South Africa’s labour market is increasingly uneven: some provinces are creating significant numbers of jobs while others continue to shed employment, and employers report persistent shortages in specific occupations. This article gives a province-by-province snapshot of where jobs are growing, the occupations employers are struggling to fill, and practical guidance on which skills to learn now to maximise employability in South Africa’s changing labour market. For deeper reading on demand occupations, labour-market datasets and salary expectations, see the related resources at the end of this article. (gov.za)
Quick overview: national trends you need to know
- The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q1 2025 shows uneven employment changes across provinces — the Western Cape and Gauteng recorded employment gains while several provinces (including KwaZulu‑Natal and Eastern Cape) experienced notable losses. Youth employment remains a major concern. (gov.za)
- Employers and sector bodies continue to flag scarce skills in trades/artisan roles, health care, ICT/data roles, engineering and logistics — skills that match South Africa’s economic needs (infrastructure, energy, health and digitisation). (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
- The government’s Critical Skills List (and recent changes to visa rules) means that some occupations remain in high demand for both local employers and foreign workers; this affects hiring, training and salary bargaining in certain provinces. (dha.gov.za)
Provincial snapshot — where jobs are growing (and where they’re shrinking)
Below is a concise comparison of provincial employment changes reported in Q1 2025, with the sectors most likely to be hiring or under pressure. Numbers are year‑on‑year changes reported by Stats SA; sector notes combine official sectoral trends and common SETA/industry reports. Use this as a directional guide when planning careers or regional job searches. (gov.za)
| Province | Employment change (Q1 2025, y/y) | Unemployment context | Growing sectors / demand occupations (practical examples) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Cape | +49,000 | Lowest provincial unemployment rate; relatively high labour force participation. | Finance, IT, professional services, tourism & agri-processing — demand for developers, data analysts, accountants, hospitality managers. (gov.za) |
| Gauteng | +9,000 | Largest labour market; high concentration of corporate and public-sector jobs. | Finance, transport & logistics, construction engineering — demand for project managers, civil/structural engineers, logisticians. (gov.za) |
| KwaZulu‑Natal | −104,000 | Volatile — mixed urban/rural dynamics. | Mixed signals — manufacturing/ports-related roles and healthcare in metros; but losses indicate selective hiring. (gov.za) |
| Eastern Cape | −83,000 | High unemployment pockets; industrial and rural employment base. | Automotive manufacturing, artisans, agribusiness — demand for artisans, maintenance technicians. (gov.za) |
| Free State | +4,000 | Small labour market; mining/agri presence. | Agriculture, logistics, some manufacturing — artisanal and technical roles. (gov.za) |
| North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape | Mixed declines | Regions with high unemployment; some resource/commodity exposure. | Mining, energy, construction — mining technicians, electricians, plant operators. (gov.za) |
Note: sector labels above combine Stats SA’s provincial employment movements with SETA and industry‑level scarcity reports; where provincial sector breakdowns weren’t explicitly published, the sector suggestions are inferred from national sectoral trends and local industry composition. (gov.za)
Top occupations and skills in demand (practical learning targets)
If you’re choosing training or a job-search focus, target skills that match both national scarcity and provincial hiring patterns. Below are concrete skill sets and roles with high employer demand:
- Artisans & technical trades (electricians, plumbers, welders, millwrights, diesel mechanics) — strong demand across provinces for infrastructure, mining and manufacturing. SETAs continue to prioritise artisan training to fill immediate gaps. (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
- Healthcare professionals (registered nurses, pharmacy technicians, community health workers) — persistent shortages and public‑sector hiring needs, especially in rural provinces. (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
- ICT & data skills (software developers, full‑stack engineers, data analysts, solutions architects, cybersecurity) — concentrated demand in Gauteng and Western Cape but remote work widens opportunities nationally. (regenesys.net)
- Logistics & supply‑chain (supply chain managers, transport planners, customs/clearing agents) — critical with growing e‑commerce and trade flows via ports in KZN and Western Cape. (regenesys.net)
- Engineering and project management (civil, electrical, mechanical engineers and project managers) — required for construction, energy projects and manufacturing. (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
- Green economy skills (renewable energy technicians, water/waste specialists) — a growth area tied to national infrastructure and private investment. (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
How to prioritise what to learn (a simple decision checklist)
- Identify high‑demand occupations in your province (use local public and SETA portals).
