Key Takeaways

• Ireland’s Labour Market Remains Resilient Despite Recruitment Challenges: Employment reached a record 2.83 million in Q4 2025, while 83% of employers reported talent market challenges and 76% struggled with skills shortages, highlighting continued demand for skilled professionals in 2026.
• AI-Powered Recruitment and Flexible Working Are Transforming Hiring: Approximately 47% of Irish employers use AI to draft job advertisements, while 71% of candidates would consider leaving jobs without flexible working arrangements, making recruitment technology and workplace flexibility essential hiring trends in Ireland.
• Rising Salaries and Specialist Talent Shortages Shape Ireland’s 2026 Hiring Outlook: With median advertised salaries reaching €54,928 in 2025 and the recruitment market forecast to grow by 6% in 2026, employers must prioritise competitive compensation, employee retention, and specialist recruitment across healthcare, technology, construction, and engineering.

---

Ireland’s recruitment market in 2026 reflects strong employment, persistent skills shortages, rising salaries, and growing AI adoption. Employment reached 2.83 million in late 2025, while 83% of employers reported hiring challenges. Explore 108 recruitment statistics covering unemployment, salary trends, talent shortages, flexible working, and workforce developments shaping Ireland’s job market.

Ireland’s recruitment landscape in 2026 is undergoing significant transformation, driven by evolving talent shortages, artificial intelligence (AI), rising salary expectations, and changing workforce preferences. As businesses navigate economic uncertainty while competing for skilled professionals, understanding the latest recruitment statistics in Ireland has become essential for employers, HR professionals, recruiters, and job seekers seeking to make informed decisions.

Also, read some of our top articles here:

Top 10 Recruitment Agencies in Ireland

Despite signs of labour market cooling, Ireland continues to demonstrate remarkable employment resilience. Employment reached a record 2,833,100 people in Q4 2025, while the unemployment rate stood at approximately 5.0% at the end of 2025. With nearly 24% of employers planning to increase hiring in 2026 and 89% expecting to recruit within the next 12 months, demand for talent remains substantial across key industries, including technology, healthcare, construction, engineering, and financial services.

However, recruitment challenges persist. According to the statistics compiled in this report, 83% of Irish employers consider the talent market challenging, while 76% report difficulties filling positions due to skills shortages. These challenges are compounded by lengthy recruitment processes, with the median time-to-hire reaching 10 weeks. Employers are increasingly adopting skills-based hiring, competitive compensation strategies, and international recruitment to address persistent workforce gaps.

Technology is also reshaping how Irish organisations attract, assess, and retain employees. Approximately 47% of employers use AI to draft job advertisements, 44% leverage AI for recruitment analytics, and 43% use AI to manage applicant databases. Meanwhile, flexible working arrangements remain a major consideration for candidates, with 71% indicating they would consider leaving a job that does not support flexible working.

Salary expectations and employee retention are equally important trends shaping the Irish job market in 2026. The advertised median gross salary reached €54,928 in 2025, while average weekly earnings increased by 5.6% year-on-year in Q1 2025. Nevertheless, 44% of employees report dissatisfaction with their salaries, highlighting the growing importance of competitive remuneration, pay transparency, career development, and employee engagement.

Looking ahead, Ireland’s recruitment industry is expected to benefit from continued economic investment, expanding infrastructure projects, international talent mobility, and increasing demand for specialist skills. With the recruitment market forecast to grow by 6% in 2026, organisations that embrace recruitment technology, workforce flexibility, and data-driven talent acquisition strategies will be better positioned to compete.

In this comprehensive guide, we explore the Top 108 Recruitment Statistics, Data & Trends in Ireland in 2026, covering employment and unemployment rates, hiring intentions, recruitment challenges, salary benchmarks, AI adoption, remote and hybrid working, international hiring, industry-specific talent shortages, and candidate behaviour.

Whether you are an employer planning your next recruitment campaign, an HR leader developing a workforce strategy, a recruitment agency analysing hiring opportunities, or a professional exploring career prospects, these Ireland recruitment statistics and hiring trends for 2026 provide valuable insights into the opportunities, challenges, and developments shaping the future of work in Ireland.

