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New data shows the highest-paying and most in-demand jobs in Australia for 2026 – as expert reveals how to safeguard your career from AI
Randstad’s 2026 Australian jobs lists show sales assistants, office clerks and registered nurses are the most in-demand roles, while the highest-paid jobs are all medical. The findings highlight a divide between customer-facing work that employers need and specialist medical roles that command the highest salaries, as workers also weigh how AI may change their careers.
Surgeons top the pay list at an average of $500,000, followed by anaesthetists at $450,000 and psychiatrists at $350,000. Experts say jobs requiring specialised judgement, human interaction or practical skills may be more resilient as AI spreads; demand is also expected to grow for tradespeople building data centres and data scientists, with senior data roles paying more than $200,000.
In short
- Sales assistants lead Australia’s in-demand jobs list for 2026.
- Surgeons top the pay rankings at $500,000 on average.
- Experts point to judgement, care and trades as more AI-resilient work.
Explained simply
Australia’s labour market includes a wide range of jobs, from retail and office work to highly specialised medicine. Pay and demand measure different things: a role can be common and hard to fill without being among the country’s best-paid.
Surgeons, anaesthetists and psychiatrists need years of specialist training and make decisions that can have serious consequences for patients. Sales assistants, office clerks and nurses work in larger numbers across shops, businesses and health services, where employers need people to serve customers, handle daily tasks and care for patients.
Artificial intelligence can automate some tasks, but its effects are likely to vary between occupations. The debate matters to workers choosing training or planning their careers, as well as employers deciding what skills they will need; practical work, human contact and specialist judgement are among the factors experts consider when assessing how roles may change.
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