Moreton Bay recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers across Moreton Bay, from Redcliffe and North Lakes to Caboolture, Morayfield and Bribie Island, hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people, starting with people who already live in one of Queensland's fastest-growing cities.
Moreton Bay at a glance
- population growth in a year
- 2.1%
- 10,951 more residents in the year to June 2025, for 532,445 in all.1
- of working residents are technicians and trades workers
- 14.7%
- 32,335 people, against 9.9% in the City of Brisbane, August 2021.2
- of recruiting employers had difficulty hiring
- 43%
- Employers across Moreton Bay and Brisbane's north, year to August 2026, against 48% across Greater Brisbane.3
- unemployment rate, City of Moreton Bay
- 4.8%
- Modelled estimate for the June quarter 2026.4
What do Moreton Bay's workers do?
Health care is the biggest employer of Moreton Bay residents, and construction, retail, education, public safety and manufacturing each employ more than 13,000 of them.5 Caboolture Hospital is in the middle of a significant expansion and redevelopment.6 Local builders, manufacturers and service businesses compete with Brisbane employers for the same skilled residents.
Employed residents by industry, six largest industries, City of Moreton Bay, August 2021.5
| Industry | Employed residents |
|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 35,215 |
| Construction | 23,477 |
| Retail trade | 22,063 |
| Education and training | 17,800 |
| Public administration and safety | 14,165 |
| Manufacturing | 13,551 |
Where is Moreton Bay growing?
Morayfield grew 14.9% in the year to June 2025, the second-fastest rate of any area in Queensland, and Deception Bay added 1,131 people.7 West of Caboolture, the new city of Waraba is planned for about 25,000 homes, 65,000 people and 17,000 jobs, and its development scheme took effect on 29 October 2026.8,9
The council's economic development strategy targets 100,000 new jobs in the city by 2041.10 For employers, that means years of steady demand for builders and civil trades, and for the nurses, teachers and support workers new suburbs need.
Population at 30 June 2025 and growth over the year, fastest-growing Moreton Bay areas (SA2) by people added.7
| Area | People, June 2025 | Added in the year |
|---|---|---|
| Deception Bay | 25,304 | 1,131 (4.7%) |
| Morayfield | 7,826 | 1,014 (14.9%) |
| Caboolture (south) | 27,798 | 812 (3.0%) |
| Burpengary | 19,133 | 665 (3.6%) |
| Caboolture (west) | 14,884 | 602 (4.2%) |
How hard is it to hire in Moreton Bay?
In the employment region that takes in Moreton Bay and Brisbane's northern suburbs, 51% of employers surveyed in the year to August 2026 were recruiting or had recruited in the previous month. 43% of those had difficulty filling a role, a little below the Greater Brisbane figure of 48%.3
The problem was rarely a shortage of applications. Employers most often said applicants weren't suitable, lacked the technical skills or lacked experience, and some pointed to the hours or conditions on offer.3 That's why we screen for the skills and experience you name in the brief, rather than sending you everyone who applied.
Which roles do we recruit in Moreton Bay?
Choose a role type to see the size of the local workforce, the 2026 shortage rating, a pay benchmark where one is clear, local training and the details that sharpen a brief. An occupation counts as in shortage here when the 2026 national list rates it short nationally or in regional areas.
Trades and construction
Licensed plumbers and electricians, carpenters, mechanics and other qualified tradespeople for builders, civil contractors and service businesses.
- Local workforce
- 23,477 Moreton Bay residents worked in construction in August 2021, 10.7% of employed residents.5
- Shortage
- Plumbers, electricians, carpenters and diesel motor mechanics all appear on the 2026 national shortage list.11
- Pay (plumbers)
- Award minimum: $1,246.54 a week for a registered plumber (plumbing and mechanical services tradesperson level 1, including the industry, trade and registration allowances) under the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award, where it covers the work, from 1 July 2026.12 Market median: $1,990 a week for full-time plumbers nationally, May 2025.13
- Growth work
- New suburbs at Waraba, Morayfield and Caboolture need houses, roads, drainage and services built over many years.8
- What to put in your brief
- The trade and licence, new homes or commercial work, the suburbs your crews cover, the pay range and the experience you expect.
Health, aged care and disability support
Registered nurses, allied health professionals, health managers and administrators, and support workers including assistants in nursing and aged-care and disability support workers.
- Local workforce
- 35,215 residents worked in health care and social assistance in August 2021, 16.1% of employed residents.5
- Shortage
- Aged-care registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and aged or disabled carers are rated in shortage on the 2026 national list.11
- Local services
- Caboolture Hospital is being expanded and redeveloped.6
- Local training
- UniSC's Moreton Bay campus at Petrie has nursing simulation spaces, and its Caboolture campus has a health learning and simulation centre.14
- What to put in your brief
- The registration and qualification the role needs, the setting, the shift pattern and who will supervise.
