Machinery Operators and Drivers
Bus Driver in Northern Territory
Bus Driver is in shortage in Northern Territory in 2025 — employers across the territory are struggling to fill these roles.
How NT compares nationally
The NT picture matches the national one — rated "Shortage" across Australia as a whole.
In shortage nationally, in NSW, in VIC, in QLD, in SA, in WA, in TAS, in NT and in ACT.
Five-year trend in NT
Strong, steady demand. Employers have struggled to fill these roles every year for the last five — a persistent shortage, and a dependable outlook for finding work.
Each dot is one year's NT rating: filled = in shortage (including a regional-only or metro-only shortage), hollow = no shortage.
Our read
Opportunity
StrongIn shortage nationally this year, and it's been short for most of the last five — steady demand, not a blip.
Getting in
Quicker startThe standard route is a Certificate II or III — months rather than years, so you can be working sooner.
These read the occupation Australia-wide, and they're our analysis of the official data — not a Jobs and Skills Australia rating. How we work these out.
Getting in
Training level 4. Certificate II or III. The training route is the same wherever you live — what changes by state is the demand at the end of it.
Why it's in shortage — and how hard it is to break in
Not enough people have done the (fairly short) training
The training here is fairly quick — a shorter certificate — so the door isn't heavily barred. There simply aren't enough people walking through it, which makes it one of the faster shortages to step into.
The driver ("Short training gap") is Jobs and Skills Australia's Australia-wide analysis of this occupation's unit group (7312); the plain-English explanation is ours.
Will AI replace it?
Some parts could be automated; others are harder to replace. Expect AI to take on the routine pieces over time, while the hands-on, judgement-heavy parts stay human. How it lands depends on the specific role.
Our editorial read, based on the kind of work (its occupation group) — not a Jobs and Skills Australia rating, and not a prediction.
Skilled migration list
This occupation is not on the current Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) as at 7 November 2025.
Being on the list says nothing about anyone's visa eligibility — it is one condition among many. This is general information, not migration advice. For advice about your circumstances, see the Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation lists or a registered migration agent (OMARA register).
Related occupations in NT
Ratings shown are for NT, 2025.
Bus Driver elsewhere
NSW · Victoria · Queensland · SA · WA · Tasmania · ACT
Or see the full national profile for Bus Driver — including where the shortage sits state by state — or compare it against other occupations.
Know the moment new numbers land
You're already seeing the newest numbers: the 2025 Occupation Shortage List is the government's current release — checked against the source in July 2026 — and apprentice pay rates include the 1 July 2026 increase. When the next list lands, we'll send one note: what moved, what it means. No newsletter, no selling your address.
ANZSCO 731211 · NT ratings from the Jobs and Skills Australia Occupation Shortage List 2025.