The quarterly employment report said mining and construction employers would be cautious in Q2 and that hiring prospects in the sector would be 19% weaker than the previous corresponding period.

Globally, Australia was reported to be in a steady state of decline for the previous eight quarters, now at its weakest point since Q3 2009.

Manpower said the country’s decline was plainly evident in mining and construction where opportunities for job seekers had been considerably more modest than in previous years.

The softening in the resources sector has meant the urgency of skills shortages has declined but the report warns that as economies recover, employers will need to look ahead at the talent they will need in the next year.

Nationally, hiring rates in Q2 this year are likely to reflect a 5% year-on-year decline.

In seasonally adjusted figures, the decline marks the weakest hiring intentions in Australia since 2009.

Employers in the major mining states of Western Australia and Queensland reported optimistic hiring plans for Q2 but WA hiring is on target to be 15% less than the same period last year.

Worldwide, hiring expectations were found to be strongest in Brazil, Turkey, India and Taiwan where robust mining and construction sectors are propelling job creation.

Hiring is expected to be weakest in Europe, notably Italy and Spain which posted their lowest employer forecasts ever reported.