Top 108 Recruitment Statistics, Data & Trends in Ireland in 2026

📊 Labour Market Overview

1. 2,833,100 people were in employment in Ireland as of Q4 2025 — a record high. Ireland’s total workforce has never been larger, reflecting the resilience of the economy through a period of global uncertainty.
2. 2.82 million people were in work by end-2025, with over 1,000 jobs created per week throughout the year. This sustained pace of job creation signals structural strength in domestic demand.
3. Ireland’s unemployment rate ended 2025 at 5.0%, one of the lowest in the EU, where the eurozone average sits at 6.4%. A low unemployment rate signals a tight labour market that continues to favour candidates.
4. Unemployment started 2025 at 4.5% (January), hit a low of 3.9% in February 2025, then gradually rose to 5.1% in September before stabilising. This arc suggests the labour market is cooling but not contracting.
5. The Q3 2025 unemployment rate rose to 5.3%, the highest in four years, driven primarily by increases among 15–24 and 35–44 age groups. This is a notable shift after years of near-historic lows.
6. 155,400 people aged 15–74 were unemployed in Q3 2025, up 25,900 year-on-year. While unemployment is rising from a low base, it remains historically contained.
7. The long-term unemployment rate reached 1.2% in Q4 2025, with 36,200 people unemployed for 12 months or more — up from 1.0% a year earlier. Long-term unemployment growth warrants attention from policymakers.
8. The labour force participation rate stood at 66.5% in Q3 2025, down marginally from 66.6% a year prior. Participation remains structurally high and is supported by inward migration.
9. The total labour force reached 2,980,900 in Q3 2025, up 1.9% (+56,500) from Q3 2024. A growing workforce gives Ireland a wider talent base but also raises demand for infrastructure.
10. Total weekly hours worked hit 86.5 million in Q3 2025, up 0.6% year-on-year. This modest uptick shows the workforce is productive even as employment growth moderates.

---

💼 Employment Rate by Demographics

11. The employment rate for ages 15–64 was 74.7% in Q3 2025, up from 74.2% in Q3 2023. Rising participation among prime-age workers underpins Ireland’s output growth.
12. The male employment rate was 78.5% versus 70.9% for females in Q3 2025. The persistent gender employment gap suggests structural barriers — particularly childcare costs — still deter female labour force participation.
13. The 35–44 age group has the highest employment rate at 85.6% (Q2 2025), making mid-career professionals the most economically active cohort. Employers targeting this group face intense competition.
14. Ages 45–54 recorded an 85.3% employment rate in Q4 2025, up 1.7 percentage points in a year — the highest of any age bracket in Q4. Older workers are staying in or re-entering the workforce in growing numbers.
15. The 15–19 age group has the lowest employment rate at 25.5% in Q4 2025. Youth employment remains limited, partly due to participation in education, but also reflects limited entry-level openings in some sectors.

---

📋 Hiring Intentions & Employer Activity

16. Nearly 1 in 4 employers (24%) plan to increase hiring in 2026, based on a survey of 500 HR leaders across Ireland. Confidence is returning following the EU-US trade agreement.
17. 27% of large enterprises plan to increase hiring in the next six months, compared to just 21% of SMEs. Scale advantages allow bigger firms to invest more aggressively in talent even during a cautious market.
18. 33% of businesses increased recruitment in the six months to October 2025. This indicates hiring activity has been broadly active even as headline growth cools.
19. 89% of employers plan to hire in the next 12 months, according to Hays’ 2026 Salary & Recruiting Trends survey of 600+ respondents. Near-universal hiring intent is a powerful signal of ongoing demand.
20. 21% of employers plan to increase investment in specialist roles, reflecting a shift from volume hiring to targeted talent acquisition in areas requiring niche expertise.
21. 19% of employers are increasing hiring investment in temporary and contract roles, as organisations seek workforce flexibility amid economic uncertainty.
22. 18% of SMEs expect to engage more temporary staff and freelancers in 2026, reflecting a broader trend toward contingent workforce models in smaller organisations.
23. 24% of businesses restructured certain teams or departments in the past six months. Structural realignment — not just belt-tightening — is reshaping the Irish hiring landscape.
24. The Irish recruitment market overall is forecast to grow 6% in 2026, driven by sustained domestic demand and government capital expenditure on housing and infrastructure.

