The NSC’s Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) provides timely insights into occupation demand ⁴⁸. It is the most comprehensive count of online job advertisements newly lodged during a month and is the only source of data on recruitment activity available at the detailed occupation level over time.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions saw internet job advertisements – measured by the IVI – fall to an all-time series low in April 2020. However, the latest IVI results at the time of writing, for May 2021, show that recruitment activity increased strongly after the downturn. Job advertisements have now reached a higher level than before the pandemic. The May 2021 IVI shows:

• There were 245,400 newly lodged job advertisements. This is the highest level of recruitment activity recorded by the series since October 2008.
• Recruitment activity increased for the 13th consecutive month and now stands 3.5 times higher than the April 202 series low point.
• Job advertisements exceed levels observed before the COVID-19 downturn, up 46.0% or 77,300 job advertisements compared with pre-COVID-19 levels ⁴⁹.

Recruitment activity has grown across all eight broad occupational groups over the period February 2020 to May 2021. Table 16 shows that the strongest gains, compared with pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, have been for labourers (up by 102.7% or 10,000 job advertisements), followed by community and personal service workers (up by 75.8% or 11,100 job advertisements), machinery operators and drivers (up by 66.6% or 5,200 job advertisements), technicians and trades workers (up by 59.0% or 13,200 job advertisements), and sales workers (up by 52.0% or 6,600 job advertisements).

Table 16: Job advertisements by broad occupational group (1-digit ANZSCO) - comparison to pre-COVID-19 levels

Source: NSC Internet Vacancy Index, seasonally adjusted

At the more detailed (ANZSCO 2-digit) level, job advertisements exceed levels observed before the COVID-19 downturn across all 48 detailed occupational groups ⁵⁰. The largest increases, compared with pre-COVID-19 levels, were for general inquiry clerks, call centre workers and receptionists (up by 6,500 job advertisements), followed by hospitality workers (up by 5,700 job advertisements), sales assistants and salespersons (up by 5,000 job advertisements), medical practitioners and nurses (up by 4,200 job advertisements) and food trades workers (up 4,000 job advertisements).

Table 17: Job advertisements by detailed occupational group (2-digit ANZSCO) – top 10 largest growth compared with pre-COVID-19 levels

Source: NSC Internet Vacancy Index, seasonally adjusted

Recruitment activity has accelerated beyond previously observed levels for some occupational groups. For example, one combination of health-related occupations (‘carers and aides’, ‘medical practitioners and nurses’, ‘health diagnostic and therapy professionals’, and ‘health and welfare support workers’) surpassed record high job advertisement levels during late 2020 and early 2021. In May 2021 recruitment activity for these occupations remained at levels commensurate with record highs. In total, there were 30,500 advertisements for the positions in this combination of occupations during May 2021.

The IVI is one important source the NSC uses to understand current skills needs. When combined with other insights such as the skills of job seekers and where shortages may exist, it helps build our ability to improve the efficiency of matching in the labour market.