Manufacturing, engineering and maintenance
Fitters, machinists, maintenance technicians, engineers and drafters for manufacturers, workshops and industrial businesses.
- Local workforce
- 13,551 residents worked in manufacturing in August 2021.5
- Shortage
- General fitters, civil engineers and mechanical engineers are rated in shortage on the 2026 national list.11
- Pay (fitters)
- Award minimum: $1,119.1 a week for an engineering or manufacturing tradesperson (C10) under the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award, where it covers the work, from 1 July 2026.15 Market median: $2,606 a week for full-time metal fitters and machinists nationally, May 2025.13
- What to put in your brief
- The machines and systems, the trade qualification, day work or shifts, and the experience you need.
Business, administration and public services
Accountants, office managers, administrators, payroll and HR staff, from graduates to experienced people, for local businesses, councils and service providers.
- Local workforce
- 30,987 Moreton Bay residents worked as clerical and administrative workers in August 2021, 14.1% of employed residents.2
- Public sector
- Public administration and safety employed 14,165 residents in August 2021.5
- Pay (accountants)
- Award coverage depends on the duties and the employer, and some accounting roles are award free, so we agree the pay range with you before the search.
- What to put in your brief
- The software and systems, the level of responsibility, who the person reports to and the work arrangements.
Graduates in Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay has its own university campuses, so graduates don't need to leave the city to study. UniSC teaches at Petrie, a short walk from the train station, and at Caboolture,14 where TAFE Queensland shares the campus.16 Tell us how you'll support a graduate in the first year and we talk with candidates about that support and the work.
How we help you hire in Moreton Bay
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Commuting, travel and relocation
Moreton Bay employers compete with Brisbane for staff who live locally, so where the job is based matters. Tell us the start location, whether the role moves between sites and any flexibility on hours, and we ask each candidate about their current travel and what would make a local role worthwhile.
For roles at the edges of the city, such as Bribie Island, Woodford or Dayboro, we check early that the daily trip works. If your preferred candidate is moving to the area, we raise the practical side of the move, including where they plan to live and any relocation support you offer.
If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in Moreton Bay?
Experienced professionals and tradespeople, UniSC and TAFE graduates, and anyone who wants to work closer to home in Moreton Bay can register with Hire Australia. Let us know your skills, the suburbs that suit you and when you could start.
Talk to us about your next Moreton Bay hire
Share the role, the suburb and the timing, and we'll set out how the search would run.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Does Hire Australia recruit in Moreton Bay even though it is part of Greater Brisbane?
Yes. Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist, and we also recruit for employers in the fast-growing cities around Brisbane, including Moreton Bay. Our focus is the same: professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people, and our search starts with people who live in the area or want to move there.
Is it hard to recruit staff in Moreton Bay?
It can be. In the year to August 2026, 43% of recruiting employers across Moreton Bay and Brisbane's north had difficulty filling a role. The main reasons were unsuitable applicants and a lack of technical skills or experience, more than a lack of applicants.3 Hire Australia screens for the skills and experience you set out in your brief.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia?
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. Talking to Hire Australia about a Moreton Bay role costs nothing, and there is no upfront payment for the search.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Moreton Bay?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane, next door to Moreton Bay, and works with employers by phone and video. We recruit across the whole city, from Redcliffe and North Lakes to Caboolture, Morayfield and Bribie Island, starting with people who live nearby.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them. That keeps the working relationship between you and your new employee from day one.
Can Hire Australia help me find work closer to home in Moreton Bay?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your trade or profession, the suburbs you can reach easily and when you could start. We'll talk with you about suitable Moreton Bay roles as they come up, and about what matters to you in the move, such as hours and travel time.
Sources (16)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates and components by LGA, 2024 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2021, G60 Occupation by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: Regional Snapshot update, Queensland combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026, 459 responding employers, unweighted; small regional sample, interpret with caution. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, SALM Smoothed LGA Datafiles (ASGS 2025) - June quarter 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2021, G54 Industry of employment by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Metro North Health, Caboolture Hospital. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: Year to 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Economic Development Queensland, Waraba Priority Development Area. Data: Planned. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Economic Development Queensland, Waraba Priority Development Area (consultation page). Development scheme in effect from 29 October 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- City of Moreton Bay, Regional Economic Development Strategy 2020-2041, 2023 Action Plan report card. Data: Target to 2041. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, ANZSCO 2022 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay Guide - Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award [MA000036]. Published 11 August 2026. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO Occupation data - February 2026. Data: May 2025, ABS Employee Earnings and Hours. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- University of the Sunshine Coast, UniSC locations (Moreton Bay and Caboolture campuses). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay Guide - Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award [MA000010]. Published 29 July 2026. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- TAFE Queensland, Caboolture campus. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