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Ads on employment site Seek have reached 66.6% of pre-COVID levels in the last fortnight. 

While job ad volumes have levelled out across most states and territories, with a slight increase of 1.3% in the past two weeks, job ads in Victoria have declined 6.1% in the last fortnight, with Victorian job ads sitting at 55.9% of pre-COVID levels.

The decline comes as part of the state enters its second lockdown. 

Seek ANZ MD Kendra Banks said that WA, SA and Queensland are looking positive for jobs. 

"In the last fortnight, we have seen growth in most states and territories, with the notable exception being Victoria.

"Victoria has seen a decline of 6.1%, which now its positions it as the state with the weakest recovery to date, with job ad volumes, at 55.9% of pre-COVID levels.

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"A return to lockdown in metropolitan Melbourne is expected to delay any recovery in Victoria’s job ad volumes, which will not be welcome news for businesses and job seekers in the state.

"For the rest of the country, job ad volumes are looking relatively positive.

"Data out of Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland, in particular, shows more opportunity for job seekers, as all industry sectors are showing job ad growth," she said. 

Over this time, Seek has witnessed candidate search and visit activity increase, Banks added. 

"Candidate application rates remain relatively high but have started to track back towards pre-COVID levels.

"Since COVID hit, job ads dropped and job applications per ad increased.

"While the lines in figure two have converged somewhat, we are still seeing more applications per job across most industries compared to pre-COVID times," she said. 

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Across the states and territories, the ones that have bounced back or have been less impacted by COVID generally have fewer job applications per ad. 

Victoria and New South Wales have had more job seekers applying for roles compared to other states and territories. 

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