Job vacancies in Australia fell by 43 per cent over the May 2020 quarter, seasonally adjusted. This marked the largest quarterly decrease in job vacancies on record, based on surveys over the last 40 years. Previously, the largest fall recorded was a decrease in job vacancies by 27 per cent during the 1990s recession.

In the private sector, job vacancies fell by 45 per cent, while in the public sector, they fell by 29 per cent. The decrease in vacancies was seen across all states and territories, however, Victoria saw the largest fall of 52 per cent.

Different industries experienced varying levels of job vacancy decreases. The arts and recreation services industry showed the highest decline with a 95 per cent fall. This was followed by the rental, hiring, and real estate industry at 68 per cent, and the accommodation and food services industry at 66 per cent.