Companies in France intend to increase hiring by 14.8% in 2019 when compared to last year, according to a survey from Pôle Emploi.

The survey, ‘Workforce Requirements of Enterprises’ shows 2.69 million recruitment projects in 2019, up 350,000 from last year and the highest level of recruitment projects observed since the beginning of the decade.

For the third year in a row, the construction sector posted the largest increase in hiring intentions (+ 26%) while the industrial sector saw a 20% increase in recruitment projects. Hiring intentions are also up 20% in the business services sector. Hiring intentions also increased 11% in trade and 8% in agriculture.

Pôle Emploi added that the need for manpower is increasing in all regions. In mainland France, the highest increases in hiring intentions were in the Pays de Loire (24.8%), Normandy (21.1%) and the Hauts de France (18.3%). 

Meanwhile, the survey also showed that French businesses say they are anticipating more difficulties in recruiting this year than in 2018. The increase in anticipated recruitment difficulties is particularly pronounced among establishments with more than 50 employees, although the level of recruitment difficulties remains higher among smaller establishments.