The fall in January was 0.2 per cent, which was bettered only by Queensland.
The national unemployment rate was steady at 4.2 per cent.
Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said Victoria continued to lead the nation in job creation since the peak of the second COVID-19 wave, with more than 254,000 jobs created since September 2020 — more than 100,000 more than any other state.
Victoria's participation rate remains near record levels, with the female participation rate reaching a record high in January.
The underemployment rate fell further in January — to 6.0 per cent — to be at its lowest level since 2002.
“The underlying strength of the Victorian economy shines through in these figures and that’s great news for workers and businesses across the state,” Mr Pallas said.
For most regions, including Shepparton, the real challenge remains finding workers with more than 70,000 unfilled positions across regional Australia.
The local government areas of City of Greater Shepparton, Moira and Campaspe shires now have a Designated Area Migration Agreement, which gives employers access to skilled workers from overseas in categories that are designed to address specific local skills shortages.
The easing of restrictions on international travel and migration imposed during the pandemic will also help ease the worker shortages.
