Demand for skilled workers continues to weaken in a further sign that unemployment will rise in coming months.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) skilled vacancies index in November dropped 4.8 per cent, to be 29.1 per cent lower than a year earlier.
Vacancies fell in all three occupational groups monitored by the department.
Trade vacancies declined 5.3 per cent, associate professionals fell 5.7 per cent and professionals dropped 3.4 per cent.
The fall in skilled vacancies was widespread with decreases also evident in 17 of the 18 professions monitored by DEEWR.
The largest fall was in printing trades, down 16.6 per cent. The only occupation to rise was in marketing and advertising professionals, up by a slim 0.1 per cent.
All states and territories experienced decreases in skilled vacancies in November, the largest drop being recorded in NSW at 7.2 per cent.
Similarly, all states and territories suffered declines in the year to November, again led by NSW at a fall of 45.9 per cent.
