As Part of Our Service to Clients and Candidates, Link Personnel Services is Happy to Publish our Annual Salary Surveys for 2026.
Like this time last year, January 2026 has not moved the dial very much on earnings. In contrast, looking back on surveys since 2021, we have seen significant growth in wages, across all sectors. Of course, there are many reasons behind this growth, and it is by no means uniform across industries. Elevated cost of living, and a tight labour market have been the main drivers of higher pay overall. However, at the lower end of the salary scale a near 40% rise in the minimum wage since 2021, has no doubt had a knock-on effect on all salaries (though particularly administration, services, and graduate roles). Since we started our salary surveys, Link Personnel has accurately predicted wage growth in the economy year on year. While the final numbers from the CSO are not in, it looks like we will just miss the upper end of our estimate of 2.5-4.5% growth for 2025 – We expect final Q4 figures to confirm full year growth in the region of 4.6-4.8%.
What About 2026?
This year we assume a stable (but not non-existent) inflation picture, underpinned by lower energy prices, and a labour market in a more mature stage of growth. Despite more obvious dangers to the economy in 2026, we keep our prediction for wage growth relatively stable at 3-4.7%. This number belies a more complex picture when it comes to candidate preferences. At the lower salary scales, employers will have to raise offers, as pay is much more important to candidates trying to keep up with the cost of living. However, at higher pay scales there are diminishing returns from every extra Euro earned above a threshold. For those candidates, overall package and work life balance remain key. Employers who are cognisant of this when making offers will have the most success in 2026.
What Other Stories Will Affect the Labour Market, in Ireland, in 2026?
Greenland was certainly not a topic of conversation in boardrooms this time 12 months ago, so the old adage that predictions are hard, especially about the future must always be kept in mind! Tariffs severely affected investment in 2025, and will play some part this year, though the worst disruption appears to be over. Business loves certainty. The less of it we get, the more choppy employment waters will be. AI will face a put up or shut up moment this year, where we see if the massive investment to date will pay off for companies. Regardless, AI, automation and digital transformation will play a bigger role this year than in previous times. To respond to these developments, Link Personnel has expanded much further into this space, upskilling staff appropriately. We now recruit for Tech, AI and Cyber Security roles across professional services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Auto Enrolment and the EU Pay Transparency Directive will increase the administrative burden for companies this year, though it remains to be seen how big an impact the former will have on hiring. Finally, hybrid work continues to be a game of give and take. Employers have not fully made their mind up on what is best for their business, but just as business loves certainty, so do candidates. Our experience is that a stable, and generous hybrid policy remains a powerful tool in attracting staff.
For 2026, the Only Certainty is Uncertainty
The Irish economy has remained remarkably resilient on paper, but people don’t feel better off. That is a problem. Huge infrastructure bottlenecks remain which represent a massive danger to growth and quality of life. From this vantage point, Link Personnel sees moderating job growth this year, but we don’t expect anything cataclysmic to disrupt a relatively stable trajectory of job growth witnessed in recent years.
In 2026, Link Personnel has expanded to take advantage of new opportunities. If you have a requirement in the areas of IT, Cyber Security or AI Engineering, we would love to help. We have accelerated our adoption of new programmes and processes we believe will help match clients and candidates, in a cost effective and efficient way, throughout 2026. We stand ready to provide our help, expertise and analysis to candidates and clients alike and we look forward to working with you throughout the rest of this year and beyond. Please feel free to contact me to discuss the market in general or your industry specifically.
Cormac Spencer
01 845 4651
cormac@linkpersonnel.ie
Please feel free to contact me to discuss the market in general or your industry specifically.
