IMI Vacancy Tracker: January-March 2026
Institute of the Motor Industry
(Copyright report and Image 2 , IMI, reproduced with kind permission)
Each month, the IMI analyses UK job vacancy data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to track recruitment pressure in the motor trades sector.
Motor trade vacancies increased to 16,000 in January to March 2026, up from 14,000 in the previous period. The vacancy rate also rose to 2.4 vacancies per 100 employees, compared with 2.3 in December to February. Although vacancy levels remain below the highs recorded in 2025, this month’s increase suggests recruitment activity may be starting to stabilise.
Motor trade vacancy levels increased in March 2026, contrasting with the wider slowdown in UK hiring and suggesting demand for skilled workers remains resilient. Across the wider labour market, vacancies continued to decline. Total UK vacancies fell to 710,000, while the overall vacancy rate remained at 2.2.
At a glance:
- Vacancy rate: 2.4
- UK industry rank: 8 out of 23
- Approximate open positions: 14,000
- Year-on-year change: -17%
- Two-year change: -38%
Read the full report here
