Rising
Engineers	320	up 7.1%	up 16.6%	Rising
Science Professionals and Veterinarians	99	up 11.5%	up 8.7%	Rising
Health Diagnostic and Therapy Professionals	550	up 6.9%	up 6.0%	Rising
Medical Practitioners and Nurses	1,100	up 3.6%	up 0.4%	Steady
Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians	290	down 5.6%	up 5.3%	Rising
Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers	630	down 4.9%	up 4.1%	Steady
Construction Trades Workers	230	up 1.0%	down 4.4%	Steady
Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers	270	down 4.1%	down 0.4%	Steady
Food Trades Workers	360	down 7.2%	up 19.4%	Rising
Skilled Animal and Horticultural Workers	96	down 5.0%	down 4.8%	Steady
Hairdressers, Printing, Clothing and Wood Trades Workers	66	down 2.7%	down 11.3%	Falling
Jewellers, Arts and Other Trades Workers	77	down 12.0%	down 6.5%	Falling
Health and Welfare Support Workers	250	down 12.9%	down 13.1%	Falling
Carers and Aides	740	down 3.6%	up 3.1%	Steady
Hospitality Workers	210	down 0.6%	up 4.1%	Steady
Protective Service Workers	67	down 2.9%	down 0.3%	Steady
Sports, Travel and Personal Service Workers	140	down 7.4%	down 15.5%	Falling
Numerical Clerks	350	up 10.9%	up 10.5%	Rising
Clerical and Office Support Workers	67	up 39.4%	down 16.0%	Falling
Other Clerical and Administrative Workers	340	up 0.8%	up 6.0%	Rising
Office Managers, Administrators and Secretaries	310	down 1.9%	up 3.7%	Steady
General-Inquiry Clerks, Call Centre Workers, and Receptionists	1,000	up 3.0%	down 6.8%	Falling
Sales Representatives and Agents	230	down 0.5%	down 10.0%	Falling
Sales Assistants and Salespersons	770	down 2.7%	up 12.6%	Rising
Sales Support Workers	93	up 8.0%	up 8.2%	Rising
Machine and Stationary Plant Operators	260	up 7.1%	up 33.0%	Rising
Mobile Plant Operators	280	up 7.8%	up 22.4%	Rising
Drivers and Storepersons	550	up 5.0%	up 12.6%	Rising
Cleaners and Laundry Workers	280	down 7.1%	up 28.2%	Rising
Construction and Mining Labourers	130	up 10.8%	down 21.8%	Falling
Factory Process Workers	210	up 31.1%	up 49.9%	Rising
Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers	62	up 10.4%	down 0.5%	Steady
Food Preparation Assistants	81	down 11.0%	up 5.3%	Rising
Other Labourers	440	down 1.2%	up 15.2%	Rising

Regions in South Australia

Jobs and Skills Australia's job ad regions, as three-month averages.

Online job ads by region, South Australia, three-month average
Region	Ads, three months to September 2026	On the year	Direction
Adelaide	12,500	up 1.6%	Steady
Fleurieu Peninsula & Murray Mallee	1,040	up 8.6%	Rising
Port Augusta & Eyre Peninsula	730	up 11.9%	Rising
Yorke Peninsula & Clare Valley	400	up 6.2%	Rising

By skill level

The level of education or experience the advertised job usually needs, as classified by the ABS.

Online job ads by skill level, South Australia, seasonally adjusted
Skill level the job usually needs	Ads, September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Skill level 1: bachelor degree or higher	4,960	up 6.6%	up 5.8%	Rising
Skill level 2: advanced diploma or diploma	1,660	down 7.9%	up 3.6%	Steady
Skill level 3: certificate IV, or certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training	1,990	down 2.9%	down 0.1%	Steady
Skill level 4: certificate II or III	3,780	up 1.2%	up 3.5%	Steady
Skill level 5: certificate I or secondary education	1,970	up 1.7%	up 14.8%	Rising

Month by month

The past thirteen months, South Australia: job ads seasonally adjusted, labour force seasonally adjusted
Month	Online job ads	Unemployment rate	Employed people
September 2025	13,700	4.5%	986,400
October 2025	13,900	4.3%	986,100
November 2025	14,000	4.0%	990,500
December 2025	14,100	3.8%	1,000,000
January 2026	14,500	3.7%	1,000,600
February 2026	14,100	4.1%	991,200
March 2026	14,400	4.0%	990,700
April 2026	14,600	4.2%	983,800
May 2026	13,600	4.2%	986,900
June 2026	14,000	4.3%	988,500
July 2026	14,300	4.1%	988,900
August 2026	14,200	4.7%	989,200
September 2026	14,400	4.2%	991,300

What this means

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

For job seekers

More ads usually means more openings to apply for. It does not tell you how many people apply for each one, or whether pay is changing, so read each ad closely for what the employer actually asks for.

For students

Ads today are not a forecast. A course takes time, and demand when you finish may be different. Use this alongside longer-term sources such as Jobs and Skills Australia's employment projections (opens another site) and Your Career (opens another site).

For employers

More ads can mean more employers competing for the same people. Comparing your ads with others in your occupation group and region, and being clear about hours, location and requirements, can help them stand out.

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

Get the monthly briefing

The headline numbers for Australia and each state, once a month when new data is out.

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.

Labour force: Australian Bureau of Statistics (September 2026) 'Table 001. Labour force status by Sex, Australia - Trend, Seasonally adjusted and Original' and 'Table 010. Labour force status by Sex, State and Territory - Trend, Seasonally adjusted and Original' [time series spreadsheets], Labour Force, Australia (opens another site), released 15 October 2026, accessed 8 November 2026. Used under CC BY 4.0 (opens another site). Figures rounded; changes and descriptions by Career Calling Insights.

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