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| CURRENT SECTION :: Market Reports | UK's most visited IT Contractor Site - 250k unique visitors March 2008 |
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In 2004 there was a broad upswing through January to March that saw good rate growth, with a slight dip in spring before building to a peak around August/September. This year appears to be following a similar pattern. Last month we reported that hourly rates for the ten most commonly requested skills were at their highest point this year. July has continued to see this growth, with this average again setting a year high. The median figure for these hourly rates now sits at £28.21, a healthy 2% jump from the previous high of £27.60, as set last month. If 2005 is to follow the trends of last year, contractors can expect another month or two of healthy progress before rates begin to tail off. There is however one area that is bucking this trend, where rates are stubbornly edging in the wrong direction: rates for experts in Microsoft operating systems have been falling, across the board, since January. A look back over the last seven months paints a less than impressive picture for MCSEs everywhere. From January to July this year, Windows rates fell from £20.20 to £19.64, NT from £20.70 to £19.62, Windows 2003 from £28.40 to £24.04 and XP from £18.70 to £17.48. The only Microsoft skill to break this trend has been Windows 2000, which has seen a tiny rate increase from £19.30 in January to £19.39 today. These figures though, may not tell the full story. Ray Murphy is a Resource Manager for Spring Technology. He notes that, “the rates that are advertised and those that are actually offered can be very different. My gut reaction is that there has been no real fall across Microsoft technologies. The market in general has dropped off a little recently, but that’s because there are more people out there; it’s simple supply and demand.” There have been a number of reports recently that suggest that London is experiencing something of a brain-drain, as the number of families moving away from the capital increases. With this in mind, it is worth looking at figures for contractor rates overseas. There are some impressive returns available for British contractors who are keen to fill skills gaps in other countries. ContractorUK has compiled a list of the 20 most profitable overseas destinations that sees Norway sitting at the top, with average rates of £100 per hour. However, the sample size here is very small; only 60 vacancies are advertised for Norway, and the bulk of these are senior SAP roles, hence the high average rate. It is also worth bearing in mind that the cost of living in Norway is very high. A more feasible destination would be Switzerland. Its non-EU status can bring tax advantages, and the average contractor rate sits at just over £62. Given that this is taken from 4,000 advertised vacancies, contractors considering a move away from the UK could do worse than look at the mountain nation. Those in search of warmer climes will have to look further a field. There is a growing interest in Australia in UK talent as the antipodean IT sector continues to grow. With 8,000 vacancies, Sydney is the most commonly advertised non-UK destination. The broader region of New South Wales adds a further 4,500 jobs and there are almost 8,000 roles across Melbourne and the other major conurbations. Average rates across the country sit at around the £48 mark. It is worth noting that the majority of Australian IT roles are in the finance sector, which typically pays more, and that roles where talent is imported are likely to be at a more senior level. Those keen to pack their board and head down under, will need to be sure they fit a very specific niche. Matt Farquharson Jul 27, 2005 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
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