Australia's hospitality and construction job ads surge as government prepares migration cuts

In August 2026, job ads in Australia's hospitality, tourism, and construction sectors surged, indicating a tighter labor market. Seek reported a 3.6% monthly increase in hospitality and tourism ads, with demand for wait staff up 11%. This comes as the government prepares to announce further migration cuts, following a July freeze on working-holiday-maker visas. Employers in these sectors are struggling to find staff, with construction facing a shortage of 83,000 skilled workers. The situation is expected to worsen as the summer season approaches.