---

⏱ Time-to-Hire & Process Metrics

25. Median time-to-hire across industries in Ireland is 10 weeks. This extended timeline reflects both structural talent shortages and inefficient screening processes.
26. 66% of employers cite longer time-to-hire as a key challenge in the last six months. Candidates taking longer to identify, assess and secure is a mounting cost for organisations.
27. Civil engineering has the highest share of job postings open for 60+ days at 54%, making it the hardest-to-fill occupational category in Ireland.
28. Electrical engineering follows with 48% of roles open 60+ days. These engineering shortfalls are structural, pointing to a pipeline problem rather than short-term market frictions.

---

⚠️ Skills Shortages & Talent Gaps

29. 83% of Irish employers across all sectors find the current talent market challenging, according to ManpowerGroup’s 2025 Global Talent Shortage Survey — among the highest in Europe.
30. 76% of Irish employers report difficulty filling roles due to skills shortages (ManpowerGroup). This places Ireland near the top of the global talent shortage table.
31. 69% of employers struggle to find candidates with the right skills — citing evolving skills requirements as the primary bottleneck. Future-proofing skills are now as important as current capabilities.
32. 96% of Irish employers reported skills shortages in 2025, according to E-Frontiers’ market analysis. This near-universal experience underlines how deeply embedded talent scarcity has become.
33. 7,500 vacancies exist within the HSE (Health Service Executive), including 3,400+ nursing roles. The healthcare system’s staffing deficit has reached a level that threatens service delivery.
34. 50,000 additional construction workers will be needed by 2030 to deliver 300,000 homes under the government’s Housing for All plan. The construction skills pipeline is critically underprepared.
35. Cybersecurity roles average 18+ month vacancy periods — the longest of any skill category in Ireland. This reflects a global shortage that is acutely felt in Ireland’s multinational-heavy economy.
36. A 23% year-on-year increase in significant cyber incidents affecting Irish organisations has been recorded, intensifying the urgency of cybersecurity hiring.

---

💶 Salary & Compensation

37. The advertised median gross salary in Ireland reached €54,928 in 2025 — ahead of the UK’s €38,304 equivalent and roughly on par with Germany’s €53,900.
38. Tech and finance sectors command a median advertised salary of €80,000 — the highest of any industry, reflecting the premium placed on digital and financial expertise.
39. Construction and legal sectors follow at a median of €75,000, with engineering and healthcare at €70,000. Persistent labour shortages continue to push wages upward in these fields.
40. Senior Finance Manager was the highest-paid occupation in 2025 with a median advertised salary of €100,000, underscoring how organisations are competing for leadership-level financial talent.
41. Average weekly earnings reached €1,026.20 in Q1 2025, up 5.6% year-on-year from €972.20. Wage growth at this pace continues to outpace inflation, preserving real incomes.
42. Posted wage growth runs at 4.1% year-on-year as of December 2025, according to Indeed Hiring Lab. This is solid by European standards, reflecting sustained competition for scarce talent.
43. Life sciences sector saw the highest salary growth at 6.1% in 2025 (Hays), driven by severe supply-demand imbalances in quality assurance, R&D science, and microbiology.
44. 78% of private sector organisations increased base pay in 2025, with an average pay rise of 3.31%. Despite broad-based increases, the pace of growth is clearly moderating.
45. The average private sector pay increase in 2025 was 3.31%, down from 4.24% in 2024, 4.38% in 2023, and 5.06% in 2022. The stepdown trend reflects employers catching up with inflation while managing costs.
46. Projected average pay increase for 2026 is 2.96%, according to the CIPD-IRN survey. Construction is projected to lead at 6.35%, while IT follows at 4.17%.
47. 58% of professionals received a pay increase in 2025, with an average rise of 6% — well above the overall advertised wage growth rate. High performers are being rewarded disproportionately.
48. 83% of employers raised salaries in the past year (Hays), up from 79% in 2024. The trend of near-universal pay movement suggests competitive pressure remains intense.
49. 44% of employees are now unhappy with their salary, a notable jump from 34% the year before. Even as pay rises, employee expectations are outpacing actual increases.
50. 47% of professionals believe their pay does not reflect their responsibilities. This misalignment between effort and compensation is a key driver of voluntary turnover.
51. Ireland’s gender pay gap stands at approximately 7% in 2025 — largely unchanged in recent years. While below the EU28 average, its persistence highlights the need for structural remedies.
52. Men in Ireland reported average pay rises of 6.5% versus 5.4% for women in 2025, widening the earnings gap despite new mandatory reporting requirements.
53. The national minimum wage increased to €14.15/hour from January 2026, up from €13.50 in 2025. This forms part of a government roadmap to introduce a living wage of 60% of median earnings by 2026.
54. Average hourly earnings grew to €31.72 in Q1 2025, a 5.9% year-on-year increase and a 28.1% total rise since Q1 2020. Strong growth in earnings reflects Ireland’s competitive labour market over the past five years.
55. Median Dublin salary advertised close to €60,000, roughly 9% above the national median. Location premium remains real, though regional cities are closing the gap as hybrid work spreads.

