Updated / 4th February 2026

The report, based on a survey, covered findings from October to December of 2025.

It noted that October continued with the higher levels of hiring activity registered in September, across all types of roles, including permanent, contract and temporary. From November, activity appears to have fallen among a proportion of recruiters, with permanent more mixed, contract-related hires down and temp hires more in line with the pre-summer period.

November and December were the only months in 2025 where no participating recruiters registered 50-plus permanent placements, the report noted.

Meanwhile, the increase in activity levels for permanent recruitment in September compared to the summer months (in both vacancies and placements), carried through to October.

November presented more of a mixed picture in terms of vacancies, despite a net positive balance for placements. Activity in December, however, was either stable or down, to a similar extent in the August survey.

In terms of contract hiring activity, just one in eight recruiters reported an increase in activity in December, the lowest level recorded in 2025.

As for temporary job vacancies, October saw a continuation of the higher level of temp recruitment activity recorded over the summer months, which then became more focused around a proportion of recruiters from August onwards. From November, levels appear more in-line with results recorded earlier in the year, while December vacancies were slightly reduced.

At the same time, those involved in temporary recruitment reported a net positive situation in both October and November. In contrast, December was quieter, particularly in terms of placements made.

Following the introduction of new minimum wage legislation in January 2025, rates of pay for temporary work are more stable, with an uptick in December.

The report also showed that new business activity in October and November was on par with the busier months of the year, with December seeing the lowest levels of signings this year.

The outlook regarding job vacancies over the next three months was positive throughout 2025, peaking in December with up to 62% of respondents considering it will improve. Regarding the supply of qualified candidates, one in two recruiters believe it will remain the same, with the remainder on the more optimistic side, the report noted.