8th July 2026
Vacancies are falling across Scotland, but the Highlands are seeing a sharper and earlier decline because rural labour markets are thinner and more exposed to sectoral shocks.
Highlands vacancy trend is Down 8–12% over the past quarter.
Scotland overall: Down 5–7%
UK: Vacancies at a five‑year low (705,000)
This means fewer opportunities appearing, slower recruitment, and more competition for available roles.
Highland Vacancy Levels by Area
A quick snapshot of the current direction of travel:
Caithness & Sutherland: Noticeable drop in retail, hospitality, and admin roles
Inverness: Still the strongest labour market, but slowing in customer‑facing sectors
Moray: Declines in food production and tourism vacancies
Ross‑shire: Construction remains strong; everything else cooling
Skye & Lochalsh: Seasonal hiring weaker than normal for July
Sector Breakdown — Where Vacancies Are Falling Fastest
Falling sharply
Retail — fewer shop roles, reduced hours, consolidation
Hospitality — fewer summer vacancies than normal
Tourism — operators hiring cautiously due to cost pressures
Small business services — admin, bookkeeping, reception roles down
Care sector — still hiring, but fewer new posts than last year
Holding steady or rising
Construction — driven by major Highland projects
Energy & engineering — offshore wind, grid upgrades, port work
Transport & logistics — stable demand due to supply‑chain pressures
Health & public sector — vacancies remain high but recruitment slow
Major Projects Supporting Highland Vacancies
These projects are keeping construction and engineering recruitment above national averages:
HMP Highland (Inverness)
Nairn Academy rebuild
Kishorn Port expansion
Offshore wind servicing and transmission upgrades
Moray West and Beatrice wind farm support work
These projects create real, anchored jobs — not the speculative ones often counted by enterprise agencies.
Small Business Vacancy Pressure
(Highlands‑specific)
Small businesses (1–9 employees) dominate rural Scotland. Nationally, small‑firm vacancies fell by 19,000 — and the Highlands feel this more intensely because:
fewer employers means each closure matters
seasonal hiring is weaker
margins are thin
rising energy and fuel costs reduce hiring confidence
This is why vacancy declines feel more visible in Wick, Thurso, Golspie, and Lairg than in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
What This Means for Highland Households
Short term
fewer job options appearing week‑to‑week
more competition for available roles
slower recruitment processes
more part‑time and seasonal roles instead of full‑time posts
Medium term
risk of labour‑market stagnation in retail and hospitality
continued strength in construction and energy
pressure on young people seeking local employment
increased reliance on public‑sector jobs
Highland Labour Market Outlook (Next 3–6 Months)
Based on current trends:
Vacancies likely to continue falling in retail, hospitality, and tourism
Construction and energy will remain the strongest sources of new jobs
Public sector will continue to advertise, but recruitment will be slow
Seasonal work will be weaker than normal due to cost pressures on employers
Small business hiring will remain subdued
The Highlands will see a two‑speed labour market: strong in infrastructure and energy, weak everywhere else.