More jobs than ever are up for grabs over Christmas with 73% extra roles being advertised.
With 89% of the vacancies, the seasonal roles are dominated by posts in the food and hospitality sector.
Some bosses started their hunt for temporary workers as early as July.
An employment website said 18% of the jobs are in restaurants and catering and a further 9% specifically for chefs.
However, despite the overall increase in seasonal roles, the number of Christmas jobs available in retail has fallen back by 16% compared to last year.
The 2018 festive season saw a large spike in seasonal retail roles.
Christopher Paye, general manager at Jobs.ie, which released the data, said: “Christmas is a time when many businesses look to bolster their existing team with seasonal staff.
“Many are gearing up for what is one of the busiest times of the year – particularly in the retail and
hospitality sectors.
“For the past six years, we’ve been experiencing an annual increase in the number of Christmas roles
advertised on our site, and as job opportunities increase, so does the competition for talent.
"This year alone, businesses began to advertise Christmas roles as early as the summer months.
“With more positions available than ever, it’s becoming an increasingly challenging environment for employers. August, September and October, continue to be the busiest months for Christmas recruitment suggesting that there is value in recruiting early.”
