News
Summary of the latest report
The latest Report on Jobs showed a continued easing in labour market conditions at the start of 2026. Permanent placements fell again, though the decline was the slowest seen in more than a year, while temporary billings recorded a slight improvement following several months of weakness. Overall vacancies dropped once more, but the rate of contraction softened, with permanent roles still experiencing more pronounced declines than temporary ones. Candidate availability increased further but at the weakest pace in twelve months, driven primarily by redundancies and fewer job opportunities. Pay pressures strengthened, with both starting salaries and temporary wages rising as employers competed for skilled staff. Most sectors continued to report falling demand, although the degree of contraction varied, with some areas seeing more moderate declines than others.
Read the key findings to understand the impact on staff salaries, availability and sector trends.
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