SEEK

Australians have started applying for jobs again, but nowhere near the pace they were before the pandemic.

ASX-listed companies have detailed roughly $2 billion in JobKeeper payments spanning the last two financial years, with only a handful making voluntary repayments.

The impact of January’s Omicron case surge on the labour force has been laid bare, with hours worked dropping almost 9 per cent, while unemployment remains at a 13-year low.

Workers are likely securing higher pay by changing jobs, new data from SEEK reveals, but driving up real wages remains a problem.

The number of Western Australians in employment fell in September, while the national jobless rate held steady at 3.5 per cent.

WA exports have doubled over five years to be $256 billion in the 12 months to November, while the national trade surplus was $13.2 billion in that month alone.

Employers are still offering big sums to entice in-demand workers but growth in advertised salaries is starting to wane.

Consumers are still down in the dumps although fresh inflation data is expected to point to easing cost-of-living pressures.

SEEK’s bid to acquire Sydney-based HR and recruitment technology firm Xref has fallen through, with both parties agreeing to terminate the scheme implementation deed.