---

🤖 AI & Technology in Recruitment

56. 47% of employers are using AI to draft job adverts — nearly half of all Irish recruiters are already leveraging generative AI in their hiring communications.
57. 44% use AI for recruitment analytics, enabling data-driven decision-making and performance tracking across the hiring funnel.
58. 43% use AI to manage applicant databases, automating a previously manual and time-consuming process that can significantly speed up hiring.
59. 35% use AI to schedule interviews with candidates. Automation of scheduling represents one of the most immediate efficiency gains for recruitment teams.
60. 64% of candidates agree that AI makes the recruitment process more efficient. Candidate receptiveness to AI-assisted hiring is higher than many employers assume.
61. AI-related roles accounted for around 11% of all job postings in Ireland as of end-November 2025 — high by international standards given the country’s tech concentration.
62. The adoption of AI tools among Irish workers grew 27% in the past year (Microsoft Work Trend Index 2025). Rapid adoption is reshaping job roles and skills requirements across industries.
63. 73% of Irish employers say AI integration is a priority for 2026 (CIPD). Yet full AI embedding in organisations remains below 6%, revealing a large execution gap.
64. 91% of board-level executives use AI regularly, compared to just 39% of non-managerial staff. This digital divide means the benefits of AI are not yet reaching front-line workers.
65. 41% of workers say AI helps them work smarter, while a similar proportion believe it will accelerate their careers. Optimism about AI’s professional impact is broadly held but unevenly distributed.

---

🏠 Remote & Hybrid Working

66. 71% of candidates would consider leaving a job if it didn’t support flexible working. Flexibility has become non-negotiable for a majority of the Irish workforce.
67. 47% of jobseekers would turn down an opportunity that doesn’t offer hybrid or fully remote options (IrishJobs). Inflexibility in working model is now a direct barrier to hiring success.
68. 41% of candidates rule out roles without flexible options, according to E-Frontiers’ 2026 market review. Employers ignoring this signal risk losing a large share of the available talent pool.
69. Ireland ranks #2 in Europe for hybrid job postings, with 37.7% of LinkedIn postings offering hybrid work as of August 2024. Ireland’s flexible work culture is a genuine competitive differentiator.
70. 8.4% of Irish job postings on LinkedIn offer fully remote working. Remote availability sits below hybrid, but remains well above European averages.
71. 45% of Irish professionals are hybrid, 15% are fully remote, and 40% are fully onsite (Hays Ireland, 2024). The majority of Irish workers now operate in flexible models.
72. 987,800 people work from home at least some of the time in Q3 2025 — roughly 35% of the workforce. Remote work is a permanent feature of Ireland’s labour market, not a pandemic anomaly.
73. 557,800 workers usually (over half the time) work from home in Q3 2025, down from a peak of 846,700 in Q1 2021. Hybrid has displaced fully remote as the dominant flexible model.
74. Remote/hybrid job postings climbed to post-pandemic highs in late 2025, despite many large employers pushing return-to-office mandates. Market forces are overriding corporate policy.
75. ~1,350,000 jobs in Ireland could theoretically be performed remotely, but over 350,000 of those remain exclusively onsite due to policy gaps or employer resistance.

