Jobs in Western Australia

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

Online job ads, September 2026

28,300

up 8.3% on a year earlier Rising

Unemployment rate, September 2026

4.2%

down 0.1 points on a year earlier Steady

Employed people, September 2026

1,706,600

up 3.7% on a year earlier

Job ads seasonally adjusted. Labour force seasonally adjusted.

In plain English

In September 2026 there were 28,300 new online job ads in Western Australia, seasonally adjusted.
Compared with September 2025, ads were up 8.3%, so by our rule they are rising over the year.
Over the month, ads held steady (up 1.2% on August 2026).
Compared with the 2019 monthly average of 16,100, ads were up 75.6%.
The unemployment rate was 4.2% in September 2026 (seasonally adjusted), down 0.2 points on August 2026 and down 0.1 points on a year earlier: steady by our rule.
Employment grew over the year (up 3.7%), to 1,706,600 people. The participation rate was 69.1%.
Professionals had the most ads (6,820, 24.1% 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 40.5%).
They fell most for Education Professionals (down 42.5%).

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, Western Australia, seasonally adjusted
Occupation group	Ads, September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Managers	3,020	up 1.1%	up 12.1%	Rising
Professionals	6,820	up 1.2%	up 3.8%	Steady
Technicians and Trades Workers	5,880	down 0.8%	up 11.4%	Rising
Community and Personal Service Workers	1,820	up 4.6%	up 1.1%	Steady
Clerical and Administrative Workers	3,920	up 3.0%	up 6.3%	Rising
Sales Workers	1,960	up 0.2%	up 6.8%	Rising
Machinery Operators and Drivers	2,850	down 1.5%	up 20.7%	Rising
Labourers	2,030	up 1.6%	up 10.7%	Rising
All occupations	28,300	up 1.2%	up 8.3%	Rising

