The number of people working in science and technology jobs in Ireland has surged, but high tax rates and living costs are becoming a deterrent for international job seekers.
Tech jobs in Ireland are on the rise. The percentage of the workforce in science and technology jobs is now 29%, with numbers employed in the sector up 23% since 2010, and up 80% since 2000.
The job site Indeed’s latest research on the jobs market – Opportunities and Challenges for European Tech Employers – suggests that companies are finding it easier to hire the right people in the science and technology sectors.
However, a lot more that needs to be done for potential employees and employers to be satisfied.
“The skills gap in Ireland has narrowed in recent years, but it is still very clear to us that demand for staff with science and technology backgrounds is ahead of supply,” says Mariano Mamertino, an economist who produced the report.
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Tech jobs in Ireland – the talent battle
Ireland now has to compete with London, Berlin, Lisbon and other EU capitals to attract high-calibre tech employees. This is not made easy by soaring living costs and a dire accommodation market, particularly in Dublin.
“The main recurring piece of negative feedback we hear when speaking to potential [international] recruits is the relatively low-income level at which the highest rates of income tax kick in,” says Mamertino.
“The IDA has flagged this has an issue worth reviewing as the economy improves, and I think that is sensible,” he concludes.
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“The main recurring piece of negative feedback we hear when speaking to recruits is the relatively low-income level at which the highest rates of income tax kick in”
