Insight into the Employment Market:

2025 Update for Employers

Table of Contents

Ireland’s Labour Market at a Glance
Population Growth & Migration
Hiring Trends & Market Slowdown
Permit Data Reflects Sectoral Demand
Earnings and Nationality Breakdown
Public Sector Hiring & Wage Growth
Educated, Yet Underemployed
Hiring Strategy Advisory: Adjusting to Reality
1. Sources

The past few months have posed a unique challenge for employers developing business strategies. While investments in technology and acquisitions continue, the pressure to secure skilled staff remains a defining issue—particularly in a labour market operating at full capacity.

Ireland’s Labour Market at a Glance

According to the CSO, the unemployment rate in Ireland as of April 2025 was 4.1%, a minor drop from 4.4% in March. Here’s a snapshot of unemployment over the past six months:

Month	Unemployment Rate
April	4.1% ⬇️
March	4.4% (Revised)
February	4.4% (Revised) ⬆️
January	4.0% ⬇️
December	4.5% ⬆️
November	4.4%

These figures suggest a relatively consistent unemployment rate, indicating a labour market where most people who want to work are already working.

Population Growth & Migration

In the last 12 months, Ireland welcomed 149,200 immigrants, marking the highest annual migration since 2007. This included:

30,000 returning Irish citizens
27,000 other EU citizens
5,400 UK citizens
86,800 from other countries (including a large cohort of Ukrainians)

An average of 12,400 people now relocate to Ireland each month. While this has contributed to workforce stability, it has also brought challenges in integrating skilled workers into appropriate roles.

Hiring Trends & Market Slowdown

LinkedIn reports a -14% decline in hiring activity across Irish industries compared to global figures. Despite this slowdown, certain roles continue to dominate job boards:

Rank	Job Title	Jobs Posted (Q4 2024)	Q4 vs Q3 2024 Growth
1	Software Engineer	6,215	88%
2	Accountant	1,902	97%
3	Project Manager	1,614	49%
4	Electrical Engineer	1,300	115%
5	Salesperson	997	68%
6	Mechanical Engineer	963	123%
7	Nurse	947	130%
8	Account Manager	879	112%
9	Account Executive	835	88%
10	Financial Analyst	692	92%

Yet, we must ask—where are these new hires actually going?

Permit Data Reflects Sectoral Demand

In 2024, the Irish Government issued 39,390 employment permits (a 27% increase YoY), concentrated in sectors experiencing the most acute shortages:

Healthcare – over 12,500 permits
ICT – over 6,500 permits
Agriculture – 3,500+ permits
Accommodation & Food Services – 3,000+ permits

This influx includes highly qualified professionals, particularly in engineering and accountancy. However, many are being overlooked for roles in their field, often due to lack of Irish experience or unfamiliarity with local practices.

Earnings and Nationality Breakdown

As of November 2024:

Irish nationals held 76.6% of jobs in Irish-owned enterprises; 65.5% in foreign-owned.
Indian nationals had the highest non-Irish median weekly earnings.
Ukrainian nationals earned below the median for non-Irish workers.

Average Salary Ranges by Sector

Industry	Annual Salary Range (€)
Human Resources	€40,000 – €90,000+
Engineering	€45,000 – €85,000+
Construction	€40,000 – €80,000+
Accounting & Finance	€40,000 – €100,000+
Facilities Management	€35,000 – €70,000+
Supply Chain & Logistics	€40,000 – €80,000+
Office Support & Admin	€30,000 – €45,000
Legal	€50,000 – €120,000+
Medical	€45,000 – €110,000+
Software & IT	€50,000 – €120,000+

Salaries in Dublin continue to trend higher than elsewhere in the country.

Public Sector Hiring & Wage Growth

The public service workforce is projected to grow by 5.2% (19,567 jobs), with demand led by healthcare, construction, and IT roles. Contributing factors include:

The Public Sector Pay Agreement (2024–2026), guaranteeing 9.25% pay increases
Growth in apprenticeship registrations
Expansion of secondary teaching and care work roles

Educated, Yet Underemployed

While 58% of recent immigrants hold third-level qualifications, many work below their skill level due to barriers like:

Lack of local experience
Limited recognition of overseas qualifications
Work permit restrictions for non-EEA nationals

Eurostat reports that 41.4% of EU workers in Ireland are overqualified for their roles. This reflects underemployment, not a lack of ability.

Hiring Strategy Advisory: Adjusting to Reality

Let’s be candid: the perfect candidate most businesses imagine—fluent in your systems, a clone of the last person in the role, no onboarding needed—is likely already employed and not looking. And if you do lure them, it’ll come at a price, often with expectations that far outpace reality.

Meanwhile, there is a strong pool of qualified, educated, motivated candidates—many of whom are non-Irish—actively seeking work. They are often open to taking roles slightly below their previous positions to build Irish experience and address specific skill gaps. Yet many employers are overlooking them, resulting in entire sectors like healthcare, food services, and agriculture making the most of this available workforce.

If your role cannot be filled on a permanent basis due to permit restrictions or the right person simply not being on the market, consider temporary or contract solutions. By partnering with Hall Recruitment, we handle all vetting—work status, communication skills, experience—and if a candidate isn’t the right fit, we replace them without delay. You still conduct the interviews, but without the long-term risk or admin burden.

In 2025 and beyond, the businesses that succeed will be those that can adapt—not just to economic changes, but to the reality of the workforce. Flexibility, fairness, and a focus on potential over perfection will win out.

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Insight into the Employment Market: 2025 Update for Employers