VIC IT Hiring Outlook FY25–26

Victoria is seeing a very different IT hiring market from what existed only one year ago.

The Garden State has moved on from its lengthy recovery period following the COVID-19 pandemic. And while a cautious re-opening strategy meant that Victoria lagged behind the other states, its job market is now finally adjusting to the post-COVID world. However, Victoria also faces significant pressures. While the job market is far from unhealthy, rising unemployment and a growing state debt are also shaping a much more cautious approach to hiring.

Leaner teams and higher expectations

It’s no secret that Victoria is dealing with economic constraints. One of the clearest examples has been the delivery challenges of the infrastructure projects under the ‘Big Build’ agenda, many of which have struggled with rising costs and a tight labour supply.

These pressures, combined with a high state deficit, are pushing government departments to maintain leaner teams. They’re still a cornerstone of employment in Victoria, but they’ve become much more exacting in who they hire, seeking candidates who can blend technical know-how with a variety of soft skills.

The private sector has also grown more discerning with who they hire. They’ve moved away from sweeping transformation projects towards making do with what they already have, paying greater attention to roles that drive cross-functional impact and long-term value.

Cost-aware but opportunity-rich

All this is not to say that the IT hiring market in Victoria is bad — far from it! While unemployment has risen to 4.6%, this is still pretty good news for candidates. It means a tight labour market where good talent can usually find employment.

Of course, this presents employers with their own challenge. They must attract and retain talent in spite of tighter budgets, high competition and stretched talent pools for data, engineering, security and cloud expertise.

At the same time, their more selective approach to hiring means that candidates need to meet certain expectations, such as:

• Greater in-office presence
• Stakeholder engagement skills
• Adaptability and a proactive attitude

While candidates still expect some level of flexibility, employers are placing more value on visibility and collaboration. In most cases, that’s not a call to come into the office on a full-time basis, but savvy applicants should still show they’re open to hybrid work for that competitive edge.

Top tech roles in VIC and what they’re earning

Our Talent Insights & Salary Guide for FY25–26 gives a strong overview of Victoria’s in-demand roles and how the salaries stack up against other states and territories. Among other roles, the following are seeing a lot of sustained (or brand-new) attention:

Position	Salary Range
Business Analyst	$100,000 – $150,000
Change Manager	$140,000 – $180,000
Cloud Solution Architect	$140,000 – $200,000
Cyber Security Analyst	$100,000 – $140,000
Data Scientist	$140,000 – $200,000
DevOps Engineer	$140,000 – $160,000
DevOps Lead	$160,000 – $180,000
Product Manager	$180,000 – $200,000

Victoria is also rather middle-of-the-road when it comes to pay. On average, it tends to attract better salaries than Queensland, but doesn’t quite match New South Wales or Western Australia, while its contractor rates hover just above last place.

The advantage goes to the adaptable

While Victoria’s IT hiring market has moved into a more selective phase, employers are still seeking candidates who can adapt quickly and collaborate across functions. Despite the cost pressures currently facing the state, there are still plenty of opportunities, and those who demonstrate flexibility, communication skills and cultural alignment will almost certainly succeed.