Sydney Public Practice Industry Insights – Q1 2026
As Australia’s largest hub for accounting talent, Sydney plays a pivotal role in shaping the country’s professional services landscape. In Q1 2026, the city’s public practice sector reflects both the challenges and opportunities of working in a fast-moving, highly competitive market. While some firms are scaling rapidly, others are seeing workforce contractions. At the same time, talent continues to shift between industries, with many accountants diversifying beyond traditional financial services roles. For employers, the pressure to attract and retain talent has never been greater, while professionals face more choices than ever before about where to take their skills.
Skilled Labour Movement
Significant firm-level changes included:
- CIB Leading Accountants surged 50% (15 employees).
- Bell Partners grew by 29% (18 employees).
- BDO in Australia (-21%) and Accru Felsers (-17%) reported declines.
This demonstrates ongoing volatility in the Sydney market.
Leading Employers
Key firms driving employment were:
- Pitcher Partners with 83 new hires (+14%).
- BDO in Australia with 42 new accountants (+5%).
- William Buck (-2%) and RSM Australia (-4%) saw slight contractions.
Pitcher Partners stands out as a leader in talent acquisition this quarter.
Flow of Talent
Accountants moved strongly away from Financial Services and Business Consulting, while sectors like Retail and Food & Beverage gained talent. This shift signals industry diversification for accountants.
Talent Pool Experience
Sydney’s talent pool experienced mild contractions overall:
- Accountants declined by 1% (4,580).
- Junior Accountants dropped 5%.
- Intermediate Accountants saw the steepest fall, down 7%.
- Only Graduate Accountants held steady at 140.
This highlights challenges in developing junior and mid-level talent.
Sydney Snapshot
- Hiring Demand: Very high.
- Median Tenure: 1.6 years.
- Job Changes: 575 public accountants changed jobs last year.
- Workforce Size: 7,084 public accountants in Sydney.
Sydney’s accounting market remains highly competitive, with demand for talent significantly outpacing supply. Firms that can create attractive career pathways and strong workplace cultures will be best positioned to secure and retain talent. For accountants, the city offers unparalleled opportunities to advance, though the data highlights challenges for junior and intermediate roles. With such a large workforce and very high hiring demand, Sydney is set to continue as the center of gravity for Australia’s accounting sector in 2026, making it a critical city to watch for both industry professionals and firms alike.
