Using datasets from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) provides a monthly snapshot of the regional labour market, offering insights into key indicators for job vacancies, labour force size, participation rate, employed population and unemployment rate. This analysis not only captures current labour market dynamics but also examines historical trends to provide a comprehensive perspective for regional Australia.

For this report, regional Australia is defined as all parts of Australia outside the five metropolitan cities with populations exceeding one million people-Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth

Regional Job Vacancies

Regional job vacancies dipped by 1.9% in November, following some rises in the previous months. There were 71,750 online advertisements across regional Australia, 6.2% lower than a year earlier.

Regional Australia Job Vacancies

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, monthly internet vacancies, RAI

The top three occupational categories for job vacancies: 

• Professionals (27%)
• Technicians and Trade Workers (16%) 
• Community and Professional Service Workers (13%).   

While vacancies declined across regions in aggregate during the month, several regions diverged from this overall trend and recorded increases in vacancies. The five regions with the strongest month-on-month growth were:

• Outback Queensland up by 3.2%
• Fleurieu Peninsula & Murray Mallee in SA up by 2.7 %
• Southern Highlands & Snowy in NSW up by 1.7%
• Northwest Tasmania up by 0.7%
• Tamworth and North West NSW up by 0.6%

The top five regions with the largest year-on-year increases in vacancies (November 2025 compared with November 2024) were: 

• Tamworth and North West NSW up by 15.5% 
• Dubbo & Western NSW up by 5.9%  
• Goldfields & Southern WA up by 5.4%  
• NSW North Coast up by 4.5% 
• Port Augusta & Eyre Peninsula in SA up by 4.3% 

Regional Labour Force

In November, the regional labour force remained steady at 5.06 million, with no material change from the previous month. While the size of the regional labour force has fluctuated over time, it has demonstrated a sustained upward trend over the longer term, broadly reflecting regional population growth and increasing demand for regional employment. This trend also indicates positive labour market engagement, with more people participating in the workforce in response to emerging job opportunities.

Regional Australia labour force size

Source: ABS Labour Force (detailed), RAI

The table below presents the regional labour force size by state and territory and its share of total. Queensland has the largest regional labour force with 1,491,360 people, making up nearly 50% of the state’s total labour force. For Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, the entire jurisdiction is classified as regional Australia. 

Regional Employed Persons

The number of employed people in regional Australia reached 4,869,000 in November, 0.2% higher than in October. The growth in employed people is a sign that more people are successfully matching with regional employment opportunities. 

Regional Australia employed people

Source: ABS Labour Force (detailed), RAI

Regional Australia Participation Rate

The regional Australia participation rate has decreased slightly from 62.8% in October to 62.7% in November. When smoothing out seasonal fluctuations, the annual moving average also drecreased from 63.3% to 63.2%. However, the regional labour participation is fairly stable in the long-term.

Regional Australia Participation Rate

Source: ABS Labour Force (detailed) RAI

Regional Australia Unemployment Rate

The regional unemployment rate continued to decline to 3.8% in November. While there are month-to-month fluctuations, the unemployment rate has generally remained at historically low levels. This indicates a highly efficient regional labour market, where most job seekers are able to secure employment and employers are largely able to absorb available labour. At the same time, it reflects ongoing tightness in regional labour markets, consistent with persistent labour shortages and difficulty filling vacant roles.

Regional Australia Unemployment Rate

Source: ABS Labour Force (detailed) RAI

The Dubbo Regional Council is a local government area situated in the Orana region of New South Wales. Dubbo has long been recognised as the ‘hub of the west’ due to its strategic geographical position and its role as a vital service and commercial centre for the region. The council area covers 7,536 square kilometres and, as of 2024, is home to approximately 56,997 residents.

Dubbo has a strong and diverse economy, underpinned by a thriving retail sector, more than 4,500 registered businesses, and its strategic position as a hub for transport, agriculture and mining services. According to the 2021 ABS Census, Dubbo’s largest employment sectors include health care and social assistance, education and training, retail trade, construction, and public administration and safety. This diversity provides a resilient economic base and supports a broad range of job opportunities for local residents.

Recent Small Area Labour Market data from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations shows that, in June 2025, Dubbo's labour force comprised 27,652 individuals, with 26,891 people in employment. The local unemployment rate was 2.8%, which is notably lower than in many other regions across New South Wales and Australia, highlighting the area’s robust employment conditions and economic vitality.

The job market in the broader Dubbo & Western NSW (IVI) region remains bouyant. In November 2025, 1,307 jobs were advertised online, representing a 3.8% decrease from the previous month but a 5.9% increase compared to November 2024. This year-on-year growth in job advertisements points to rising demand for workers and a dynamic local economy, even as short-term fluctuations occur. 

The most in-demand occupation groups in the Dubbo & Western NSW region are:

• Professionals (409 positions advertised)
• Technicians and trade workers (180 positions)
• Community and personal service workers (145 positions).

These vacancies reflect both the region’s expanding service economy and its need for highly skilled labour.

Note: 

This report integrates data from two key sources: 

• Job Vacancy Data: Regional job vacancies are sourced from the Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) which is derived from job postings on SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia and provided by Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA). Vacancies are measured using IVI regions. 
• Labour Market Indicators: Labour force size, employed population, unemployment rate and participation rate are sourced from the ABS Labour Force (detailed data) and measured using the ABS Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSAs).

While efforts have been made to align the definition of regional Australia across datasets, differences in geographic boundaries result in minor discrepancies. Users should be aware of these variations when interpreting the data:

• For IVI data, regional Australia includes all IVI regions except Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.
• For ABS labour market indicators, regional Australia is defined as areas outside Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne, Greater Brisbane, Greater Adelaide and Greater Perth (GCCSAs).

 1) Regional labor market information is also available using the RAI’s interactive online tool, the Regional Jobs Guide