SEEK: Job Ad Numbers Drop As Restrictions Continue In August

The latest SEEK Employment Report shows that "national job ad volumes have dropped by 5.3% m/m in August. However, job ads remain 15.2% higher nationally than in the same month in 2019."

• "COVID-19 restrictions continued to have a major impact on the labour market in August 2021. Perhaps unsurprisingly, states and territories under the strictest lockdowns each saw a decline in job ad volumes. New South Wales and Victoria saw the most significant drops in volume down 10.7% and 6.3% month-on-month, respectively."
• "In July, despite a two-week restriction period, Victoria experienced an increase in the number of job ads posted during the month, however with the lockdown extended throughout the whole month of August, job ad numbers have now declined. This demonstrates that short lockdowns don't have too much of an impact on the labour market, but when extended, more businesses start to put hiring plans on hold."
• "Nationally, the industries that have experienced the largest volume drop month-on-month are Hospitality & Tourism (-19.0%), Trades & Services (-7.3%) and Retail & Consumer Products (-8.9%)."
• "Last month the decline was driven by the restrictions in New South Wales, this month, Victoria is driving the reduction. Hospitality & Tourism job ads dropped 33.1% month-on-month in Victoria."
• "SEEK.com.au had around 35 million visits last month, though applications per job ad declined slightly by 1.3% month-on-month and remain at low levels."
• "Jobseekers are still not applying at the same rates as they were before COVID-19, with a 1.3% drop in applications per job ad in August. With restrictions and uncertainty continuing across our major job markets, it is timely to remind those considering a move that opportunities are out there in many industries."