Key facts

Workforce figures

  • 367,945 people employed or 302,179 FTE at June 2023
  • 9.7% of the Victorian labour force
  • 267 public sector employers
  • 3.8% (11,013 FTE) rise in total employment between June 2022 and June 2023.

These figures don’t include projected reductions in Victorian Public Service (VPS) roles as a result of the 2023/24 Budget.

Major changes in employment

Changes in employment are primarily due to:

  • increases in frontline staff
  • transport and infrastructure projects.

Ongoing employment rose by 5.4% (12,147 FTE) representing 96% of the total rise in public sector employment.

Casual employment rose by 4.9% (485 FTE) representing 4% of the total rise in public sector employment.

Fixed-term employment fell by 2.9% (1620 FTE).

Rises in employment

Major rises in employment by sector:

  • 7% (541 FTE) rise in TAFE and other education
  • 5.3% (502 FTE) rise in water and land management
  • 5.2% (5,355 FTE) rise in public healthcare
  • 3.8% (2,754 FTE) rise in government schools
  • 2.1% (1,121 FTE) rise in the Victorian Public Service
  • 1.8% (544 FTE) rise in police and emergency services.

Major rises were driven by an increase in frontline employees:

  • 10.5% (4,005 FTE) rise in nurses and midwives
  • 8.6% (1,835 FTE) rise in education aides
  • 4.7% (213 FTE) rise in ambulance officers and paramedics
  • 4.5% (156 FTE) rise in TAFE teaching staff
  • 1.9% (887 FTE) rise in school teaching staff
  • 3% increase (345 FTE) in prison and security officers.

Other substantial rises included:

  • 8.6% (308 FTE) rise in professional workers in engineering, science and business roles within the water and land management sector
  • 37% (126 FTE) rise at Suburban Rail Loop Authority and 12.1% increase (290 FTE) at Major Transport Infrastructure Authority
  • 8.7% (231 FTE) rise at Court Services Victoria.

Number of employees

Number of employers and employees 2023

Victorian Public Service (16% of public sector employees)

This table shows the number of employees in the Victorian Public Service (VPS) at June 2023. It doesn’t include the reduction in employees as a result of the May 2023 state budget.

Responses for Employers Headcount FTE
Departments 10 41,277 39,328
Administrative offices 13 3,976 3,841
Other Victorian Public Service employers including Victoria Police 33 12,133 11,591
Total 56 57,386 54,760

Public entities by all industry groups (84% of public sector employees)


Employee numbers overtime, 2019 to 2023

 


 


 


Data sets and how we prepare data