---

🌍 International Hiring & Employment Permits

76. 39,390 employment permits were issued in 2024 — a 27% increase over 2023’s 30,981. Record international hiring reflects structural domestic labour shortages that cannot be filled locally.
77. 31,044 permits were issued in 2025, a 21% decline from 2024. This reduction likely reflects both policy adjustments and a modestly cooler labour market, not a drop in underlying demand.
78. Health & Social Work received 12,501 permits in 2024 — 32% of all permits issued. Ireland’s healthcare system is critically dependent on international recruitment for its day-to-day operations.
79. The ICT sector received 6,788 permits in 2024 — the second-highest of any industry. Tech skills remain so scarce domestically that international hiring is a structural necessity.
80. Agriculture (3,625 permits), Hospitality (3,358), and Financial Services (2,318) round out the top sectors by permit volume. Seasonal and service sector dependence on international workers remains high.
81. ~65,000 people are currently working in Ireland on active employment permits. This cohort represents a significant and growing segment of Ireland’s workforce.
82. Indian nationals received 13,566 permits in 2024 — the largest by nationality, followed by Brazilians (4,553) and Filipinos (4,049). South Asia and Latin America are Ireland’s primary international talent sources.
83. 7,900+ health sector permits were issued in 2025, including nurses and healthcare assistants. International health worker recruitment remains the largest single stream of employment permits.
84. Ireland’s Programme for Government (2025) targets the creation of 300,000 new jobs by 2030. Achieving this amid near-full employment means international recruitment must play an even greater role.
85. The Employment Permits Act 2024 now allows permit holders to change employers after just 9 months (previously longer), improving worker mobility and making Ireland more attractive to international candidates.

---

📈 Sector & Regional Highlights

86. Construction employment surged 18.4% in Q2 2025 (+29,600 people) — the largest sectoral gain. Government infrastructure investment and housing targets are creating sustained demand.
87. Transportation & Storage saw employment grow 15.9% in Q3 2025 (+18,800 people). Supply chain investment and e-commerce growth are transforming Ireland’s logistics sector.
88. ICT employment fell 7.0% in Q4 2025, losing 12,700 jobs. The drop may reflect automation displacement, cost reductions among multinationals, and consolidation in the tech sector.
89. Dublin job postings remain ~12% below pre-pandemic baseline as of January 2026, while Cork, Galway, Kildare, and Limerick all remain above. Dublin’s tech-heavy mix has been disproportionately impacted by sector-wide softening.
90. Dublin ended 2025 on an upswing with 4% month-on-month posting growth, narrowing the gap with regional cities. A recovery in Dublin’s jobs market could strengthen the national picture through 2026.
91. Ireland hosts the European HQs of Apple, Google, Meta, LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Microsoft, with 1,700+ FDI companies employing 300,000+ people. The multinational base amplifies both demand and international skills shortages.
92. IDA Ireland reported a record year of investments in 2025, with strong commitments in R&D, AI, and sustainability across regions. This seeds specialist roles outside Dublin as projects become operational.

---

👥 Candidate Behaviour & Job Seeker Trends

93. 21% of professionals were actively job-searching in September 2025. Despite market cooling, a significant share of the workforce remains mobile and open to new opportunities.
94. Nearly 30% of professionals intend to look for a new job in 2026. Anticipation of an improving market is driving job-search intent, which will intensify competition among employers.
95. 38% of Irish workers changed roles in 2025, up from 23% the prior year and 19% in 2023. This marks Ireland’s most volatile labour market in three years, driven by both ambition and dissatisfaction.
96. Workplace happiness fell 13% to 65% in 2025, creating a fertile environment for talent churn. Engagement and culture have become measurable business risks for Irish employers.
97. Burnout levels improved to a three-year low of 39% in 2025, but 30% of workers plan to seek more flexibility in the coming year. Flexibility remains the leading driver of career decision-making.
98. 88% of employees are satisfied with how their skills are being utilised in their current role. This high satisfaction level means most employees feel valued — but the 12% who don’t represent a significant retention risk.
99. 92% of job seekers say they would be more likely to apply for a role if the salary is listed upfront. Salary transparency is fast becoming a prerequisite for attracting applications.
100. 80% of professionals believe organisations should be open about their compensation structures. Public pressure and EU legislation are converging to make pay transparency unavoidable.
101. Salary transparency progress has stalled, but incoming EU Pay Transparency Directive legislation is set to dramatically change how companies in Ireland disclose pay in 2026 and beyond.
102. 59% of private sector employers plan to increase pay in 2026, while 26% have yet to decide. The uncertainty reflects genuine concern about economic headwinds and cost pressures.

