Overview
Australian job advertisements increased for a second straight month in February, climbing 3.2% from January and reaching the highest point in 16 months, according to private-sector data released on Monday by Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) and employment website Indeed.
Detailed figures
The February uptick followed an upward revision to January's result, which was adjusted to a 5.2% rise. The pair of monthly gains marks the first time the series has moved higher in consecutive months since October 2024 and lifts the index to its strongest reading since that period.
On an annual basis, job advertisements in February were 2.3% higher than in 2025. Compared with pre-pandemic levels, the series remained 16.6% above where it stood before the global health crisis.
Labour market context and monetary policy
The private-sector data arrives against a backdrop of tighter monetary policy. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by a quarter point to 3.85% last month after inflation reaccelerated following three rate cuts the previous year. The official unemployment rate remained unexpectedly low at 4.1% - a factor cited by market participants when assessing the likelihood of further tightening. Markets have priced about a 77% probability of an additional rate increase in May.
Sectoral trends and recruiter comments
"The New Year has coincided with renewed hiring vigour across the country," said Callam Pickering, a senior economist at Indeed, noting specific pockets of strength within the vacancy data.
Indeed's analysis highlighted that vacancies for nurses reached their highest level in almost two years, while management positions also saw a notable surge in opportunities.
Implications
The data points to sustained demand for labour at the start of the year, with particular pressure in health-care and management roles. That combination of firm vacancies and a low unemployment rate sits alongside recent central bank tightening and elevated market expectations for further policy moves.