This paper examines trends in recruitment difficulty in Australia using data from their Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey (REOS). It finds that recruitment difficulty continues to ease nationally, with 51% of recruiting employers reporting difficulty filling vacancies in October 2024, down 6 percentage points from the previous year. 

The analysis explores variations in recruitment difficulty across various segments of the labour market, highlighting specific trends in states, industries, and occupations. It examines employer perspectives on changes in recruitment difficulty compared to their previous experiences. The report also explores the link between the time taken to fill vacancies and the perceived shift in difficulty levels.

Key findings

• 'Lack of suitable applicants' is still the most common reason for recruitment difficulty, but mentioned less frequently.
• 'Undesirable working conditions' has risen to become the second most cited reason for recruitment difficulty.
• Victoria and New South Wales experienced the largest decreases in recruitment difficulty; Queensland's rate increased.
• Recruitment difficulty eased across most industries, but increased in Construction.
• Higher-skilled occupations continue to have higher difficulty rates than lower-skilled occupations, but the gap is narrowing.
• Technicians and Trades Workers continue to face the highest difficulty rates, followed by Professionals.