Between 28 January and 16 February 2026, CA ANZ conducted an online survey of 159 members who advertised vacancies in Australia between January and December 2025 to inform our response to Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2026 Occupation Shortage List Stakeholder Survey consultation.

The Occupation Shortage List provides a ‘point-in-time’ assessment of occupations shortages in the Australian labour market which can prompt governments, industry, and organisations to shape policy to address the shortages.

We surveyed our members on eight accounting, audit and finance-related occupations:

• Finance Manager
• Accountant (General)
• Management Accountant
• Taxation Accountant
• External Auditor
• Internal Auditor
• Financial Adviser
• Forensic Accountant

CA ANZ used Jobs and Skills Australia’s methodology which states that estimated vacancy fill rates below 67% indicate a high likelihood of occupation shortages.

The Occupation Shortage List survey does not directly address employer-sponsored visas used to fill vacancies. CA ANZ’s separate submission on the Core Skills Occupation List consultation in September 2025 sets out our views on this topic.

Key survey results

There is a high likelihood of Australia-wide shortages of Internal Auditors, External Auditors, Accountant (General), and Taxation Accountants.

The occupations at greatest risk of state and territory shortages are:

• Accountant (General) (NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and WA)
• External Auditors (NSW, QLD, WA, VIC and NT)
• Internal Auditors (NSW, SA and VIC)
• Taxation Accountants (NSW, NT, VIC, QLD and ACT)
• Management Accountant (NSW and VIC)
• Financial Advisers (VIC).

The average number of days taken to fill the advertised vacancies was highest for External Auditors, and lowest for Finance Managers.

The main reason advertised vacancies were not filled was the lack of experienced professionals.

Demand was typically the same in 2025 compared to 2024 for 41% of the responses received, and 35% said there was higher or much higher demand than in 2024.

The supply of suitably skilled workers across most states and territories where respondents provided input was about right for Finance Managers but in undersupply (26-66%) or severe undersupply (0-25%) for Accountant (General), Taxation Accountant, External Audit and Internal Audit roles.

Recommendations

Based on our survey results, CA ANZ recommends a 2026 Occupation Shortage List labour market rating of national shortage for the occupations:

• Accountant (General)
• Taxation Accountant
• External Auditor.

We have not provided state and territory recommendations due to the smaller sample size.

Jobs and Skills Australia is expected to release the 2026 Occupation Shortage List results in around October 2026.