A new report shows one in four construction jobs are vacant.
The study, carried out by Morgan McKinley, also found professional job vacancies were reduced by 17% in the last three months of 2022, compared to the previous three months.
Figures show new job opportunities coming to market in December were down 8% compared to December 2021, while the number of vacancies in November last year was up 38% on the year before.
The recruitment firm also found an overall increase of 5.4% in people looking for a new job at the end of last year.
Trayc Keevans, Global FDI Director, Morgan McKinley Ireland, said there will be a big focus on recruiting in the construction sector this year.
"We would hope to see an influx of talent coming from other areas. There are early indicators that some of the European projects of a trickle of talent coming back to Ireland, which is really welcome."
The recruitment also says flexibility continues to be a top priority for job hunters, with remote working for 2 to 3 days a week becoming an average offer by employers.
Ms Keevans said the housing crisis and rising cost of living are having an impact on hiring new talent.
"In some sectors, employers are paying for short-term accommodation, with some companies also starting to request local candidates only due to challenges in finding accommodation.
"This includes talent transferring across Ireland as there is a concern they will not be able to secure accommodation".
Morgan McKinley says many companies have reported difficulties in hiring newly qualified graduates due to a lack of affordable housing.
"New graduates are looking for opportunities overseas, so that's proving challenging for employers who are looking to hire early-stage talent."
