Launceston and northern Tasmania recruitment for employers
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Launceston, the Tamar Valley, George Town, Scottsdale, St Helens and across northern Tasmania hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people.
Launceston and northern Tasmania at a glance
- of recruiting employers in the north and north-west had difficulty hiring
- 42%
- Year to August 2026, against 39% across Tasmania.1
- of workers in the north and north-west are in health care and social assistance
- 16%
- 21,400 of 132,500 employed people, four-quarter average to February 2026.2
- of George Town's employed residents worked in manufacturing
- 18%
- August 2021, by place of residence.3
- unemployment rate, City of Launceston
- 5.0%
- Modelled estimate, June quarter 2026. Meander Valley was 2.8%.4
How do the northern council areas compare?
Launceston is the north's service centre, with 92,993 people in its urban area at 30 June 2025.5 Around it, each council area has its own mix: aluminium and other processing around George Town and Bell Bay, farming in Dorset and the Northern Midlands, and tourism and health care on the east coast at St Helens.
Unemployment differs sharply across short distances, from 2.8% in Meander Valley to 7.7% in George Town, so we look at the towns within driving range of your site, not only Launceston.4
Population at 30 June 20256, unemployment in the June quarter 2026 (modelled)4 and the two largest industries for employed residents in August 2021, by place of residence.3
| Council area | Towns | People | Unemployment | Largest industries for residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Launceston | 71,341 | 5.0% | Health care 19.6%; retail 10.8% |
| West Tamar | Legana, Exeter, Beaconsfield | 26,136 | 2.9% | Health care 17.8%; education 10.3% |
| Meander Valley | Prospect Vale, Westbury, Deloraine | 21,739 | 2.8% | Health care 15.2%; farming, forestry and fishing 10.7% |
| Northern Midlands | Longford, Perth, Campbell Town | 14,544 | 3.2% | Health care 15.1%; farming, forestry and fishing 13.6% |
| George Town | George Town, Bell Bay | 7,420 | 7.7% | Manufacturing 18%; health care 13% |
| Dorset | Scottsdale, Bridport | 7,059 | 4.7% | Farming, forestry and fishing 25.2%; health care 8.8% |
| Break O'Day | St Helens, St Marys | 7,230 | 7.4% | Health care 13.6%; accommodation and food 11.4% |
What are northern Tasmanian employers advertising for?
Sales assistants and salespersons were the most advertised occupation group in Launceston and the North East, with medical practitioners and nurses; general-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists; carers and aides; and legal, social and welfare professionals close behind.7
Online job advertisements by occupation group, Launceston and North East, three-month average to September 2026 (857 a month across all occupations).7
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Sales assistants and salespersons | 75 |
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 66 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 61 |
| Carers and aides | 51 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 50 |
| Health diagnostic and therapy professionals | 48 |
| Drivers and storepersons | 44 |
| Automotive and engineering trades | 36 |
Why is hiring harder in the north?
The national employer survey groups Launceston, the North East, the North West and the West Coast into one region. Of its 279 responding employers in the year to August 2026, 44% were recruiting or had recruited in the past month, and 42% of those had trouble filling a role, the highest share in Tasmania.1
After a lack of suitable applicants, the next most common reason was the working conditions or hours, ahead of experience and technical skills.1 Shift patterns, travel and pay matter to candidates here, so we ask about them early and put them plainly to the people we approach.
Roles we recruit in Launceston and the north
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.
Manufacturing and maintenance trades
Fitters, welders, electricians, mechanics and maintenance staff for processing plants, workshops and manufacturers around Launceston and the Tamar.
- Size
- Manufacturing employs 11,300 people across the north and north-west, one of the region's five largest industries.2
- Demand
- Launceston and the North East averaged 36 online job ads a month for automotive and engineering trades and 15 for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades, three-month average to September 2026.7
- Shortage
- Fitter (General), Welder (First Class), Electrician (General) and Diesel Motor Mechanic are rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.8
- Pay (electricians)
- The award minimum is $1,223.11 a week with the 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; plant and manufacturing roles may sit under a different award.9 Nationally, full-time electricians earned a median of $2,191 a week in May 2025.10
- What to put in your brief
- The trade certificate and tickets you need, the plant or equipment, the shift roster and the pay range.
Construction trades and engineering
Carpenters, plumbers and electricians, and civil, mechanical and electrical engineers and technicians, from graduates to senior staff.
- Demand
- Construction employs 12,100 people in the north and north-west.2 Launceston and the North East averaged 15 job ads a month for construction trades, 12 for engineering, ICT and science technicians and 7 for engineers.7
- Shortage
- Carpenter, Plumber (General), Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer and Mechanical Engineer are rated in shortage nationally on the 2026 list.8
- Pay (engineers)
- A graduate engineer with a four or five-year degree has an award minimum of $34.57 an hour (Professional Employees Award, level 1.1, from 1 July 2026) for professional engineering duties, which that award covers unless an award excluded in its coverage clause applies. The national median for civil engineering professionals was $59 an hour in May 2025.11,12
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline or trade, licences, the projects and sites, and who will mentor a graduate.
