Advertised job vacancies in Cork tumbled 28% in 2025, says survey

Construction sector bucked the overwhelming downward trend in jobs market

Lynne McCormack, general manager of FRS Recruitment. Job vacancies are expected the job ad recruitment market to rebound from a slump in 2025.

Rising employment costs and global economic uncertainty contributed to a 17% year-on-year fall in advertised job vacancies in 2025, with Cork vacancies tumbling 28%, a review of the recruitment market said.

The 2025 Review & 2026 Trends Forecast report produced by FRS Recruitment found that businesses focused on employment cost management by investing in automation and AI to fill job openings last year. The report found urban centres feeling the impact of employer caution, with cities recording notable year-on-year declines in advertised vacancies with Dublin down 20%; Galway down 25%; Cork down 28%; Waterford down 39%, and Limerick down 39%.