Job vacancies in Australia fell by 18,000 in August compared to May, according to data released 26 September by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is the ninth consecutive decrease, though vacancies still remain higher than their prepandemic levels.

August’s 5.2% decrease left Australia with approximately 330,000 vacancies that month — well below the peak of 473,000 in May 2022.

“However, while the number of job vacancies has fallen over the past two years, they remain 45.1% higher, or 102,000 more, than before the Covid-19 pandemic,” David Taylor, ABS head of labour statistics, said in a press release.

Industries with the largest quarterly percentage decreases in vacancies were accommodation and food services, down 17.2%, and manufacturing, down 9.9%.

“Job vacancies were still higher than their pre-pandemic levels in all but four of the 18 industries — administrative and support services, financial and insurance services, wholesale trade, and information media and telecommunications,” Taylor said. “Vacancies were still more than double pre-pandemic levels in some industries, most notably in arts and recreation services and accommodation and food services.”

In terms of geography, South Australia saw the largest percentage decline in vacancies, which were down 9.0%. It was followed by the Northern Territory, down 6.4%.