State of the Market

[SussexSeagull]

Spot on.

No one will say it (for fear of being labelled racist) but over the past 7-8 years tens of thousands of experienced middle-aged IT people from the developing world have moved to the UK using the student visa route (buy a 1 year masters followed by a 2 year visa, then a work permit leading to ILR and a UK passport), as dependents of students (again on the route from visa to passport), on work permits from employers hiring from overseas, etc.

These people are moving to settle permanently and will come irrespective of what the economy is doing, how many jobs are available, etc. as their end goal is settling their family here and getting everyone a UK passport.

The sheer volume of IT folk making their way here has had a huge impact on the relatively small IT job market in the UK, it was bound to.

To be absolutely clear, I do not blame the immigrants who came over, they were simply responding to incentives, liberalised visa routes, etc. and looking to better the lives of their families. I’d do the same in their place.

Several people, me included, have successfully said similar without being accused of being racist. In fact the new government have commissioned a review.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...eering-sectors

[SchumiStars]

Any predictions when the market may improve? Feels like at least another 6mths from me.

[SussexSeagull]

Any predictions when the market may improve? Feels like at least another 6mths from me.

I would hope there would be a slight bounce in the next few weeks with the kids going back to school but I really can't predict when a long term improvement may happen, if ever.

[oliverson]

Any predictions when the market may improve? Feels like at least another 6mths from me.

I think you're right. I can't see any improvement while we have this budget looming and whilst there's the US election to come. I'd write this year off and say Q2 2025. But of course, it all depends on what's in the budget!

[willendure]

Any predictions when the market may improve? Feels like at least another 6mths from me.

18 months minimum

[dsc]

Any predictions when the market may improve? Feels like at least another 6mths from me.

Personally I can't see much hope, I think this is the new market, lowest pay / rates possible, limited amount of jobs. The only way for improvement would be a crazy amount of new projects, but where from? AI boom was promising, but they it turned out you need to have brains to actually do the work, so that's most people out. Companies are trying to fake growth, sacking whoever has not been yet sacked and seeing if it affects the running of the business and at the same time saving money and saying look how much profit we have.

[avonleigh]

Any predictions when the market may improve? Feels like at least another 6mths from me.

March 2026. Might be some dead cat bounces in between.

[escapeUK]

18 months minimum

Depends if something happens to get rid of Labour, otherwise its going to be a long 5 year depression, with spiraling taxes. sky high inflation and no work.

[TwoWolves]

March 2026. Might be some dead cat bounces in between.

I can't see any basis for any improvement in the job market for the foreseeable future. This is it, endgame while we await the collapse.

The funny thing is that the project I'm running has been recruiting and the candidates have been woeful. Everyone is totally thick, 10,000 Indians with fraudulent CVs - one was even using AI in the interview. We have entered some parallel universe where everything is just stupid and pointless while the cost of living soars and rates flatline.

[SpliterOfLogs]

I can't see any basis for any improvement in the job market for the foreseeable future. This is it, endgame while we await the collapse.

The funny thing is that the project I'm running has been recruiting and the candidates have been woeful. Everyone is totally thick, 10,000 Indians with fraudulent CVs - one was even using AI in the interview. We have entered some parallel universe where everything is just stupid and pointless while the cost of living soars and rates flatline.

I was speaking to the chap in charge of recruitment at the place I'm working and he said the same thing, the standard of candidates has been terrible, so bad in fact that they have given up advertising roles and moved to only recruiting by recommendation.