---

📉 Economic Context & Macro Indicators

103. Ireland’s domestic economy is projected to grow 3% in 2026 (Central Bank of Ireland), providing a stable macroeconomic backdrop for hiring activity even as global uncertainty persists.
104. Estimated domestic demand growth was 3.9% in 2025, partially inflated by multinational intangibles investment. Adjusted for this distortion, the underlying economy is healthy but decelerating.
105. Irish job postings remain 7% above pre-pandemic baseline as of January 9, 2026, despite having fallen sharply from 2022 peaks. Structural demand for labour remains intact.
106. Inflation in Ireland is expected to average close to 2% in 2026 (CSO/ESRI). Easing price pressures reduce the urgency of large pay rises, giving employers more room to manage compensation costs.
107. The ECB deposit rate was lowered to 2% by end-2025, and is expected to remain low through 2026. Lower borrowing costs support business investment and, consequently, hiring.
108. Foreign interest in Irish jobs reached an eight-year high in 2024 (Indeed), offering employers a larger pool of international applicants to address domestic skills gaps.

Conclusion

The recruitment landscape in Ireland in 2026 reflects a labour market balancing strong employment levels, persistent skills shortages, technological transformation, and evolving workforce expectations. As highlighted throughout these Top 108 Recruitment Statistics, Data & Trends in Ireland in 2026, employers face both significant hiring challenges and emerging opportunities to attract, develop, and retain skilled professionals in an increasingly competitive environment.

With employment reaching a record 2,833,100 people in Q4 2025 and unemployment standing at approximately 5.0% at the end of 2025, Ireland continues to demonstrate considerable labour market resilience. However, the fact that 83% of employers find the talent market challenging and 76% experience difficulties filling vacancies due to skills shortages underscores the importance of proactive workforce planning, targeted recruitment strategies, and investment in employee development.

One of the most significant Irish recruitment trends in 2026 is the growing integration of artificial intelligence into hiring processes. With 47% of employers using AI to create job advertisements, 44% leveraging recruitment analytics, and 43% employing AI for applicant database management, technology is becoming an increasingly important component of modern talent acquisition. Organisations that combine AI-powered recruitment tools with effective human decision-making will be better positioned to improve hiring efficiency, enhance candidate experiences, and reduce recruitment bottlenecks.

Meanwhile, salary competitiveness, workplace flexibility, and employee retention remain central to recruitment success. Ireland’s advertised median gross salary reached €54,928 in 2025, while 44% of employees expressed dissatisfaction with their compensation. Additionally, 71% of candidates indicated they would consider leaving positions that lack flexible working arrangements. These findings highlight the growing importance of transparent salary structures, competitive benefits, hybrid working opportunities, and meaningful career progression.

Sector-specific talent shortages will also continue influencing Ireland’s hiring outlook for 2026. Healthcare, construction, engineering, cybersecurity, and specialist technology roles face substantial recruitment pressures, creating opportunities for employers to strengthen domestic talent pipelines and expand international recruitment. With 31,044 employment permits issued in 2025, overseas talent remains an important contributor to addressing Ireland’s workforce requirements.

Looking ahead, the Irish recruitment market is forecast to grow by 6% in 2026, supported by infrastructure investment, economic development, specialist hiring demand, and ongoing workforce transformation. However, organisations must remain adaptable as economic uncertainty, changing employment patterns, and emerging skills requirements reshape recruitment priorities.

For employers and HR professionals, the key to successful recruitment in Ireland lies in adopting data-driven hiring strategies, improving recruitment efficiency, offering competitive compensation, and building attractive workplace cultures. For recruitment agencies, opportunities exist in specialist talent acquisition, international recruitment, skills-based hiring, and flexible workforce solutions. Meanwhile, job seekers can strengthen their career prospects by developing in-demand technical and interpersonal skills, embracing emerging technologies, and targeting industries experiencing sustained talent shortages.

