TMS Asia-Pacific Is reporting what it describes as an “uncharacteristic and very marked increase” in permanent job orders in a period traditionally dominated by both employees and candidates looking to fill or secure temporary roles across summer.

TMS General Manager Australia/New Zealand, Sally Matheson said the company, as a rule of thumb, is kept very busy at this time of year, the bulk of its business filling temporary roles created by permanent staff going on annual leave or returning expatriates in search of summer roles.

But this year, she said, the demand on both sides of the coin is unprecedented with job orders to fill permanent roles and the number of returning expatriates looking to find full time positions at an all time high.

“When you look at our permanent job order figures on a year on year basis, we have actually experienced a 39 per cent mark up on what we achieved last year,“ Ms Matheson said.

“While returning expatriates have always kept our temp desk busy in the pre-Christmas lead up, we are now experiencing one of our busiest end of year periods in a very long time.

“People just seem to be in an extra hurry this year to fill roles or find work and as a result, business is surging.”

Ms Matheson said while business in NSW continued to dominate the company’s activity, TMS was seeing a solid increase in business in its Victoria and Queensland operations and particularly the SE Queensland business corridor.

“Role-wise job vacancies are across the board but it is interesting to note the number of our clients who are putting out feelers for business development managers,” she said.