Tasmanian demand for sales workers, labourers and managers plummeted in the past year.
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Overall job vacancies dropped by 6.9 per cent in the year to October, according to federal departmental figures, but the decline was much steeper for those three categories of workers.
The internet vacancy index covering positions newly lodged on online recruitment sites SEEK, CareerOne and Australian JobSearch showed:
- Vacancies for sales workers fell by 21 per cent;
- vacancies for labourers fell by 18.6 per cent; and
- vacancies for managers dropped by 17.4 per cent.
State Treasury analysis showed the only category of jobs where vacancies increased was machinery operators and drivers.
Vacancies for those workers increased by 3.3 per cent.
Statewide vacancies decreased by 1 per cent in the month of October in trend terms, while national vacancies fell by 0.9 per cent and only the ACT had growth.
Tasmanian Shadow Treasurer David O'Byrne said the figures were bad news for Tasmanian jobseekers.
He said they showed a "significant and concerning" decline in the number of vacancies.
"Just last month, the Treasurer (Peter Gutwein) said 'job vacancies are an indication that businesses are confident and looking to hire more people', so it's up to him to explain these latest figures to the 16,600 Tasmanians who are looking for work," Mr O'Byrne said.
"Tasmania's unemployment rate is already among the highest in the nation, and this report confirms it's only getting harder and harder to get a job under (Premier) Will Hodgman's leadership."
Separate figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics last week showed Tasmania had returned to strong jobs growth in recent months and statewide employment was at an all-time high.
Mr Gutwein said: "Recent economic reports and indicators reveal Tasmania is a prouder, more confident place to be than ever before, with our economy the fastest growing and strongest performing in the nation."
"With nation-leading business confidence, booming exports and strong tourism growth. along with the construction and housing sector generating record investment and jobs right across the state, these results speak for themselves.
"In October alone 800 jobs were created, representing the fastest growth rate in the country, and our unemployment rate continued to fall to 6.1 per cent with 15,800 jobs created since we came to government (in 2014)."
Mr Gutwein said Mr O'Byrne "continues to demonstrate why he was the failed economic development minister with a consistent inability to get the figures right".
"Deliberately cherry picking one component of jobs data which only looks at online adverts to paint a gloomy and inaccurate picture is what the public expects from the Labor-Green rabble.
"However the facts are in stark contrast.
"The Hodgman majority Liberal government's number one priority is creating jobs.
"As confirmed by the Australian Bureau of Statistic figures released last week, since coming to government, 15,800 jobs have now been created and a record 250,900 Tasmanians are now employed."
