Hobart and southern Tasmania recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Hobart, Kingston, the Huon Valley, Sorell and across southern Tasmania hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. Hobart is the state capital; for us it is part of the regional work we do across Tasmania.
Hobart and southern Tasmania at a glance
- of the region's workers are in health care and social assistance
- 18%
- 26,400 of 150,300 employed people, four-quarter average to February 2026.1
- of recruiting employers had difficulty hiring
- 34%
- Year to August 2026, against 39% across Tasmania.2
- of Tasmania's health care workforce is in Greater Hobart
- 51%
- Four-quarter average to February 2026.1
- unemployment rate, City of Hobart
- 3.1%
- Modelled estimate, June quarter 2026. Brighton was 9.4%.3
Who are the biggest employers in Hobart and the south?
Health care, government, retail and education employ more than 70,000 people in the region.1 Royal Hobart Hospital is in Hobart,4 and 4,060 Australian Public Service staff worked in the Hobart area at 30 June 2026, on top of the state government's own workforce.5 A private business hiring an accountant, an administrator or an engineer is often competing with these employers for the same people.
Employed people in the five largest industries, Hobart and Southern Tasmania employment region, four-quarter average to February 2026.1
| Industry | Employed people |
|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 26,400 |
| Public administration and safety | 15,800 |
| Retail trade | 15,000 |
| Education and training | 14,600 |
| Construction | 12,500 |
Which jobs are most advertised in Hobart?
Medical practitioners and nurses were the most advertised occupation group in Greater Hobart, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists; sales assistants and salespersons; and legal, social and welfare professionals.6
Online job advertisements by occupation group, Greater Hobart, three-month average to September 2026. The South East (Huon Valley, Sorell and the Tasman) added 92 a month.6
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 147 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 110 |
| Sales assistants and salespersons | 94 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 89 |
| Health diagnostic and therapy professionals | 84 |
| Carers and aides | 76 |
How hard is it to hire in Hobart and southern Tasmania?
Of the 318 employers in the region who answered a national employer survey in the year to August 2026, 47% were recruiting or had recruited in the past month. Of those, 34% had difficulty filling a role, a lower share than the 42% in the north and north-west.2
The reasons employers gave most often were a lack of suitable applicants, applicants without the technical skills, too few applicants and applicants without enough experience.2 We focus the search on the skills and experience the role really needs, and we look across southern Tasmania rather than only in the city.
Which roles do we recruit in Hobart and the south?
Open a role type for demand, shortage, pay and what to put in your brief. Shortage ratings are from the 2026 list (ANZSCO 2022 coding, to match the job-ad and earnings groups); we count an occupation as in shortage when it is rated short nationally or in regional areas.
Trades and construction
Qualified electricians, mechanics, fitters, carpenters and plumbers for construction, maintenance and service businesses.
- Demand
- Greater Hobart averaged 51 online job ads a month for automotive and engineering trades, 22 for construction trades and 18 for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades, three-month average to September 2026.6
- Shortage
- Electrician (General), Carpenter, Plumber (General) and Diesel Motor Mechanic are all rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.7
- Pay (electricians)
- Award minimum: $1,223.11 a week, including industry, tool and licence allowances, from 1 July 2026, for a licensed electrician (Electrical worker grade 5) employed by an electrical contracting business, which is what the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award covers.8 Market median: $2,191 a week for full-time electricians nationally (May 2025).9
- What to put in your brief
- The trade, the licence and tickets the work needs, the sites, the hours, the pay range and the experience you expect.
- How we help
- We talk with candidates about their licences, tickets and the work they have done, then introduce the people who best match your brief.
Engineers and technical staff
Graduate and experienced civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, drafters and technicians for infrastructure, consulting and manufacturing teams.
- Demand
- Greater Hobart averaged 24 online job ads a month for engineers and 45 for engineering, ICT and science technicians, three-month average to September 2026.6
- Shortage
- Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer and Civil Engineering Draftsperson are rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.7
- Pay
- Award minimum: $34.57 an hour for a graduate engineer with a four or five-year degree (Professional Employees Award, level 1.1, from 1 July 2026), for professional engineering duties, which that award covers; it doesn't cover council employees who are covered by another award.10 Market median: $59 an hour for civil engineering professionals nationally (May 2025).11
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline, the experience level, the software you use and, for a graduate, who will review their work.
Business, finance and administration
Accountants, office managers, administrators and business professionals, from graduates to experienced staff.
- Demand
- Greater Hobart averaged 48 online job ads a month for business, finance and HR professionals, 31 for numerical clerks and 28 for office managers, administrators and secretaries, three-month average to September 2026.6
- Competition
- Public administration and safety employs 15,800 people in the region, the second-largest industry.1
- What to put in your brief
- The systems you use, the experience level, who the person reports to and the flexibility you can offer.