- How we help
- We look for people who have done similar work in the north and talk with them about the projects and the travel involved.
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.
- Local hospital
- Launceston General Hospital is in Launceston.13
- Size
- Health care and social assistance was the largest industry for employed Launceston residents in August 2021, at 19.6%.3
- Demand
- Monthly online job ads in Launceston and the North East averaged 66 for medical practitioners and nurses, 51 for carers and aides and 48 for health diagnostic and therapy professionals.7
- Shortage
- On the 2026 list, Enrolled Nurse is rated in shortage in regional areas, and Registered Nurse (Aged Care), Midwife, Occupational Therapist and Aged or Disabled Carer nationally.8
- What to put in your brief
- Registration, the shifts, the setting (hospital, aged care, community or disability) and the supervision on offer.
Office, finance and business roles
Accountants, payroll and finance officers, office managers and administrators for northern businesses and services.
- Demand
- Launceston and the North East averaged 61 online job ads a month for general-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists, 17 for business, finance and HR professionals and 10 for office managers, administrators and secretaries.7
- Shortage
- Accountant (General) is rated not in shortage on the 2026 list.8
- How we help
- We look for people who have used similar systems in a similar business and talk with them about the hours and flexibility before we introduce them.
- What to put in your brief
- The software, the experience level, the hours and whether part-time or hybrid work is possible.
Farming and agriculture
Farm managers, experienced farm staff and the mechanics and technicians who support them in the Northern Midlands, Meander Valley and the north-east.
- Local industry
- Farming, forestry and fishing employed 25.2% of Dorset's working residents and 13.6% in the Northern Midlands in August 2021.3
- Where
- Dorset had 7,059 residents and the Northern Midlands 14,544 at 30 June 2025.6
- What to put in your brief
- The enterprise, the machinery and licences, the season or roster, and whether accommodation comes with the role.
- How we help
- We talk with people who already work on the land in the north about the property, the hours and the location before we introduce them.
Hiring graduates in Launceston
Launceston is one of the University of Tasmania's three main campuses,14 so we can reach graduates who studied in the north and want to stay. Graduates often ask who will supervise them and what training they get in the first year; tell us, and we cover it when we speak with them.
How we help you hire in northern Tasmania
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Distances, travel and relocation
Devonport is about 100 km from Launceston, Burnie 147 km and Hobart 200 km, so roles that cover the north and north-west mean regular driving.15 Tell us the base, how far the person travels and any overnight stays, and we check candidates are comfortable with it.
If your preferred person is moving to Launceston or a nearby town, we raise the move early, including timing, 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 Launceston or northern Tasmania?
Register with Hire Australia if you are a tradesperson, engineer, health or office professional, or a recent graduate interested in work in the north. Tell us the towns you could work from and we'll talk with you about suitable roles.
Talk to us about a role in northern Tasmania
Tell us about the role, the town and your timing.
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.
Which parts of northern Tasmania does Hire Australia recruit for?
Hire Australia recruits for employers in Launceston and across northern Tasmania, including West Tamar, Meander Valley, the Northern Midlands, George Town and Bell Bay, Scottsdale and St Helens. We fill professional, technical and trade roles, from graduates to experienced staff, and search beyond Launceston for people who can reach your site.
Why is it harder to hire in northern Tasmania than in Hobart?
In the year to August 2026, 42% of recruiting employers in the north and north-west had difficulty filling a role, against 34% in Hobart and the south. Working conditions and hours were among the top reasons.1 Hire Australia sets out the hours, travel and pay clearly with candidates from the start.
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. Telling Hire Australia about a role in Launceston or the north costs nothing, and there is no upfront payment for the search.
Does Hire Australia have a Launceston office?
No. Hire Australia is based in Brisbane and recruits for employers across regional Australia, including Launceston and northern Tasmania. We work by phone and video with you and with candidates, and we focus first on people who already live, study or train in the north, along with people planning a move there.
Is Hire Australia a labour hire company in Launceston?
No. Hire Australia doesn’t place labour hire workers, temps or contractors with Launceston employers. We recruit for permanent roles that you employ directly, so the person joins your payroll from their first day. We find and screen candidates, introduce the ones who match your brief, and you choose who to hire.
Can I register with Hire Australia to work in Launceston?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, your availability and the northern Tasmanian towns you could live in or travel from. We'll contact you about roles that match, and we'll talk through the practical side if you are moving to the area.
Sources (15)
- 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25: population estimates by Significant Urban Area, 2001 to 2025. Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- healthdirect (Australian Government), Hospitals in Launceston, TAS 7250. 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 ↑