In some of the least surprising news this week, the new federal budget includes plans to hack away at the public sector.

The federal budget has lifted limits on government recruitment that have been in place for over a year.

With public service bosses allowed hire again, many are wondering how many new places will open up.

The short answer is; not many.

The budget papers indicate the government will employ 71 fewer full-time-equivalent staff in 2015-16 than it did this financial year.

But the unfreezing of the recruitment ban will allow agencies more leeway to replace staff who leave.

The biggest cuts are in the defence and immigration portfolios, due to restructures.

The plan is still ongoing for Defence Materiel Organisation staff to merge into the Defence Department, but there will not be enough jobs there for all of them.

The Immigration Department and Customs merger continues too – as well as the creation of the Australian Border Force.

There measures are expected to lead to overall job losses.

The ABC and the Bureau of Meteorology are among the other agencies expected to lose a significant number of staff in the coming year.

The budget documentation covering public sector cuts is accessible here.