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%.

One of the sectors which saw the steepest decline in hiring ads was accounting and finance - a sector seen as exposed to tariffs - where the number of job postings plummeted almost 40% last year.

“2025 was a challenging year for the Irish jobs market, with multiple headwinds creating a lot of uncertainty for companies to deal with," said FRS Recruitment general manager Lynne McCormack. 

Amid the cautious approach, a large number of temporary opportunities became available as employers sought short-term solutions without increasing their permanent headcount. Cork proved to be the busiest area in the country, offering a much higher number of temporary jobs in 2025. FRS Recruitment saw a 40% increase in postings for temporary roles in the industrial and commercial sectors in 2025, driven by higher demand for general operatives, forklift drivers, and general driving roles. 

Overall, the construction sector bucked the overwhelming trend in the jobs market with a 20% increase in postings in 2025. The main roles sought were for quantity surveyors, with emerging demand for candidates with experience of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and Building Information Modelling (BIM). The busiest areas were Cork and Galway.

The FRS report is forecasting the Irish jobs market will rebound in 2026. A survey of recruiters nationally predicts a 6% increase in advertised vacancies in 2026, with Cork expected to increase by 10%.

"Cork is expected to see renewed activity across engineering, business support, and financial services, underpinned by its deep manufacturing base, multinational presence, and a strong pipeline of project-led and professional roles as investment decisions resume," the report predicts.

"Dublin is likely to stabilise and recover as employers adapt to the post-uncertainty environment ... Waterford is forecast to benefit from renewed confidence in manufacturing, pharmaceutical and business support roles, supported by its growing industrial footprint and increasing attractiveness as a regional alternative to larger urban centres.

"Galway is expected to demonstrate further resilience, led by continued strength in engineering, financial services, and medical technology, providing a stable foundation for both technical and professional hiring." Limerick advertised vacancies are predicted to increase by 8%, Kerry advertised vacancies by 5%, Clare by 6%, and Tipperary by 4%.