Job-seeking activity also rose sharply, rising by more than a third compared to the same quarter last year.
Despite tough recruitment conditions, professional job openings across Ireland increased by 16.2pc in the first quarter of 2026, compared to the last quarter of 2025, finds the latest Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor.
Reflecting a market where high mobility, high competition and increased scrutiny around hiring decisions dominated the conversation, the report also found that job-seeking activity was up sharply, growing by 36pc quarter-on-quarter and 19pc year-on-year.
Despite the positive numbers however, Morgan McKinley’s report suggested that instead of growing, the market remains “limited” as employers hire across the profession with extreme caution. This is reflected in “lengthy recruitment processes, tight control of large numbers of people and a strong emphasis on sector-specific experience, quick energy and long-term relevance”.
The report also noted that wage mobility has been limited in many sectors, while expectations for office attendance have become tighter, particularly in Dublin and highly regulated areas.
Commenting on the report’s findings, Trayc Keevans, director of global foreign direct investment at Morgan McKinley, said: “The first quarter showed a clear increase in activity, but it was not a direct return of confidence.
“Employers continued to hire, but conditions remained moderate, decision-making took longer, and in many sectors the market became more selective and more employer-led. Strong demand was focused on regulatory, risk, transformational, flexible and delivery roles, rather than broad expansion.”
Hard times
Keevans explained, one of the defining features of Q1 was how the rise in activity failed to lead to a market with looser conditions, noting that “the opposite has often been true”. He said, in all sectors, many employers are found to be fully employed, too interview process and office requirements.
“At the same time, the movement of candidates rose, but the move no longer produces the kind of improvement that many experts would have expected in previous years. In many parts of the market, the balance has returned to employers,” he said.
Unsurprisingly, political instability has been found to have a negative effect on behavior, although not in the same way. In some areas, global uncertainty reinforces the warning about perpetual accounting and increasing reliance on it contract employment. In other sectors, the Morgan McKinley report revealed that there are growing concerns about supply chains, energy, cost control and comprehensive planning.
Keevans said, “It’s not stopping recruitment, but it’s clearly shaping how organizations think about getting resources, time and commitment.”
Industry wins and woes
In jobs in the life sciences and engineering areas it has been shown to have increased, as permanent employment grows slower, more stable and more selective and driven by investments in Industrial 4.0, the report found a growing demand for automation technology. There has been a corresponding increase in the demand for process engineering talent.
Keevans said, “But employers are taking longer to make permanent decisions, interview processes have become more rigorous and gaps in salary expectations are becoming more apparent.
He added, “Returning Irish workers, especially from Australia, are also helping to strengthen the talent pool. concerns about AI-generated CVs.”
In terms of the technology ecosystem, while hiring continued into Q1, Morgan McKinley’s research revealed that the market is shrinking, becoming more demanding. Especially in areas like “core technology and AI skills, employers are prioritizing software engineering, data, ETL, project delivery, governance and risk and professionals who can work confidently with AI-enabled tools.
He said, “AI capability is no longer a major advantage in this market and is increasingly becoming an expectation for many types of roles. At the same time, Dublin is more contract heavy, competition at the top level has intensified, counter offers remain the norm and reduced availability of hybrid and remote roles makes the market difficult for those with experience.”
Don’t miss out on the information you need to succeed. Sign up for Daily BriefSilicon Republic’s digest of must-know sci-tech news.
