Jobs & Employment in Queensland

With such a large state and diverse range of employment sector, Queensland has something for all skills & specialties.

From the mining sector in regional areas to agriculture, tourism & hospitality in our tourist hot spots, and of course big business & research in the major cities, you could potentially target the areas where you will be a valuable commodity for the local employment markets.

Throughout the entire state, 60% of Queenslanders are employed full time while 28% are part time. There’s a median individual income of $587 per week and a median household income of $1,235.

We’ve taken a look at the major employers in the major regions of Queensland to provide you with a rundown of where and what the best job markets are, helping you to get settled in your ideal location.

Employment Information by Region

Working in Airlie Beach

Primarily a tourism centre, you’ll find much of the work in Airlie Beach is centred on tourist activities, hospitality services, hotels and maintenance of said industries. Approximately 40% of the town’s population is employed in the direct service of tourists, with another 20% in community & personal services dealing with hotel & public amenities.

There are also a growing number of fly-in fly-out miners choosing to live in the beachside town, which is reasonably close to a number of Queensland’s main mining regions.

The median individual income is $700 per week with the median household income sitting around $1,120 a week. Approximately 65% of Airlie Beach people are employed on a full time bases and 20% part time with only 5% unemployment.

Working in Brisbane

Brisbane’s bustling CBD full of business offices, company head offices, not to mention an expanding population in growing need of products and services helps to create a rather employment sector. Though the job market is rather competitive 66% of Brisbaners work full time and another 32% employed on a part time basis.

There are a number of industries that are in particular demand in Brisbane, ensuring a good chance of employment if you specialise in these fields.

These are finance & accounting, architecture, banking, construction, contact centres (customer service), education, energy, engineering, facilities management (drafters & engineers), human resources and IT.

The median income is $633 a week, with households bringing in a median of $1,388.

Working in Cairns

Situated in a prominent tourist destination as well as a major sugar cane region of north Queensland, Cairns has a diverse range of employment opportunities on offer. The city does have a rather high unemployment rate of around 9%, though 62% of the population are employed on a fulltime basis while another 21% are working part time.

The median individual income is $718 per week while the median household income is $1,276 a week.

The main employment sectors of the city are professional appointments, management, sales, community services, clerical, labour, technicians, machinery operators and drivers.

Working on the Gold Coast

A popular tourism hot spot and one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, the Gold Coast has plenty of employment opportunities for a wide range of skillsets. From over 450 marine companies providing products and services to the world, over 9 million tourism visitors per year, a thriving food & wine region, medical, environment and major companies like IBM and Eracom, there’s almost no end to the work possibilities.

Fulltime workers only make up 56% of the work force on the Gold Coast, with 31% working on a part time basis. The median individual income is $570 per week and $1,170 for households.

While the main job types include professionals, technicians and trade workers, clerical, sales and management, the tourism sector will always have something in the lines of customer service, hospitality and a range of support services.

Working in Mackay

The main occupations in Mackay are technicians and trades firstly, followed by professionals, labourers, machinery operators and administrative workers. Of the local population 70% are employed fulltime, with almost 20% working on a part time basis.

The median individual income is $727 a week with households making a median $1,172.

Working in Mount Isa

Primarily a mining town, Mackay enjoys a much higher than average employment rate and income than most major centres of Queensland. Most people are employed as Technicians, machinery operators, professionals and clericals, usually in the mining industry.

A high 73% of the population is employed on a fulltime basis and only 15% part time. The median income for an individual is $1,250 and $2,064 for households.

Working in Port Douglas

Located about an hour north of Cairns, Port Douglas is a small town that sees a great deal of tourism come through. Most of the local workforce is employed in tourism related community/personal services.

About 62% of the locals are employed fulltime, another 28% part time and a reasonable small 4% unemployment rate.

The median household income is around $1,070 while the individual median income is currently at $663 per week.

Working in Rockhampton

Rockhampton is the source of a great deal of services for the agricultural sector of central Queensland, particularly abattoirs as the city is known as the beef capital of Australia. Queensland Rail is another major employer as there are a number of main lines passing through the city. The area also sees a fair bit of tourism for its outdoor activities and more than 300 days of sunshine per year.

There is a rather high unemployment rate of 10%, but 61% of the population are employed fulltime and another 23% part time. The median individual income is $474 per week and household is $779.

Working on the Sunshine Coast

Competition is rather high for work on the Sunshine Coast with clerical and community services at the tightest. The majority of the population work in professional positions, technical or trade work, clerical and management roles.

The median individual income is sitting at $830 while the household median is $1,010. 56% of the local population is employed on a fulltime basis and 38% are part time.

Working in Toowoomba

The working sector of Toowoomba is largely made up of professionals, technicians & trade workers, labourers, clerical staff and community services.

While the unemployment rate in Toowoomba is 7%, 59% of the workforce is fulltime and another 28% are employed on a part time basis.

The median individual income is $498.00 and median household income is $761.00 per week.

Working in Townsville

Townsville is a growing regional economy worth $12 billion, a major mining centre and home to a number of major military bases. Unemployment rests lower than the national average at 4% and locals enjoy a higher average income too.

Fulltime employees make up 71% of the population with another 18% employed part time. The median individual income is a high $982 per week and a median household income of $1,785 a week.

Townsville is one of the strongest regional economies within Australia and has fared well through most of the country’s economic downturns.

Endless Opportunities in Queensland

Find out more about why you should invest in Queensland.

Where to find work in Queensland

There are plenty of job search sites online that can help you find work by town, region, price range or industry. Check out the major job search sites for some idea as to what’s available where you live or where you’re planning a move to.

If you’re looking for government work, Smart Jobs is the Queensland Government careers & job postings where you’ll find everything from positions on the Police Force, local government positions, teaching and contract positions.

SEEK is one of Australia’s main job search sites, where you can search for positions all over the country by regional centres or major cities.

Australian based Jobseeker.com.au allows you to search thousands of career opportunities throughout the country.

There are thousands of jobs in Queensland posted on My Career, as well as Jobs.com.au and CareerOne.