Ultimately, these 108 Ireland recruitment statistics and hiring trends for 2026 demonstrate that recruitment success is no longer determined solely by filling vacancies. It increasingly depends on understanding workforce expectations, anticipating skills gaps, leveraging recruitment technology, and creating sustainable talent strategies.

As Ireland’s labour market continues to evolve, businesses that prioritise adaptability, innovation, employee experience, and strategic workforce planning will be best positioned to attract top talent, strengthen employee retention, and achieve long-term recruitment success in 2026 and beyond.

If you find this article useful, why not share it with your hiring manager and C-level suite friends and also leave a nice comment below?

We, at the 9cv9 Research Team, strive to bring the latest and most meaningful data, guides, and statistics to your doorstep.

To get access to top-quality guides, click over to 9cv9 Blog.

To hire top talents using our modern AI-powered recruitment agency, find out more at 9cv9 Modern AI-Powered Recruitment Agency.

People Also Ask

What are the latest recruitment statistics in Ireland for 2026?

Ireland’s recruitment market in 2026 reflects strong employment, persistent skills shortages, and increasing AI adoption. Employment reached 2.83 million in Q4 2025, while 83% of employers reported challenges finding suitable talent.

What is the unemployment rate in Ireland in 2026?

Ireland’s unemployment rate ended 2025 at approximately 5.0%, following a low of 3.9% in February 2025. These figures provide a baseline for understanding unemployment trends and recruitment conditions in 2026.

How many people are employed in Ireland in 2026?

Ireland recorded approximately 2,833,100 employed people in Q4 2025, representing a record high. Employment growth continues to support recruitment activity across healthcare, construction, technology, financial services, and other industries.

What are the biggest recruitment trends in Ireland in 2026?

Major Irish recruitment trends include AI-powered hiring, skills-based recruitment, salary transparency, hybrid working, international talent acquisition, and specialist recruitment in healthcare, engineering, construction, and technology.

What percentage of Irish employers plan to hire in 2026?

Approximately 89% of employers surveyed by Hays planned to recruit within the following 12 months, while 24% of employers in another survey intended to increase hiring in 2026.

What are the biggest hiring challenges in Ireland in 2026?

The biggest recruitment challenges include skills shortages, lengthy hiring processes, salary competition, and changing candidate expectations. Approximately 83% of Irish employers reported finding the talent market challenging.

What is the average time-to-hire in Ireland?

The reported median time-to-hire in Ireland is approximately 10 weeks across industries. Additionally, 66% of employers identified longer recruitment timelines as a significant hiring challenge.

Which industries have the highest recruitment demand in Ireland?

Healthcare, construction, engineering, cybersecurity, life sciences, and specialist technology roles face substantial talent demand. Construction employment increased by 18.4% in Q2 2025, reflecting strong workforce requirements.

What is the average salary in Ireland in 2026?

Ireland’s advertised median gross salary reached approximately €54,928 in 2025. Average weekly earnings stood at €1,026.20 in Q1 2025, representing a 5.6% annual increase.

What is the minimum wage in Ireland in 2026?

Ireland’s national minimum wage increased to €14.15 per hour on January 1, 2026, compared with €13.50 in 2025. The increase affects payroll costs and compensation planning for employers.

How much are salaries expected to increase in Ireland in 2026?

The CIPD-IRN survey projected an average private-sector pay increase of 2.96% in 2026. Construction was expected to lead with 6.35% salary growth, followed by information technology at 4.17%.

Which jobs pay the highest salaries in Ireland?

Senior Finance Managers recorded median advertised salaries of approximately €100,000 in 2025. Technology and finance positions also offered competitive compensation, with sector median advertised salaries around €80,000.

How severe are skills shortages in Ireland in 2026?

Skills shortages remain a major recruitment concern. ManpowerGroup reported that 76% of Irish employers struggled to fill vacancies due to talent shortages, particularly in specialist and technical occupations.

What skills are most in demand in Ireland in 2026?

In-demand skills include cybersecurity, software development, engineering, healthcare expertise, construction trades, life sciences, and AI-related capabilities. Employers increasingly prioritise specialised technical knowledge.

