Total New Vacancies data for hiring across Australia – 27 May 2026

Total New Vacancies data – what changed on 27 May 2026?

Headline TNV numbers for the February 2026 quarter

Jobs and Skills Australia’s Total New Vacancies (TNV) series estimates there were 1,272,000 new job vacancies during the February 2026 quarter, with a 2.0% increase over the year (around 24,300 additional vacancies). Lowest since September 2025.

Beyond online job advertisements – why TNV matters

Online job advertisements capture a large share of recruitment activity, but Jobs and Skills Australia notes they “do not tell the full story” of how Australians find work. Hiring methods differ by region, industry, and business size, and can include informal channels such as word of mouth and social media groups. This means many roles never appear on major job boards that migration agents, visa applicants and education providers often watch.

• Online job boards cover only part of actual hiring.
• Informal recruitment (word of mouth, social media groups) is common.
• Patterns vary across regions, industries and employer size.
• Some occupations and regional roles may rarely be advertised online.

For anyone tracking demand for specific [occupations and ANZSCO codes](https://app.immiiq.com/occupations), this gap between advertised and actual hiring can affect how labour shortages and visa opportunities are interpreted.

How TNV combines IVI and REOS data

The TNV series combines two existing Jobs and Skills Australia data sources to estimate total new vacancies each quarter. It uses the Internet Vacancy Index (IVI), which tracks online job ads, together with the Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey (REOS), which captures how employers actually recruit.

Who this TNV data helps in migration and education

TNV gives a more complete picture of labour demand across Australia, especially for regional areas and occupations where informal recruitment is common. For migration agents planning skilled visa strategies, visa applicants assessing demand, and education providers aligning course offerings, this can change how opportunity is perceived for particular fields.

• Migration agents can compare TNV trends with visa grants and [points outcomes](https://app.immiiq.com/calculator).
• Prospective migrants may wish to consider both online ads and TNV when assessing demand.
• Education providers can cross-check student interest with TNV signals for relevant fields.

How the Total New Vacancies series changes labour market analysis

Jobs and Skills Australia states that TNV “provides a more complete picture of labour demand across Australia, accounting for jobs that are never advertised online.” For regional migration, employer sponsorship and state nomination programs, this broader lens may affect how shortages and demand signals are interpreted (and which occupations look genuinely tight).

The TNV series addresses this gap by estimating total new vacancies each quarter, going beyond online job advertisements to capture a wider range of hiring activity.

A clearer view of how recruitment works in practice supports workforce planning and policy decisions. Jobs and Skills Australia highlights that, as hiring methods continue to evolve, the TNV series helps policymakers, industry and communities assess what is happening across the labour market. Our analysis at ImmiIQ data level is that this gives migration stakeholders a richer context for interpreting online vacancy trends.

For visa subclasses that rely heavily on labour market evidence – such as employer-sponsored visas like Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) or Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), and regional pathways like subclass 494 – this broader vacancy measure could affect how genuine need is viewed. The same applies to states assessing demand for [state nomination](https://app.immiiq.com/states) and regional programs.

How might this influence day‑to‑day practice? Migration agents may wish to consider referencing TNV alongside online vacancy counts when discussing labour demand with employers; visa applicants could compare TNV trends with [EOI](https://app.immiiq.com/eoi) outcomes; and education providers might map their course pipelines against TNV signals in their key industries.

Practical next steps for agents, applicants and providers

TNV is a new tool in the labour‑market toolkit, not a replacement for existing data. Used together with online vacancy counts, EOI results and visa statistics, it can support more grounded conversations about demand for skills across Australia.

1. 01Review the Total New Vacancies dataset on Jobs and Skills Australia’s website for the February 2026 quarter and note the national totals.
2. 02Compare TNV trends with online job ads in the Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) for occupations relevant to your clients, courses or workforce plans.
3. 03Cross‑reference TNV insights with [ANZSCO‑linked occupations](https://app.immiiq.com/occupations) and skilled visa pathways (for example SC 189, 190, 482, 491, 494) to see where advertised and total demand may differ.
4. 04For regional or niche occupations where informal hiring is common, consider how TNV data might change interpretations of shortage or opportunity.
5. 05If clarification is needed on the TNV methodology, use the contact provided by Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA‑[email protected]) for technical questions.

This article is for informational purposes only. Employment data is sourced from government publications and may not reflect current conditions in all regions.

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