For newly and recently qualified Chartered Accountants, the 2026 job market is expected to be broadly optimistic, supported by continued demand across practice, industry, and financial services. While some organisations are taking a cautious approach due to cost‑efficiency pressures and economic uncertainty, the overall hiring landscape for early‑career ACAs remains robust.
Employers are increasingly focused on building strong talent pipelines, and ACA‑qualified professionals — particularly those within their first three years post‑qualification — continue to be viewed as high‑impact, high‑potential hires. This is driven by their technical excellence, adaptability, and ability to contribute to transformation initiatives from an early stage.
Although macro‑economic and geopolitical uncertainties persist, employers consistently prioritise finance talent capable of delivering governance, control, and operational efficiency. As a result, newly and recently qualified Chartered Accountants remain in steady demand, and the market outlook for 2026 at this level is positive.
Where newly and recently qualified ACAs are most in demand
Professional services
Firms are actively hiring newly qualified accountants into:
- Audit and assurance
- Advisory (deals, consulting, risk, restructuring)
- Outsourced finance solutions
- Tax (corporate, international, indirect)
Large practices continue to rely heavily on newly qualified talent as part of their growth strategies. Regional offices are also expanding, providing more opportunities outside Dublin and Belfast.
Large corporates and multinationals
After a slower period in 2024/2025, hiring has begun to normalise, particularly for:
- Financial accounting
- Internal audit and controls
- FP&A and commercial finance
- Global mobility and secondment programmes
Multinationals remain particularly attracted to ACA-trained early‑career accountants due to their technical grounding and strong reporting discipline.
SMEs and local businesses
There is sustained demand for new ACAs across:
- Manufacturing
- Agri-food
- Tech scale-ups
- Professional services
- Local industry in regional hubs
These roles often offer broader exposure and faster progression.
Where the roles will be located
Dublin
Newly qualified ACAs in Dublin will find strong demand in:
- Technology (including transformation and financial governance roles)
- Financial services (asset management, banking, insurance)
- Shared services/GBS centres
- Life sciences and pharmaceuticals
Finance teams are expanding due to regulatory pressures, transformation initiatives, and increased focus on data‑driven decision-making.
Regional Ireland
Regional recruitment increased notably in 2025 and is set to continue through 2026, driven by:
- Growth in professional services firms outside Dublin
- Investment in regional technology and manufacturing hubs
- Greater flexibility allowing hybrid roles based outside the capital
Northern Ireland
Belfast continues to offer strong routes for new ACAs, particularly in:
- Professional services
- Public sector transformation
- Tech and Fintech
- Manufacturing and engineering
The public sector continues to seek early‑career qualified accountants due to ongoing reform and transformation initiatives.
International opportunities
Newly qualified ACAs remain highly sought after globally, with strong demand in:
- Australia
- UAE
- Canada
- US
- Cayman Islands
Many of these markets recruit heavily at the newly qualified level due to the ACA’s international reputation.
Salary trends for newly and recently qualified ACAs
Salary growth has stabilised after inflation-driven increases in recent years. For 2026:
- Base salaries for newly qualified ACAs are expected to remain steady, with modest increases in high-demand sectors.
- FP&A, data analytics, advisory, and transformation-focused roles may carry salary premiums.
- Bonus structures remain attractive and tied to performance.
Benefits packages continue to evolve, with employers competing through:
- Increased annual leave
- Health and wellbeing supports
- Further flexibility options
A key point: newly qualified members increasingly choose roles based on hybrid working and work-life balance, not just salary.
Hybrid and remote working
Hybrid is now standard for most roles suitable for newly qualified ACAs. Typical arrangements:
- Two to three days per week in the office
- Fully remote roles continue to be rare but exist in isolated cases (mainly shared services or tech‑enabled roles)
- Early-career candidates may be encouraged to attend the office more frequently to accelerate learning and networking
Skills in highest demand for new and recent ACAs
- Technical strength
Still foundational and non‑negotiable:
- Strong IFRS/FRS102 reporting knowledge
- Quality monthly/quarterly close experience
- Governance, controls and audit discipline
- Data and digital literacy
Demand is accelerating for ACAs who can work with:
- Power BI or similar visualisation tools
- ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Workday)
- Automation platforms
- Finance transformation tools
These skills are becoming essential at newly qualified level - not differentiators.
- Communication and stakeholder skills
Particularly important as new ACAs move into:
- Business partnering
- Commercial finance
- Internal audit and transformation projects
- Project and transformation experience
Early exposure to:
- Systems implementations
- Process optimisation
- Automation initiatives
- is increasingly valuable.
- Leadership and career potential
Employers want newly qualified ACAs who demonstrate:
- Proactivity
- Curiosity
- Ability to influence
- Desire to grow into leadership roles
High‑potential candidates are being identified - and invested in - earlier.
Interview and recruitment trends for new ACAs
- Virtual screening and in‑person final interviews remains the typical process.
- Competency-based interviews continue to be standard, with a strong focus on examples demonstrating impact, influence, and decision‑making.
- AI‑supported screening is becoming more common, especially in large organisations.
- Hiring processes are becoming more drawn‑out due to increased competition and more rigorous selection stages.
Conclusion
The 2026 employment landscape for newly and recently qualified ACAs is broadly positive. Demand remains strong across practice, industry, financial services, and internationally.
To remain competitive, newly qualified members should:
- Stay informed about evolving skills requirements
- Strengthen digital and data capabilities
- Articulate their impact clearly in interviews
- Focus on roles offering learning, exposure, and development—not just salary
Early‑career ACAs remain one of the most employable cohorts in the market, and the outlook for 2026 reflects continued strong opportunities for growth and progression.
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