Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, March 2025 – Job applications in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have surged by 42% in the past year, reaching all-time highs, while job creation continues to decline, creating one of the most competitive job markets in recent memory. This is according to JobAdder’s 2025 State of the Market Report, which paints a clear picture of rising applicant volume, declining job openings, and a rapidly shifting hiring landscape.
In 2024, Australia experienced a 5.4% decline in job creation, New Zealand saw a 17% drop, and the UK recorded a 3.4% dip. At the same time, the average number of applications per job soared — 41 per job in Australia, 43 in New Zealand, and 17 in the UK — placing unprecedented pressure on recruiters and agencies.
Despite a seasonal plateau in application growth, Australia’s job applications per role rose 44% year-on-year, while New Zealand jumped 49%, and the UK climbed 35%. These figures represent triple-digit growth when compared to 2022, pointing to a structural shift in labour market dynamics.
Martin Herbst, CEO, JobAdder, explained, “This surge in job applications highlights a fundamental shift; recruitment is no longer about attracting candidates, but managing high volumes and identifying quality talent. Agencies must rethink their hiring strategies to handle this evolving landscape efficiently.”
Temporary Jobs Dominate Amid Employer Uncertainty
The report also highlights a dramatic shift toward temporary and contract hiring across all three countries:
- Australia: Temporary roles now make up 80% of placements in 2024, up from 78% in 2023.
- New Zealand: The trend is even steeper with 88% of placements now temporary, up from 86%.
- UK: Temporary jobs accounted for 60% of all placements, up from 57% last year.
Herbst added, “The job markets reflect broader economic conditions, and 2024 has been a challenging year. Employers are hesitant to overcommit to new hires while relying on temporary staff to manage fluctuating workloads.”
Recruitment agencies heavily invested in permanent placements may now find strategic advantage in pivoting toward temporary roles to align with market demands and unlock new revenue streams.
Job Boards Still Dominate, But Proactive Sourcing Is Faster
Despite the rising inefficiency, job boards continue to dominate hiring, accounting for 79% of recruitment agency hires in Australia and New Zealand in Q4 2024, and 57% in the UK.
However, jobs filled through job boards consistently took longer:
- Australia: 42.7 days to fill permanent roles via job boards – 15.9 days longer than proactive sourcing.
- New Zealand: 48 days via job boards vs. just 3 days through proactive sourcing.
- UK: 41.7 days via job boards – 11 days longer than proactively sourced candidates.
Herbst urged recruiters to embrace sourcing alternatives:
“With AI-assisted applications, agencies are being inundated with applications. Sifting through job applications from underqualified candidates wastes valuable time and resources. Proactive strategies leveraging internal databases offer a clear competitive edge in today’s fast-moving job market.”
Stabilisation Signs Emerge Amid Volatility
There are early signs that application growth is slowing:
- Australia and the UK show signs of plateauing application volumes.
- In New Zealand, application numbers declined in Q4 2024, potentially indicating changing candidate behaviour or broader economic shifts.
Herbst concluded, “We’re seeing application numbers starting to plateau across Australia and the United Kingdom. If this trend holds, application volumes could stabilise in 2025, easing pressure on recruiters.”
About JobAdder
JobAdder is a global recruitment platform simplifying the hiring process for recruitment agencies, staffing firms, and HR teams. With integrations across 200+ job boards and over 100 technology partners, it offers a seamless, all-in-one recruitment management system that can be customised for any hiring need. Recognised for a 99% CSAT score from 26,000+ users worldwide, JobAdder is trusted by professionals seeking smarter, faster hiring solutions. Learn more at www.jobadder.com.
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