Job ad numbers continue to rise, says SEEK

New research showed that job advertisements went up by 0.3 per cent, and the growth of advertised salary increased by 0.2 per cent in July.

SEEK has released its Employment Report and Advertised Salary Index for July 2025, which observed moving rates for the increase in job advertisement posts and advertised salary, finding this period was “the first time since mid-2022 that job ads have increased for two consecutive months”.

Rise in job ads

The nation experienced a rise in job advertisements by 0.3 per cent month on month. Across the country, this growth of 0.3 per cent had not been seen since mid-2022.

SEEK senior economist Dr Blair Chapman explained that this “extends the trend of stability seen since the beginning of the year”.

On a state and territory level, the jobs board found: “All states and the Northern Territory contributed to the national growth, with only the Australian Capital Territory recording a decline in July (-1.5 per cent month on month)”.

The Northern Territory saw the greatest rise in job advertisement growth by 1.0 per cent month on month, which was followed by Western Australia at 0.6 per cent month on month.

Shifting demand for jobs

Along with this growth, for the first time in more than two years, the report said that the number of applications per job ad fell 0.3 per cent. However, SEEK said that this figure remains extremely high when compared with pre-COVID-19 levels.

“Despite a small decline in applications per job ad month on month, competition among candidates remains extremely strong with many industries recording historically high levels,” Chapman said.

“The growth within the industrial sector, notable in South Australia and Western Australia, reflects growing demand ahead of new mining and renewable energy projects, and the ongoing skills shortages for workers in these industries.”

This increase was also seen in industries such as healthcare, up 1.1 per cent for the past quarter, and hospitality and tourism, which it said “has been on the rise since February, making this the longest period of growth for the industry since early 2022.”

Salary growth slow and steady

National statistics from the job board revealed that advertised salary growth rose by 0.2 per cent month on month in July. This marks the first time, SEEK said, that “advertised salary growth has been below 0.3 per cent in two consecutive months since 2021”.

“Following eight months of steady annual growth between 3.6 per cent and 3.7 per cent, annual growth has slowed over recent months to 3.3 per cent, the slowest annual growth since August 2021,” it said.

The insurance and superannuation sector recorded 5.9 per cent growth in its annual advertised salary, as well as among the fastest growth in the past quarter (1.9 per cent).

Coming out on top again, SEEK reported that the NT recorded annual growth of 5.0 per cent, despite slowing in July. In the study, Victoria came up with the slowest advertised salary growth, at 0.5 per cent in July over three months.

“This likely reflects the ongoing easing in labour market tightness, with employment growth 0.5 percentage points slower over the 12 months to June 2025 than it was to June 2024 and fewer people switching jobs,” Chapman said.

“Despite this, advertised salaries are still growing faster than living costs for employee households, which slowed to 2.6 per cent year on year in the June quarter. A notable decline in mortgage interest charges, following the RBA’s cash rate cuts this year, mostly offset rises in other prices in the latest data.”