Skilled vacancies on the rise in Australia

Skilled job vacancies in Australia have risen 5.2% to 44.4 between the months of January and February. 

Despite the 1.6% rise in trend terms, the index is still 2.6% lower than in February 2009. 

In terms of occupational groups, associate professionals are up by 1.3%, while the trades group is up by 4%, and the ICT index increased 2%. The professionals group, however, saw a 4% decrease. 

The index is based on job advertisements in major newspapers and is released by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.