All detailed occupation groups

Online job ads by detailed occupation group, Western Australia, seasonally adjusted
Occupation group	Ads, September 2026	On the month	On the year	Direction
Chief Executives, Managing Directors & Legislators	120	up 2.0%	up 45.5%	Rising
Farmers and Farm Managers	36	up 70.4%	up 179.4%	Too few to call
Hospitality, Retail and Service Managers	1,030	up 1.7%	up 28.6%	Rising
Corporate Managers	840	down 6.2%	up 6.0%	Rising
Construction, Production and Distribution Managers	750	down 0.7%	up 5.1%	Rising
Health, Education, ICT and Other Managers	200	up 0.8%	down 18.7%	Falling
Arts and Media Professionals	200	up 5.0%	up 44.1%	Rising
Education Professionals	240	down 5.4%	down 42.5%	Falling
ICT Professionals	390	down 8.0%	down 19.7%	Falling
Legal, Social and Welfare Professionals	730	down less than 0.1%	down 2.5%	Steady
Business, Finance and Human Resource Professionals	980	up 3.0%	up 6.1%	Rising
Information Professionals	230	up 5.1%	up 21.1%	Rising
Sales, Marketing & Public Relations Professionals	240	up 10.7%	down 4.0%	Steady
Transport and Design Professionals, and Architects	250	up 5.8%	up 2.4%	Steady
Engineers	1,350	up 7.0%	up 30.2%	Rising
Science Professionals and Veterinarians	350	up 5.0%	up 9.4%	Rising
Health Diagnostic and Therapy Professionals	820	down 3.6%	down 0.9%	Steady
Medical Practitioners and Nurses	1,080	down 1.3%	up 10.6%	Rising
Engineering, ICT and Science Technicians	920	down 1.2%	up 10.2%	Rising
Automotive and Engineering Trades Workers	2,310	down 1.4%	up 16.2%	Rising
Construction Trades Workers	640	down 1.4%	down 1.5%	Steady
Electrotechnology and Telecommunications Trades Workers	920	up 4.2%	up 8.4%	Rising
Food Trades Workers	560	down 6.0%	up 21.4%	Rising
Skilled Animal and Horticultural Workers	190	up 1.1%	up 7.5%	Rising
Hairdressers, Printing, Clothing and Wood Trades Workers	140	down 5.8%	up 3.4%	Steady
Jewellers, Arts and Other Trades Workers	200	up 1.0%	up 22.3%	Rising
Health and Welfare Support Workers	270	down 1.8%	down 14.2%	Falling
Carers and Aides	780	up 8.7%	down 3.2%	Steady
Hospitality Workers	370	down 0.8%	up 20.0%	Rising
Protective Service Workers	130	up 17.0%	up 49.8%	Rising
Sports, Travel and Personal Service Workers	270	up 5.4%	down 4.5%	Steady
Numerical Clerks	650	up 5.7%	up 12.0%	Rising
Clerical and Office Support Workers	130	down 3.5%	up 26.1%	Rising
Other Clerical and Administrative Workers	700	down 2.2%	up 12.7%	Rising
Office Managers, Administrators and Secretaries	610	down 3.2%	up 3.1%	Steady
General-Inquiry Clerks, Call Centre Workers, and Receptionists	1,820	up 9.1%	up 2.2%	Steady
Sales Representatives and Agents	520	down 1.0%	down 4.1%	Steady
Sales Assistants and Salespersons	1,330	up 0.3%	up 13.3%	Rising
Sales Support Workers	110	down 18.1%	down 9.0%	Falling
Machine and Stationary Plant Operators	950	up 1.4%	up 24.4%	Rising
Mobile Plant Operators	690	down 3.6%	up 15.8%	Rising
Drivers and Storepersons	1,210	down 3.6%	up 21.9%	Rising
Cleaners and Laundry Workers	410	up 18.6%	up 40.5%	Rising
Construction and Mining Labourers	470	down 8.0%	up 12.2%	Rising
Factory Process Workers	200	up 6.4%	up 8.9%	Rising
Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers	91	down 15.3%	down 23.3%	Falling
Food Preparation Assistants	110	up 18.5%	up 35.1%	Rising
Other Labourers	750	up 4.0%	up 3.1%	Steady

Regions in Western Australia

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

Online job ads by region, Western Australia, three-month average
Region	Ads, three months to September 2026	On the year	Direction
Goldfields & Southern WA	1,960	up 5.4%	Rising
Perth	23,200	up 8.7%	Rising
Pilbara & Kimberley	1,880	up 0.9%	Steady
South West WA	1,410	up 0.7%	Steady

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, Western 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	8,720	up 1.1%	up 4.0%	Steady
Skill level 2: advanced diploma or diploma	3,300	down 1.9%	up 12.7%	Rising
Skill level 3: certificate IV, or certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training	5,510	up 1.0%	up 7.8%	Rising
Skill level 4: certificate II or III	7,640	up 2.6%	up 11.2%	Rising
Skill level 5: certificate I or secondary education	3,070	down 0.3%	up 11.9%	Rising

Month by month

The past thirteen months, Western Australia: job ads seasonally adjusted, labour force seasonally adjusted
Month	Online job ads	Unemployment rate	Employed people
September 2025	26,100	4.3%	1,645,700
October 2025	25,900	4.1%	1,653,300
November 2025	26,200	4.6%	1,649,400
December 2025	26,800	4.0%	1,675,400
January 2026	27,200	3.4%	1,673,700
February 2026	26,900	4.3%	1,670,100
March 2026	27,500	4.3%	1,680,500
April 2026	26,800	4.2%	1,694,200
May 2026	26,500	4.6%	1,678,100
June 2026	27,200	4.2%	1,695,100
July 2026	27,800	4.4%	1,671,000
August 2026	27,900	4.5%	1,684,900
September 2026	28,300	4.2%	1,706,600

What this means

General notes on reading job ads in Western 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.