Number of self employed ICT professionals falls by 8 percent due to enforcement against false self employment and a tighter assignment market
The Dutch ICT labor market is visibly shifting from flexible work to permanent employment. At present, 68 percent of all employed ICT professionals have a permanent contract, 2 percentage points more than at the end of 2024. At the same time, the number of self employed ICT professionals in the ICT sector fell by 8 percent. This development is linked to stricter enforcement against false self employment and a cooling assignment market, in which organizations are taking a more structural view of their ICT capacity. This is shown by the latest Talent Monitor, a joint publication by HR tech service provider HeadFirst Group and labor market data specialist Intelligence Group.
The demand for external ICT expertise is not disappearing, but the assumption that flexible hiring is the default is weakening. In 2025, the number of ICT assignments declined by nearly 20 percent compared with the end of 2024. As a result, competition in the flexible labour market has increased, and independent professionals are more often applying for the same assignments.
Bart van der Geest, labour market specialist at Intelligence Group, sees this as part of a broader trend: “For years, the ICT labour market was ahead of the curve in terms of flexibilisation, high pay and severe scarcity. We are now seeing a clear normalisation. For ICT professionals, this means the market no longer automatically works in their favour. Distinctiveness, up to date skills and demonstrable added value are becoming more decisive.”
The decline in the number of self employed professionals comes at a time when organisations still rely heavily on specialist ICT knowledge, including in the areas of AI, data, cybersecurity and cloud technology. Flexible deployment therefore remains relevant, but its nature is changing. Whereas flexible work was previously used to address scarcity quickly, it is now more often about targeted deployment with clear agreements on assignment content, risks and contract type.
Despite the shift in contract types, the ICT occupational group continues to grow. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the Netherlands had approximately 609,000 employed ICT professionals. This means the threshold of 600,000 ICT professionals has been passed for the first time. The occupational group now represents around 6 percent of the total employed labor force.
Growth is slowing, however. Looking ahead to 2030, a stabilization scenario appears most likely, in which the share of ICT professionals remains around 6 percent and grows to approximately 655,000 employed people. Based on current developments, scenarios in which the Netherlands grows to 800,000 ICT professionals or more appear less realistic.
The composition of the ICT occupational group is also changing. The share of women increased from 16 percent at the end of 2024 to 19 percent at the end of 2025, reaching its highest level ever. Over the past ten years, the number of women in ICT has increased by one third.
Although the sector is still strongly male dominated, this development points to a gradual broadening of the talent pool. “That is precisely why it is important for employers to continue investing in inclusive employment conditions, flexibility and attention to a healthy work life balance,” Van Dam said.
