Navigating National Shifts, Seasonal Realities & What Lies Ahead for the Gold Coast
As March 2025 came to a close, Australia’s labour market showed subtle signs of recalibration. While on paper, the addition of 32,200 jobs this month appears encouraging, a deeper dive into the data from the ABS with commentary from the Indeed Hiring Lab suggests a more cautious reality: employment is growing, but at a slowing pace. Participation is down. Pressure is building. And for Gold Coast employers, that means one thing recruit smarter, not later.
At Whitefox Recruitment, we’ve always viewed data as the beginning not the end of the conversation. And right now, that conversation is about tight labour supply, seasonally shifting candidate volumes, political uncertainty, and a critical window before EOFY hiring activity surges.
National Overview: Modest Gains, Meaningful Gaps
The 32,200 jobs added in March helped recover some of the 57,500 jobs lost in February. But it wasn’t enough to ease the underlying pressure. The labour force participation rate fell 0.5 percentage points, down to 66.8%, suggesting fewer people are actively looking for work.
As the Indeed Hiring Lab puts it: the unemployment rate hasn’t surged—but only because fewer Australians are in the job market.
And yet, demand for talent remains robust:
- Job postings are still 52% above pre-pandemic levels
- Employer confidence, while cautious, remains high
- Most sectors are still hiring—especially in regional hotspots like the Gold Coast
Gold Coast: Still Leading, But Feeling the Squeeze
The Gold Coast continues to lead the state in employment resilience. With a local unemployment rate of 3.5%, hiring demand remains at a record high. But that number also tells a more sobering story there’s less talent available now than at any time in the last two years.
Here’s what we’re seeing at Whitefox Recruitment:
- Time-to-fill is increasing, even in traditionally quick-turn roles like admin and reception
- Employers are lifting salaries and offering perks to remain competitive
- More businesses are engaging us proactively, not reactively
- Reverse-marketing has become one of our most effective tools for sourcing top-tier talent
In short: if you’re waiting for the market to “normalise,” you’ll be waiting too long. The market has changed—and recruitment strategies need to change with it.
Cyclone Alfred Recovery Work: Still Active and Growing
While headlines have moved on, the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred is still driving regional hiring across SEQ including the Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich, and northern NSW.
We’re seeing a sustained flow of roles tied to:
- Civil works and infrastructure repair
- Construction site cleanup and preparation
- Insurance claims support and client service
- Groundskeeping and maintenance across government buildings and private property
- Labouring and traffic management tied to ongoing council clean-up operations
Many of these roles are temporary or project-based, but we’ve also seen long-term hiring emerge, particularly as developers, facilities managers, and real estate companies invest in more resilient asset protection plans moving forward.
If you’re a contractor or property stakeholder impacted by the cyclone, we can connect you with qualified candidates immediately. Our database has thousands of ready-to-go workers with construction, building management, and civil experience.
UK Candidate Dip: Seasonal Trend Returns, But We’re Ready
Every April, we see it: UK candidates disappear, seemingly overnight. Why? It’s the same story every year they’re heading home for their own summer.
Typically active across hospitality, cleaning, construction, and tourism, UK candidates form a critical part of the Gold Coast’s flexible labour market. But from April through July, we see a 40–60% reduction in UK working holiday applicants and short-term visa holders.
Here’s the good news: they always come back. In fact, we predict an August spike in arrivals, as visa holders return for spring and summer placements. That means now is the time to:
- Plan short-term staffing bridges for winter vacancies
- Secure permanent hires to reduce dependency on transient workers
- Open EOIs now to prepare for the August–October talent influx
We’ve already begun pre-screening UK candidates abroad via video, ready to slot them into key roles the moment they land.
EOFY Is Coming: Budget Refreshes, Team Resets, and Hiring Windows
The 30 June EOFY deadline isn’t just about tax, it’s also one of the biggest operational reset points of the year.
We’re seeing a wave of businesses across the Gold Coast:
- Review team structures
- Evaluate departmental performance
- Reallocate or request headcount budgets
- Begin planning their Q1 hiring for FY25/26
This is where smart hiring decisions are made. Before budgets get locked or roles go live on the open market, savvy employers are securing their hires now, working with us to build succession pipelines and pre-empt attrition.
Whitefox clients are already asking:
- “Who can we hire now that’ll be ready to start in July?”
- “Can we restructure two roles into one higher-value position?”
- “Who’s out there now that we won’t find in the new financial year rush?”
EOFY shouldn’t be a scramble. With the right planning, it’s a launch pad.
The 2025 Federal Election: Hiring Pause or Policy Pivot?
Australia heads to the polls on 3 May 2025, and with that comes a moment of hesitation. Many employers are holding off on major decisions until after the result, especially in sectors sensitive to policy change like:
- Construction and infrastructure
- Migration and international hiring
- Property and development
- Aged care, health, and education
Depending on the outcome, we could see:
- Increased immigration caps, creating greater access to skilled visa holders
- New infrastructure announcements, particularly in South East Queensland
- Adjustments to training and wage subsidies for small business
- Tax or incentive reform that alters staffing cost structures
Our advice? Don’t delay critical hires based on what “might happen.” Instead, build in flexibility—hire with probation clauses, staggered start dates, or short-term contracts. That way, you stay agile no matter who forms government.
Whitefox’s Forecast: Q2 and Beyond
Here’s what we’re confidently predicting through to the end of winter:
- Continued low unemployment on the Gold Coast
- Talent shortages to persist in admin, legal, finance, strata, and trades
- UK candidate return in August, strengthening casual and hospitality roles
- Election-triggered policy change to drive hiring activity mid-year
- Cyclone Alfred recovery to continue impacting demand across construction and maintenance
- EOFY to spark restructure-driven recruitment and growth planning
Final Word: If You Want Talent, Move Now
We’re in a moment where the most successful businesses aren’t waiting they’re acting. They’re mapping their workforce, building benches, and staying ahead of policy, seasons, and sentiment.
At Whitefox Recruitment, we’ve made a career of turning these market moments into strategic wins. We’re more than just a recruiter. we’re your growth partner.
Whether you’re rebuilding, growing, restructuring or preparing for FY26, we’re ready when you are.
