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Peak season powers a nationwide workforce rebound
Australia’s labour market is experiencing a significant resurgence as peak season spending revitalises employment across the nation. The latest November Jobs Report from Employment Hero, a global leader in workforce management solutions, reveals an encouraging lift in employment, working hours, and wages, despite ongoing economic pressures. The report draws on real-time payroll data from over 1.5 million workers, offering a comprehensive snapshot of the current employment landscape.
Peak season powers a nationwide workforce rebound
Australia’s labour market is experiencing a significant resurgence as peak season spending revitalises employment across the nation. The latest November Jobs Report from Employment Hero, a global leader in workforce management solutions, reveals an encouraging lift in employment, working hours, and wages, despite ongoing economic pressures. The report draws on real-time payroll data from over 1.5 million workers, offering a comprehensive snapshot of the current employment landscape.
National employment figures show a robust increase, with a 6.4% rise year-on-year, a 3.7% uptick quarter-on-quarter, and a 0.9% boost month-on-month. This surge is primarily driven by young workers, casual employees, and the retail and hospitality sectors. The upswing coincides with a period where inflation is edging higher and interest rates remain steady, yet consumer spending during Black Friday and early holiday sales has been notably strong.
“Peak season has lit a spark that the labour market needed,” said Ben Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of Employment Hero. “After a long stretch of caution, businesses are hiring again and giving staff more hours. Shoppers showed up in force for early Black Friday sales, and that spending has flowed straight into jobs, particularly for young Australians and casual workers.”
The report highlights a notable increase in hours worked, which had been softening in previous months. Hours climbed by 1.3% month-on-month and 1.2% year-on-year, with retail, hospitality, and seasonal roles contributing significantly to this growth. Casual hours saw an even steeper rise, up 7.2% month-on-month, as employers relied heavily on flexible labour to meet the heightened demand.
“Casuals carried much of the load this month. It’s a strong sign of confidence heading into Christmas and Boxing Day trading,” Thompson added. “I’m pleased to see the labour market remains more buoyant than anticipated.”
Despite a slight monthly dip, wages remain higher over the year. The median wage currently stands at $45.20, reflecting a 4.9% year-on-year increase and a 0.7% rise quarter-on-quarter, though it experienced a minor decline of 0.1% month-on-month. South Australia and Western Australia recorded some of the strongest annual wage growth, while small monthly decreases across several states indicate employers managing cost pressures as the year-end approaches.
Young workers are at the forefront of this employment rebound. Employment for 14–17-year-olds has surged by 23.6% year-on-year and 3.9% month-on-month, marking the strongest growth among any age group. Meanwhile, 18–24-year-olds have seen a 15.6% year-on-year increase and a 2.0% month-on-month rise. The hours worked by teenagers have skyrocketed by 37.9% year-on-year, with the 18–24 age group recording the largest monthly lift at 3.4%.
Casual employment has also experienced a significant boost, with headcount up 9.4% year-on-year and 1.2% month-on-month. Casual hours have jumped by 7.2% month-on-month, lifting average hours to 87 per month. The retail and hospitality sectors have seen employment rise by 7.1% year-on-year and 1.7% month-on-month, with a corresponding increase in hours worked by 3.6% year-on-year and 1.7% month-on-month.
Across the states and cities, Western Australia and Queensland have emerged as the strongest annual performers, with 6.8% and 5.9% year-on-year growth, respectively. New South Wales recorded the most substantial monthly rise at 1.2% as holiday hiring gained momentum. Brisbane leads major cities with a 7.2% year-on-year job growth and a 2.7% month-on-month jump in hours, while the Gold Coast recorded a 5.7% year-on-year increase in hours and a 1.6% month-on-month lift.
In terms of sectors, engineering, administration, and construction are leading the hiring surge. Engineering roles have increased by 21.2% year-on-year, administration and office support by 18%, and construction and trade by 8.3%. The banking, finance, and insurance sectors have also seen a 9.1% year-on-year rise.
Thompson remarked that the November data indicates a meaningful shift in labour-market confidence. “Households are still under pressure, but people are spending where it counts. Businesses are responding with more roles and more hours. If this momentum holds through December, we’ll head into 2026 with a stronger foundation than expected.”
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