Figures released by the Australian Department of Jobs and Small Business confirm Launceston and the North-East tops the country when it comes to online advertisements for job vacancies.

November 2018’s Internet Vacancy Index points to a 25.6 per cent growth annually in the state’s Northern region.

North-West Tasmania grew by 18.7 per cent and Hobart and the South-East by 16 per cent over the same period.

Launceston Chamber of Commerce executive officer Neil Grose said these figures confirmed the challenge business owners had been experiencing with difficulty filling vacancies.

“This is yet another indicator of a local economy moving strongly forward and, while not all sectors of the economy are sharing this growth evenly, overall the North is in a very good place,” Mr Grose said.

“The positive growth in employment opportunities shows that Launceston is increasingly a better option for future employment than moving interstate – and makes a very strong case for people to relocate here,” he said.

Acting Treasurer Jeremy Rockliff said these results showed there were plenty of jobs on offer for Tasmanians, with an increase in all state regions from November 2017.

“Most pleasingly, the index reported that all three regions of Tasmania saw strong growth in job ads,” Mr Rockliff said.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry released its Q4 Survey results at the same time, showing Northern Tasmanian businesses surveyed are the most positive about the state’s economy, chief executive Michael Bailey said.

“In general terms, the view of the Tasmanian economy is strongly positive, with some negativity about the overall Australian economy,” Mr Bailey said.

“Region by region, the North is most positive (61 per cent), followed by the South (55 per cent) and North-West (30 per cent).

The state government would continue to drive economic growth and job creation in 2019, Mr Rockliff said.

“The … government’s strong economic management has seen Tasmanian business confidence grow to the highest levels in the country, with around 15,100 jobs created since March 2014.”