The Australian retail industry is in crisis, with over 40,000 job vacancies that are unable to be filled.
This is according to the latest ABS quarterly Job Vacancies Survey, which found that, at the end of May, there were 40,300 unfilled jobs in the sector. This is up from just 24,900 in February 2020, before the pandemic hit.
Retail sales leaped to an all-time high in May, but inflation has been the major cause of this rise.
The Australian Retail Association has called on the government to ease restrictions on immigration for skilled workers and students.
“Without government intervention, the labour and skills crisis will only deteriorate further and push some businesses to the brink,” ARA CEO Paul Zahra said.
“You cannot have an economic recovery without a retail recovery, and this is also a major handbrake on growth and productivity.
“The labour and skills crisis is in addition to the intense cost pressures businesses are facing, with rents increasing along with fuel and energy costs and supply chain constraints.
“It is a dire situation for many small businesses, who are struggling to keep their heads above water.”
