For several years, hiring software engineers in the Netherlands was mostly a question of patience and budget. Vacancies stayed open for months, salaries moved up and many companies learned to live with gaps in their teams. In 2026 the picture looks different on the surface. There are fewer open positions, headlines talk about AI replacing developers, and some managers assume the market has finally turned in their favour.
The data suggests a more careful reading. The number of vacancies is falling, but the people companies actually need are still hard to find.
What the numbers say
The Dutch employee insurance agency UWV publishes a labour market forecast each year. Its Arbeidsmarktprognose 2026-2028 is clear on two points that seem to pull in opposite directions.
First, the number of vacancies for ICT occupations, and in particular for software developers, is falling quickly. The pressure on the market for ICT roles is easing.
Second, the shortage of specialised staff remains. UWV notes that while tightness for ICT occupations is decreasing, shortages of specialised personnel persist. The sector itself continues to grow, helped by demand for digital security, cloud and data work.
UWV also asked employers in the information and communication sector how they expect AI to affect jobs. Almost half (46%) expect AI to create additional jobs, while only 18% expect jobs to disappear. That is not the picture of an industry preparing to replace its people.
Fewer vacancies is not the same as more talent
How can vacancies fall while scarcity remains? A few things are happening at once.
Companies are posting fewer generic roles. Many organisations have paused hiring for broad “software developer” positions while they work out how AI tools change their needs. Those cautious decisions show up quickly in vacancy statistics.
At the same time, the profiles that remain in demand have become more specific. Teams want engineers who combine solid fundamentals with experience in security, cloud platforms, data or the integration of AI into existing products. These people were scarce before, and they are scarce now.
Experience requirements have also risen. Where a company once accepted a promising mid-level developer and trained them, it now often asks for proven seniority. That narrows the pool even further.
The result is a market that looks calmer from a distance but feels just as difficult for a hiring manager trying to fill one specific role.
A look beyond the border
Dutch companies are not the only ones adjusting. In Portugal, where Boomit is based, the outlook for tech hiring has strengthened. The Experis Tech Talent Outlook for the fourth quarter of 2026 reports a net employment outlook of +36% for Portuguese tech employers, 15 percentage points higher than a year earlier. 53% of employers plan to grow their teams, 30% expect to keep them stable and 17% expect reductions.
Globally, the same survey puts the technology sector at a net outlook of +37%, still the strongest of all sectors.
In other words, competition for good engineers is not limited to the Netherlands. Portugal has a growing, well-educated tech workforce, but local companies are hiring too. Working with talent there still requires a clear proposition and a careful selection process.
What this means for Dutch companies
If you are planning your team for 2027, a few practical conclusions follow from the data.
Be precise about the role. In a market where generic vacancies are falling and specialised ones remain hard to fill, a vague job description attracts the wrong applicants and misses the right ones. Define the problem the person will solve, the skills that really matter and those that are nice to have.
Do not wait for the market to fix itself. Lower vacancy numbers can create the impression that hiring will become easier if you wait a few months. For specialised profiles, the evidence does not support that. A position left open for half a year has a real cost in delayed projects and an overloaded team.
Look at the whole team, not only the next hire. Sometimes the answer is one senior specialist. Sometimes it is a small group of engineers who can work alongside your team for a defined period. Sometimes it is a longer-term presence in another country.
Widen the search carefully. Nearshoring to Portugal or Brazil can give access to experienced engineers who work in compatible time zones and share a similar way of working. It works best when those engineers become part of your team, not a separate supplier at a distance.
How we approach it
At Boomit we work with Dutch and other European companies in a few ways, depending on what they need. With Precision Hiring we help find and select the specific profile a team is missing. With Seamless Team Extension and Fully Integrated Teams, engineers based in Portugal or Brazil join your team and work within your processes. For companies that want a longer-term presence, Your Own Delivery Hub builds a dedicated team that belongs to you.
In every case the starting point is the same: understanding the problem before proposing people.
A calmer market, not an easier one
The Dutch tech labour market in 2026 is calmer than it was, but calmer is not the same as easier. Fewer vacancies mostly reflect caution and changing needs, not a sudden surplus of the engineers companies want. Companies that plan with that in mind, and look for talent with a clear and realistic view, will be in a better position than those waiting for the headlines to come true.
If you are thinking about how to fill a difficult role or grow your team next year, we are happy to talk it through. Get in touch with us.