While almost six in 10 employers are still finding it difficult to recruit workers, recruitment difficulty has eased compared to mid-2022 levels. This improvement has largely been driven by employers finding it easier to recruit lower skilled workers. Around 40 per cent of employers across Australia find it difficult to hire lower-skilled workers, compared to around 70 per cent of employers who find it hard to recruit higher-skilled workers.
Figure 2.3
The share of vacancies filled in a quarter (the fill rate) in Victoria has risen from the trough in late 2022, showing that more employers are able to fill more vacancies than in prior quarters. There are now also more applicants per vacancy and more qualified applicants (deemed by employers as having the right qualification for the job) per vacancy on average. The average number of suitable applicants (deemed by employers as suitable for the job) per vacancy has remained steady at a low level.
Figure 2.4
Since late 2022, fill rates have improved across all occupation groups. However, technicians and trade workers, along with labourers continue to have lower fill rates relative to other occupation groups. Across Australia, fill rates over the same period have improved across both regional and metro areas, but remain more challenging in regional areas.
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