The Key Highlights

Amongst high-skilled workers, freelancers working in the project economy vastly outnumber those working in the gig economy by a ratio of 7 to 1.  Furthermore, the earnings of independent contractors in the project economy continue to surpass those of the gig economy and over the last year this gap has grown significantly.  In 2024, high-skilled contractors engaged in project-based roles earned an average daily rate of €587, while those working on a task or gig basis had an average daily rate of €442. Annual earnings for project-based contractors averaged €124,823, 32% higher than the €94,498 earned by task-based contractors. This earnings gap has widened significantly from the 11% differential reported for 2023.

Project-based work, is centred on innovation and business transformation, drives economic growth and as such provides contractors with valuable insights into business trends. From their perspective, the outlook for the Irish economy looks good for 2025, even though 48% of contractors believe the Trump presidency will have a negative effect on contract work. Project-based contractors, have a confidence index score of +18, while gig-based contractors also show growing optimism in relation to the economy with their score increasing to +12 up from +7 in 2024.  In terms of confidence in their own business sectors, both project-based and gig-based high skilled independent contractors expect their business to do better in 2025 than 2024 with confidence index scores of +28 and +16 respectively.   

Contracting is increasingly popular among women, particularly younger women, with 81% choosing self-employment voluntarily compared to 76% of men. For the first time, female contractors earn a higher average daily rate €565 than their male counterparts €548.  Female average annual earnings are still lower than male annual earnings as women work fewer days than men per annum. Female average annual earnings were at €114,705 and male average annual earnings were at €119,069, narrowing the gender pay gap in the contracting sector to 3.6%, significantly below the 6.9% gap in the wider Irish labour market. Overall, 84% of women in contracting report high levels of satisfaction, reflecting the sector’s appeal for its flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance.

Contracting enables greater workforce participation and retention, allowing individuals to remain active in the workforce beyond traditional employment.  Contracting helps retain talent within the country, extends productivity, and enhances economic value. It also addresses barriers to traditional employment, such as age, caregiving responsibilities, and limited part-time opportunities, offering individuals a flexible and inclusive pathway to participate in the workforce.
The rise in younger contractors signals a shift in the contracting landscape, with 36% of contractors now under 40, up from 28% in 2024. This demonstrates contracting’s growing accessibility and appeal to younger professionals.

The professional contracting sector values age and experience, providing significant opportunities for older professionals often unavailable in traditional employment. Contractors aged 60 and above report the highest average daily rate, highest level of life satisfaction (94%) and the lowest rate of burnout compared to younger peers. 10% of older respondents indicated they would retire if not self-employed, emphasising the sector’s role in enabling them to work longer, and contribute meaningfully to the economy. Supporting older professionals in self-employment therefore has a valuable economic and social impact.

Independent professionals prioritise saving for retirement, followed by goals like home ownership, debt repayment, and investment fund building. Other goals include supporting family needs, education, and managing living costs.
The majority 73% of respondents intend to fund their retirement using private pensions, while 33% will use the state pension, other reported strategies include stocks, equity investments, diversified portfolios, and savings, with growing interest in cryptocurrency and property ownership. Some plan to work part-time, invest post-debt, or rely on business ownership or inheritance.

This latest survey highlights that high skilled contractors are engaged across mainly dynamic industries, which require blended workforces that are agile and provide wider access to talent beyond that already provided by in-house employees. While clients value contractors for their ability to meet these challenges, barriers such as costs and unclear policies remain. Clients suggested improvements, including clearer legislation, better communication, and fairer treatment for contractors. Looking ahead, clients of contractors believe that critical skills like AI, cybersecurity, engineering, and leadership will be essential to achieving organisations’ goals, while they expect emerging policies around sustainability, auto-enrolment, and AI will shape future talent needs. Optimism remains strong, with confidence in both the contracting sector and the Irish economy for 2025.

