Surge in job openings met with sharp rise in jobseeker activity
Salary movement has also become more restrained across many disciplines, while office attendance expectations have tightened, particularly in Dublin Photographer: Eliot J. Schechter/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Professional job openings across Ireland soared at the beginning of this year, rising by over 16% compared to the final three months of 2025, new figures from Morgan McKinley's Irish Employment Monitor has found.
A significant jump in openings was also met with a sharp rise in jobseeker activity, which rose by 36% compared to the previous quarter and 19% on an annual basis, reflecting a market with stronger movement, but also more competition and more scrutiny around hiring decisions.
Despite the increase in activity, the McKinley said the market remains "measured rather than expansive," with employers continuing to hire across much of the professional landscape, but with greater caution. This includes longer hiring processes, tighter control over permanent headcount, a stronger emphasis on sector specific experience, immediate capability, and long-term fit.
Salary movement has also become more restrained across many disciplines, the monitor reported, while office attendance expectations have tightened, particularly in Dublin and in more structured or regulated environments.
"The first quarter showed a clear increase in activity, but it was not a straightforward return to confidence," said Trayc Keevans, global foreign direct investment director at Morgan McKinley.
"Across sectors, employers applied greater scrutiny to permanent appointments, interview processes became longer, salary expectations were tested earlier and in office requirements increased."
Ms Keevans said geopolitical uncertainty is also influencing behaviour, though not in a uniform way. "In some sectors, it is reinforcing caution around permanent headcount and increasing reliance on contract hiring. In others, it is heightening concern around supply chains, energy, cost control, and broader planning.
"It is not stopping recruitment, but it is clearly shaping how organisations think about resourcing, timing, and commitment."
In the technology sector, hiring continued in the first three months of 2026, but the market became narrower and more demanding. Demand has become more concentrated around core technical and AI aligned capabilities, with employers prioritising software engineering, data, ETL, project delivery, governance and risk and professionals who can work confidently with AI-enabled tools.
In financial services, hiring remained active, the monitor reported, but highly selective, and it is still primarily a permanent led market. Demand stayed concentrated around governance, control and regulatory driven roles across banking, insurance, wealth management, funds, and fintech," Ms Keevans said.
In life sciences and engineering, activity increased, but permanent hiring became slower, tougher, and more selective. The monitor found that new budgets, contractor demand and continued global demand for life sciences products all supported the market, with automation, validation and process roles continuing to drive activity.
In construction, demand remained strong, but the market is under growing strain, according to McKinley. Long-term residential and infrastructure pipelines are still supporting activity, but acute shortages persist across core disciplines and planners remain especially difficult to secure.
Ms Keevans said contract hiring still dominates because of the project based nature of the sector, while permanent salaries have stayed broadly stable and contract rates have edged up. Rising material costs, particularly concrete, are putting pressure on delivery, and wider geopolitical instability is increasing concern around supply chains, energy, and project viability.
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