Biggest Industries by Employment in Australia in 2026

• 1. State Government Administration in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 1,939,100

  The State Government Administration industry comprises the eight state and territory governments across Australia. Under the Australian Constitution, these governments are responsible for all functions not expressly assigned to the Commonwealth, including public education, hospitals, transport infrastructure, law enforcement and local planning. This industry captures the central administrative and service delivery roles of each jurisdiction and overlaps with other industry classifications lik...

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• 2. Charities and Not-for-Profit Organisations in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 1,434,417

  Amid a shifting economic landscape, Australian charities and NFPs have experienced a drop in individual donor contributions, largely due to inflationary and housing cost pressures. Yet the sector demonstrates resilience through larger individual contributors, corporate sponsorships and government support, enabling many organisations to sustain their primary services despite constrained household budgets. Growing wealth inequality has spurred this dynamic as wealth is concentrated in instituti...

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• 3. Health Services in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 1,127,505

  The Health Services subdivision encompasses various health facilities and services. General hospitals generate more than half Australia's health services revenue. Other key revenue sources include general practitioners (GPs), clinical specialists and dentists. While demand for health services has surged in response to Australia’s ageing population, the pandemic created mixed demand within healthcare industries. Pathology services experienced strong revenue growth during 2020-21, whereas psych...

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• 4. Professional Services in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 1,077,725

  The Professional Services subdivision's performance is largely linked to overall economic conditions, often determining business confidence and capital expenditure. Over the past few years, greater business profit and rising capital expenditure by the public sector have supported subdivision demand. However, construction projects that were delayed or cancelled because of surging construction expenses and labour scarcity adversely impacted several industries, including architectural services a...

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• 5. Community Services in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 1,013,586

  Organisations in the Community Services subdivision play an integral role in Australia's wider care and support economy. Subdivision operators help to arrange paid and unpaid care and counsel for individuals in need, including the economically disadvantaged and other vulnerable members of society like children and the elderly. Favourable demographic trends and ongoing government funding - especially funding associated with the staged aged care reforms, the 2023 Cheaper Child Care policy and t...

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• 6. Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 715,566

  Consumer goods retailing has experienced significant shifts in recent years, largely fuelled by the rapid rise of online shopping. As consumers have increasingly embraced online platforms’ convenience and price competitiveness, traditional retailers have felt the pressure to adapt. Ecommerce sales have climbed steadily, rising from a 9.1% share of total retail trade in 2019 to 13.7% by October 2024. This transformation has created both opportunities and challenges, with retailers striving to ...

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• 7. Tourism in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 710,806

  The Tourism industry in Australia is well-developed and a critical contributor to national employment and GDP. Industry revenue consists of international and domestic expenditure on an array of tourism-related products and services. The industry faced an extreme downturn in 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to the pandemic, severely impacting both international and domestic tourism. Government restrictions led to a drop in revenue and employment. However, government assistance, such as wage subsidies, ...

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• 8. Agribusiness in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 683,133

  The Agribusiness sector continues to expand, driven by strong export markets, rising domestic meat prices and technological advancements. Key commodities, including beef, wheat, barley, dairy and wine, remain integral to global supply chains, with China, Japan and the United States among major buyers. While geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties pose risks, diversification into ASEAN and Indian markets is helping mitigate these challenges. The Agribusiness sector is also shifting to...

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• 9. Franchising in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 548,784

  The Franchising industry has weathered a turbulent period. Pandemic restrictions led to significant disruptions for franchised businesses. Sectors like hospitality, travel and food services bore the brunt of these changes, grappling with density quotas and border restrictions. In the aftermath, franchised companies have struggled to regain footing, especially against consecutive interest rate hikes, which have stymied consumer spending and left businesses battling elevated cost pressures. Rev...

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• 10. Temporary Staff Services in Australia

  Employment number for 2026: 528,024

  Temporary staff service firms are susceptible to changes in the national unemployment rate, with lower unemployment contributing to greater demand for temporary staff in recent years. Performance trends in client markets also affect temporary staffing firms, including a recent expansion in business outsourcing that’s lifted demand. Climbing demand from several downstream markets, including the professional services and healthcare sectors, has benefited temporary staffing firms.

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