South Africa’s hottest jobs for 2026 (for all qualification levels)

Finding work in South Africa today isn’t just about having an up-to-date CV. It’s about standing out in a crowded and competitive job market.

Some entry-level vacancies attract thousands of applicants, while other positions sit empty because there are too few candidates with the right skills for the job.

Paul Byrne, Head of Insights and Customer Success at Pnet, says their latest Job Market Trends Report highlights exactly where the pressure is highest and also where the real opportunities lie.

He says the 2025 hiring season ended on a positive note.

“Looking at September, October, November, each month had shown a progressive year-on-year increase. In other words, there were more jobs available.”

The hope, says Byrne, is that job availability will continue on an upward trajectory in 2026.

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The Pnet report looks beyond short-term hiring trends and focuses on long-term, stable opportunities.

Byrne explains why this matters for job seekers.

“We thought it would make a lot of sense to look at the types of job sectors that were showing sustainable demand.”

Their research showed a good mix of opportunity across the top 12 sectors.

“Business and management, sales, finance and IT, which we would expect to see a lot of jobs, but also manufacturing and assembly, warehouse and logistics, architecture and engineering, even maintenance and repair type jobs, all showing consistent demand.”

Entry-level and operational roles remain highly competitive, Byrne explains, but specialist skills in healthcare, finance, engineering and IT are in short supply and consistently in demand.

“We’ve got people at different levels of their careers looking to change jobs, and of course, matriculants entering the job market for the first time.”

There is good news for those who may not be heading to further education or whose CVs do not include tertiary qualifications.

“There’s high demand specifically for jobs that require low experience and potentially lower education levels. Your call centre operators, sales and receptionist roles, cashiers, even junior property agents,” says Byrne.

The message for job seekers in 2026 is clear: While competition will be tough in some areas, there are sector-dependent opportunities even for those without extensive qualifications.

To listen to Paul Byrne in conversation with 702s Clement Manyathela, click audio below.