- Check the Critical Skills List if you’re considering migration or employers that sponsor visas — being on the list may speed hiring for some roles. (dha.gov.za)
- Choose accredited, outcome‑based training (TVET colleges, SETA‑accredited learnerships, reputable bootcamps). SETA programmes target priority skills but enrolment and throughput have challenges—verify completion and quality history. (financialmail.businessday.co.za)
- Combine technical skills with workplace skills (English communication, digital literacy, basic project / workplace safety competence).
- Validate demand with job boards or employer networks — a quick job‑market scan (3 months of vacancies) will show whether roles are being advertised in your area. (regenesys.net)
Salary expectations and negotiating leverage
Salary varies by province, sector, experience and scarce status. Technical artisans, experienced data specialists, and registered healthcare professionals command premiums in shortage contexts. For role-by-role salary benchmarks and experience bands, consult dedicated salary resources and local benchmarks before negotiating. See our guide: South Africa Salary Benchmarks: How Much You Should Earn by Role and Experience. For hands‑on tools, try the Interactive Salary Calculator for South African Occupations — Build Your Own Benchmark.
Practical next steps for jobseekers and students
- Enrol in a short, accredited course that leads to a recognised trade test or professional registration. SETA‑aligned learnerships are often linked to employer hiring pipelines. (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
- Build a portfolio for ICT/data roles (GitHub projects, Kaggle for data science) and gather references from internships.
- For healthcare and regulated professions, ensure your qualifications meet South African professional board requirements and check the Critical Skills List if cross‑border hiring or visa facilitation matters. (dha.gov.za)
- Target provinces and cities with hiring momentum for your sector — the Western Cape and Gauteng have consistently shown stronger job growth in recent QLFS releases. (gov.za)
How employers and policymakers use this data — and why it matters to you
Employers use Stats SA and SETA data to set recruitment targets, build training pipelines and adjust salary offers; policymakers use the same data to allocate training funding and design employment programmes. That’s why learning choices grounded in labour‑market evidence improve your chances of hire and career progression. If you want step‑by‑step guidance on using labour market data to choose a career, see: How to Use Labour Market Data to Choose a High-Demand Career in South Africa. Employers’ recruitment practices tied to SETA and Stats SA indicators are explained in: How Employers Use SETA and Stats SA Data in Recruitment — A Guide for Jobseekers. (mysetalearnerships.co.za)
Final notes — realistic expectations
- Training and credential completion matter: many SETA programmes have low throughput, so choose providers with track records of completion and placement. (financialmail.businessday.co.za)
- Province matters: relocation can markedly improve job prospects in professions concentrated in Gauteng or Western Cape, but remote work is opening limited opportunities for some ICT and specialist roles. (regenesys.net)
For targeted next steps:
- Explore high‑demand occupation lists and datasets: Career Guidance South Africa: Top Demand Occupations 2026 — Data from Stats SA and SETAs.
- Check labour‑market visualisations and downloadable datasets: Downloadable Labour Market Datasets and Visualisations for South African Career Research.
- Read the policy primer on work visas and the Critical Skills List: Critical Skills List Explained: What It Means for Work Visas and Local Hires in South Africa.
If you’d like, I can:
- Produce a personalised provincial action plan for a specific occupation, or
- Run a 3‑month vacancy scan for your target role and province and summarise likely employers, salary ranges and required qualifications.
Key sources used: Stats SA QLFS Q1:2025 (provincial employment changes), SETA and industry scarce-skill summaries, Department of Home Affairs Critical Skills List and visa guidelines, and commentary on SETA performance and skills pipeline issues. (gov.za)