- How we help
- We find people with relevant study or experience and talk with them about the work, the hours and their plans in Hobart.
Health, aged care and disability support
Registered and enrolled nurses, allied health professionals, health administration and management staff, and support workers such as assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers.
- Size of the sector
- Health care and social assistance employs 26,400 people in the region, more than any other industry.1
- Demand
- Each month Greater Hobart averaged 147 online job ads for medical practitioners and nurses, 84 for health diagnostic and therapy professionals and 76 for carers and aides, three-month average to September 2026.6
- Shortage
- Registered Nurse (Aged Care), Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Aged or Disabled Carer are rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.7
- What to put in your brief
- The qualification and registration the role needs, the shifts and who will supervise.
Farming, forestry and aquaculture
Experienced farm, orchard, aquaculture and forestry staff, plus the technical and trade people who support them, around the Huon Valley and the south.
- Local industry
- Farming, forestry and fishing was the largest industry for employed Huon Valley residents in August 2021, at 13.7%.12
- Where
- Unemployment in the Huon Valley was 4.0% in the June quarter 2026,3 and the valley had 19,893 residents at 30 June 2025.13
- What to put in your brief
- The site, the season or roster, any boat, machinery or chemical tickets, and the experience you expect.
- How we help
- We look for people who already know primary industry work in the south and talk through the location and hours with them before we introduce them.
Graduates in Hobart and the south
Hobart is one of the University of Tasmania's three main campuses,14 so many of its graduates finish their study in the city. Tell us who will guide a graduate through the first year, and we talk with them about that support and their plans in southern Tasmania.
How we help you hire in Hobart and southern Tasmania
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Travel, rosters and relocation
Many southern employers draw on towns around Hobart: Kingborough (Kingston, 41,628 people), Clarence (64,119), Glenorchy (50,450), Brighton (20,527), Sorell (18,108) and the Huon Valley.13 Launceston is about 200 km north and Queenstown 255 km west, so statewide roles often mean regular travel.15
Tell us where the working day starts, how often the person travels and any overnight stays, and we discuss them with candidates during screening. If your preferred candidate is moving to Hobart, we raise the practical side of the move early, 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 Hobart or southern Tasmania?
Experienced professionals and tradespeople, recent graduates and people moving to Tasmania can all register with Hire Australia. Tell us the work you want and the towns you can reach, and we'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next Hobart hire
Tell us about the role, where it's based and when you need someone to start.
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.
What experience levels does Hire Australia recruit for in Hobart?
Hire Australia recruits professional, technical and trade staff for Hobart and southern Tasmanian employers at every level, from graduates to experienced people. That covers qualified tradespeople, engineers and technicians, accountants and office staff, health professionals and support workers, and farm and aquaculture staff. Tell us the experience the role needs and we search for people who have it.
Is it hard to recruit staff in Hobart?
Less than in the north of the state, but still often. In the year to August 2026, 34% of recruiting employers in Hobart and southern Tasmania had difficulty filling a role, against 39% across Tasmania. The main reasons were a lack of suitable applicants and applicants without the technical skills.2 Hire Australia targets the skills the role needs and searches across the south.
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. Briefing Hire Australia on a role in Hobart or the Huon Valley costs nothing, and there is no upfront payment for the search.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Hobart?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers across regional Australia, including Hobart, Kingston, the Huon Valley, Sorell, Brighton and New Norfolk. We work by phone and video, and our search starts with people who live, study or train in southern Tasmania, along with candidates planning a move there.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff in Hobart?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire, temps or contractors to Hobart employers, 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 from day one.
Can I register with Hire Australia if I'm moving to Hobart?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, when you could start and which parts of southern Tasmania you could commute from. We'll talk with you about suitable Hobart roles and about the practical side of the move, such as where you plan to live.
Sources (15)
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Industry profiles, Tasmania and its employment regions. Published 15 April 2026. Data: Four-quarter average to February 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: snapshot update, Tasmania combined. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Year to August 2026; Tasmania 597 employers, weighted; Hobart and south 318, north and north-west 279, unweighted; small samples. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed LGA data files (ASGS 2025), June quarter 2026. Released 9 October 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- healthdirect (Australian Government), Hospitals in Hobart, TAS 7000. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Public Service Commission, APS Employment Data 30 June 2026, release tables. Released 30 September 2026. Data: 30 June 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 2-digit occupations by GCCSA and SA4 regions, September 2026. Released October 2026. Data: September 2026. 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 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 [MA000025]. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: Electricians. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Professional Employees Award 2020 [MA000065]. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: Civil Engineering Professionals. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 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 ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates and components by LGA. Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- National Redress Scheme (Australian Government), Institution page: University of Tasmania (three main campuses in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Tourism Tasmania (Discover Tasmania), Drive times and distance. Data: Page last updated 12 December 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