Today Staffline Recruitment Ireland released our Salary Survey & Market Intelligence Report Q3 2026. This timely release follows the Irish Government Budget 2027 announcements earlier this week.
At Staffline, we want to ensure our clients are well equipped with practical market intelligence and workforce solutions to support informed recruitment decisions, effective workforce planning and more efficient workforce cost management.
Additionally, the report includes a concise Budget 2027 overview, highlighting the announcements most relevant to employers and talent. It also considers what they could mean for recruitment and the wider labour market over the year ahead.
Cautious but positive business outlook
Both our Q3 Report and wider market context indicate that despite challenging global geopolitics, business resilience remains constant.
The latest quarterly Business Barometer from Azets found that almost half of Irish businesses have deferred investment amid rising cost pressures, with energy prices a particular concern. In addition, 54% reported pausing hiring. Despite these challenges, business sentiment remains relatively positive, with close to nine in ten expecting growth over the next 12 months.
Our Q3 Salary Survey follows a similar pattern, with findings including:
- Hiring demand stabilised after weaker activity earlier in the year
- Specialist and technical skills continued to command a salary premium.
- Employers placed greater focus on retention, development and targeted pay.
- AI, automation and digital transformation continued to reshape skills demand.
What Budget 2027 means for employers
The Budget 2027 announcements present a new backdrop for workforce planning. While measures to address employment cost pressures were limited, investment in workforce participation and business incentives could broaden the availability of talent and ease recruitment pressures across key sectors.
Key announcements:
- National Minimum Wage: increasing by 5.6% from €14.15 to €14.94 per hour from January 2027. The weekly earnings threshold for the lower employer PRSI rate will also rise from €552 to €600, ensuring full-time employees on minimum wage will remain at the lower rate.
- Cost of doing business: reductions and deferrals to some carbon tax increases, alongside the extension of business investment incentives including the Employment Investment Incentive.
- Workforce participation: €2,500 increase to the standard income tax band and increases to tax credits, alongside a €550 monthly childcare fee cap for eligible children. These are intended to support take-home pay and reduce barriers to employment.
- Skills and AI: €150 million over three years from the National Training Fund will support AI-related upskilling and reskilling as demand grows for digital, cybersecurity, software and data skills.
Planning for 2027
As businesses assess the impact of Budget 2027, the challenge will be to balance cost control with the need to secure, develop and retain the skills required for growth.
At Staffline, we use our extensive experience across Ireland’s public and private sectors to help employers translate market intelligence into practical workforce decisions. From salary benchmarking and recruitment planning to flexible workforce solutions, we support clients in accessing the skills they need while managing workforce costs effectively.
Our commitment remains unchanged: Powering YOU at Every Level, helping businesses build stronger teams, unlock potential and achieve sustainable growth.