• A Decrease in Daily Rates and Annual Earnings: The average daily rate for contractors fell by 3% year-on-year, from €571 in 2024 to €552 in 2025. Annual earnings fell by 5.9% in the project economy from €132,600 in 2023 to €124,832 in 2024 and by 21% in the gig economy, falling from €119,634 in 2023 to €94,498 in 2024.  While a significant driver of this decline is due to a larger percentage of younger freelancers in our survey this year (who secure the lowest day rates of all age cohorts), the reduction also indicates a more competitive environment for high skilled freelancers; especially in the gig economy.  However, despite these reductions,  the average earnings of high-skilled independent contractors is still 61% higher than those of equivalent employees (i.e. those in the same Standard Occupational Code SOC groupings).
• Gender and Industry Variations: Female contractors saw an 8% increase in their average daily rate €565 in 2025, while male rates declined by 5% to €548. Contractors in ICT and finance reported increased rates, with finance contractors earning the highest at €695 per day. Meanwhile, contractors in pharma, engineering, and medical locum industries experienced declines, though not across all demographics.
• Age-Related Pay Trends: Contractors 60 years and older continue to earn the highest daily rates affirming that the contracting sector values knowledge and experience.
• High Pay Satisfaction: Satisfaction with daily pay rate rose across most demographics in 2025, even though the average daily rate has declined slightly.
• Nuanced Pay Landscape:  While contractors typically earn more than equivalent employees the contracting pay landscape varies significantly by industry, gender, and age.
• High-skilled contracting is predominantly a career of choice: Over three quarters (78%) of high skilled independent contractors choose their career out of preference rather than necessity.  Earnings (77%) and job autonomy (69%) are the top two factors that motivate people to choose to become a high skilled independent contractor.  A total of 97% of contractors have a university degree or equivalent professional qualification.

Recruitment firms are strategically expanding their contract desks, with 48% expecting an increase in contractors on their books and 71% predicting a rise in contract roles in 2025, indicating strong growth potential in the contracting sector. While experienced clients face fewer concerns when hiring contractors, 62% of recruiters believe the government could provide more support, including promoting contracting as a viable employment option and clarifying employment structures, especially in light of the Domino’s case.

AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot dominate usage among independent professionals, with emerging tools like Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity gaining traction. While some contractors avoid AI due to industry restrictions or a perceived lack of necessity, many are in the early stages of adoption or planning future implementation. AI is most commonly used for content creation, research, and communication, with moderate usage for technical tasks like coding and data analysis, and less frequent use for creative and design tasks. Contractors believe AI cannot replace human creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. To complement AI effectively, professionals emphasise the need to develop problem-solving, communication, adaptability, and ethical decision-making skills. Successful integration requires understanding AI’s limitations, crafting precise prompts, and applying human judgment to validate outputs. Independent professionals view AI as a powerful tool to enhance, not replace, human work.

The 2025 confidence index reveals an overall positive outlook for the Irish economy +17, showing slight improvement from 2024 +16. Contractors are highly optimistic about the future of the contracting sector, with a confidence score of +26, reflecting strong confidence across demographics and industries.

• By Sector: Confidence varies significantly by industry. ICT contractors express the highest confidence in the sector +31, while Medical Locum contractors report the lowest +4. Pharma contractors show the highest confidence in the Irish economy +18, while engineering reports the lowest +2.
• By Gender: Male contractors exhibit higher confidence in the contracting sector +27 compared to females +25. Similarly, males have greater confidence in the Irish economy +18 than females +13.
• By Generation: Millennials are the most optimistic generation about both the contracting sector +28 and the Irish economy +18. Boomers are the least confident, with confidence scores of +22 for the contracting sector and +15 for the economy.
• Recruiters, Clients, and Contractors: Recruiters express the highest confidence in the contracting sector +37, followed by clients +27 and contractors +26. For the Irish economy, clients lead with a confidence score of +22, followed by recruiters +19 and contractors +17.

These findings indicate a broadly positive sentiment toward the contracting sector and Irish economy

Recruiters emphasise the importance of independent professionals aligning their upskilling efforts with the most in-demand skills to meet client needs in 2025.

• AI and Data Skills – Expertise in AI, machine learning, and data analytics to drive digital transformation.
• Project Management – Certifications like PMP and Agile, paired with leadership capabilities.
• Engineering Expertise – Skills in automation and validation, especially in pharma and med devices.
• Problem-Solving – Innovation and critical thinking to tackle complex challenges.
• IT and Cybersecurity – Proficiency in cloud technologies and cybersecurity tools.