How is artificial intelligence changing recruitment in Ireland?

AI is transforming recruitment through automated job advertisements, applicant management, analytics, and interview scheduling. Approximately 47% of employers use AI to draft job advertisements, while 44% use it for recruitment analytics.

What percentage of Irish employers use AI in recruitment?

Reported AI adoption varies by recruitment activity. Approximately 47% use AI for job advertisements, 44% for recruitment analytics, 43% for applicant databases, and 35% for interview scheduling.

Are AI jobs increasing in Ireland in 2026?

AI-related positions accounted for approximately 11% of Irish job postings by November 2025. Growing investment in artificial intelligence and digital transformation continues to influence specialist recruitment requirements.

How popular is remote working in Ireland?

Approximately 987,800 people worked from home at least occasionally in Q3 2025, representing roughly 35% of Ireland’s employed workforce. Hybrid arrangements remain an important feature of the labour market.

What percentage of Irish employees work remotely or hybrid?

According to Hays Ireland’s 2024 figures, approximately 45% of professionals worked hybrid, 15% worked fully remotely, and 40% worked entirely onsite. Working arrangements vary considerably by occupation and industry.

Do Irish job seekers prefer flexible working arrangements?

Yes. Approximately 71% of candidates would consider leaving a job without flexible working arrangements, while 47% of job seekers would reject opportunities lacking hybrid or fully remote options.

How important is salary transparency in Ireland’s recruitment market?

Salary transparency is increasingly important. Approximately 92% of job seekers said they would be more likely to apply when salaries are advertised, while 80% supported greater openness about organisational compensation structures.

What is the gender pay gap in Ireland?

Ireland’s reported gender pay gap stood at approximately 7% in 2025. Men received average salary increases of 6.5%, compared with 5.4% for women, highlighting continuing differences in compensation outcomes.

How many employment permits does Ireland issue to foreign workers?

Ireland issued approximately 31,044 employment permits in 2025, compared with 39,390 in 2024. International recruitment remains important for addressing domestic skills shortages, particularly in healthcare and technology.

Which nationalities receive the most Irish employment permits?

Indian nationals received the most Irish employment permits in 2024, with 13,566 issued. Brazilian nationals followed with 4,553 permits, while Filipino nationals received 4,049.

Is healthcare recruitment growing in Ireland?

Healthcare remains a major recruitment priority. The dataset identifies approximately 7,500 HSE vacancies, including more than 3,400 nursing positions, highlighting substantial demand for qualified healthcare professionals.

What are the recruitment trends in Ireland’s construction industry?

Ireland’s construction industry faces significant workforce shortages. Employment increased by 18.4% in Q2 2025, while projections suggest approximately 50,000 additional construction workers will be required by 2030.

What is the outlook for technology recruitment in Ireland in 2026?

Technology recruitment presents mixed signals. ICT employment declined by 7.0% in Q4 2025, but demand for cybersecurity, AI, and specialist digital capabilities continues to create recruitment opportunities.

Why are Irish employees changing jobs in 2026?

Salary dissatisfaction, career development, workplace flexibility, and organisational culture influence job changes. Approximately 38% of Irish workers changed roles in 2025, while 44% expressed dissatisfaction with their salaries.

What is the recruitment industry growth forecast for Ireland in 2026?

Ireland’s recruitment market is forecast to grow by approximately 6% in 2026. Specialist talent demand, infrastructure investment, international recruitment, and workforce transformation are expected to support industry activity.

How can employers improve recruitment success in Ireland in 2026?

Employers can improve hiring outcomes through competitive salaries, transparent job advertisements, flexible working arrangements, AI-assisted recruitment, skills-based assessments, and stronger employee retention strategies.

Sources

Central Statistics Office (CSO)

IrishJobs

Indeed Hiring Lab

Hays Ireland

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)

Industrial Relations News (IRN)

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE)

E-Frontiers

ICE Jobs

ManpowerGroup Ireland

Silicon Republic

RTÉ

Eurostat

Trading Economics

TechHeads Ireland

Edstellar

Steering Point

Grow Remote

GemPool

Morgan McKinley

Parakar

The Irish Times