Since the beginning of March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has had an extreme impact on the job market. However, a new report shows that job ads are on the increase, in encouraging news for job seekers.

While figures are still down compared to the same time last year, data from SEEK shows promise. Month-on-month growth in jobs advertised is up 39.7 per cent across the board, although year-on-year ads remain down 52.5 per cent.

It is the tourism and hospitality benefiting the most from this increase, with month-on-month ads for the sector up a whopping 138 per cent.

The ad increase comes as restaurants, cafes and caterers have been given a seven month reprieve from implementing an increase to the minimum wage of 1.75 per cent, handed down by the Fair Work Commission on June 19.

Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) slammed the wage increase, with CEO Wes Lambert saying it comes at a critical time for the more than 43,000 businesses who pay under the Restaurant Industry Award.

“This decision means one thing to the thousands of businesses and workers in the restaurant café, and catering sector – less hours available and less jobs on offer,” Mr Lambert said. 

“At a time when businesses across our sector are reliant on billions of dollars of JobKeeper payments to ensure staff continue to stay in work, this decision will result in further revision of hours for staff and sadly may see some staff stood down.

“The COVID crisis has already forced the permanent closure of as many as one in 10 business, and this decision pushes these vulnerable businesses further to the edge. Reports today suggest that spending on food and beverages is down 31 percent compared to January this year meaning businesses will find it harder to make ends meet.

“It is unfathomable that at a time when more than 800,000 people are out of work that you would want to increase businesses costs anywhere in the economy.”