Ireland’s Employment Boom
As we approach midyear, Ireland’s labour market continues to demonstrate exceptional strength and resilience, underpinned by near-full employment and sustained economic growth. With the unemployment rate at just 4% in March 2025 (significantly lower than the EU average of 6.1%), Irish businesses face a highly competitive hiring landscape.
Key trends we’re seeing:
Record Employment Levels: Over 2.77 million people are now in employment, representing a year-on-year increase of 70,000.
Net Inward Migration of 79,300 in 2024, particularly from Ukraine and India, presents new opportunities to access skilled international talent.
Rising Female Participation: With over 1.3 million women now employed, female workforce engagement is at an all-time high, helping to narrow the gender gap.
Strong Wage Growth: Average weekly earnings rose by 5.6% in Q4 2024, underscoring the need for employers to remain competitive on pay and benefits.
Ireland Among Europe’s Top Earners: We now boast the 2nd highest minimum wage and 3rd highest average salary in the EU.
However, even amid this buoyancy, skills shortages remain acute in key sectors such as construction, nursing, accounting, software development, and engineering. This is where a strategic partnership with a recruitment agency becomes your competitive advantage. Our team is actively addressing these gaps by:
Leveraging local and international talent pipelines.
Using data-driven sourcing techniques.
Aligning with the evolving preferences of candidates, especially around hybrid work, which now accounts for 11–12% of job vacancies
In a tight labour market, timing, positioning, and access to the right candidates are everything. As always, we’re here to help you stay ahead.
If you’d like to discuss a proactive hiring strategy or how we can support your immediate talent needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
