The social network platform for corporates has unveiled its hot-list of jobs rising in 2026, with technical and strategic AI roles unsurprisingly topping the list.
Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn’s revealed the fastest-growing jobs for 2026 according to postings on their site, with AI Engineer taking out top spot.
- Risk and regulatory roles were also on the rise as companies focus on managing compliance in a changing regulatory landscape.
- Founders are booming too as AI levels the playing field for small businesses.
- It comes as the post-COVID government-led jobs boom slows down, with private markets beginning to pick up the slack.
LinkedIn has unveiled the fastest-growing jobs in Australia for 2026, with competence in AI the stand-out skill. In order to rank, jobs had to have had positive growth across LinkedIn’s membership base and sufficient job postings in the past year.
There were the top 15:
- AI Engineer
- Chief Risk Officer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Director of Artificial Intelligence
- Organisational Development Manager
- Legal Director
- Founder
- Media Director
- Regulatory Affairs Consultant
- Power System Engineer
- Head of Environment, Health and Safety
- Psychotherapist
- Head of Sales
- Tax Specialist
- Strategic Partnerships Manager
AI literacy is also now the most in-demand skill Australian employers seek across all jobs in LinkedIn, with 8 in 10 global leaders more likely to hire someone who is comfortable with AI tools than someone with more experience but less AI proficiency.
Crucial quote
“This year’s list shows how quickly the job market is evolving. AI is no longer a specialist skill – it’s becoming part of everyday work and leadership. Whether you’re in tech, business or creative industries, building AI literacy and staying open to new skills will be key to future-proofing your career,” says Brendan Wong, career expert at LinkedIn.
“The most successful professionals will be those who combine technical know-how with adaptability and a willingness to learn. Jobseekers can use this list as a roadmap to explore emerging roles, understand the skills employers value most, and position themselves for the opportunities shaping Australia’s future of work.”
Key background
Last year, the top five jobs were: English teacher, server, travel specialist, sommelier and electrical design engineer. But Deloitte’s last employment forecast (in November 2025) revealed a reversal of the post-COVID leap in non-market sector (like healthcare, education and public administration) hiring.
“This slowdown in non-market sector employment is likely a result of governments across Australia pursuing fiscal restraint,” Deloitte Access Economics partner and report lead author, David Rumbens, said.
What to watch for
It may get trickier for applicants to get their foot in the door.
Policymakers and organisations are still trying to analyse the impact of AI on the Australian labour market, but Deloitte’s Rumbens says early evidence from the US suggests that junior employment levels have declined within firms that have been bigger adopters of AI compared to those where AI is playing less of a role.
Tangent
Thanks to (among other things) surging AI stocks, billionaires had the best year in history. Sixty-four new billionaires emerged across the globe thanks to the technology industry’s rise in 2025. Though, all up, the planet added more than 340 new billionaires, and there are more than ever before: a record 3,148, up nearly 50% over the past five years. You can read more about that here.
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