Remote job opportunities are once again on the rise in South Africa, with IT roles topping the list of the most advertised remote working jobs.
This follows a 13% drop in advertised remote vacancies during 2023 and 2024.
This is according to Pnet’s Job Market Trends Report for October 2025, which shows that the share of remote vacancies climbed by 0.5% between March and September this year.
The report is based on empirical data sourced from The Stepstone Group, a global job tech company that runs recruitment platforms in several countries, including Pnet in South Africa.
Data from the online recruitment platform indicates that 3.6% of all advertised vacancies are listed as remote or hybrid remote roles. Remote opportunities are increasing in admin, office and support; software development; business and management; and finance roles. However, certain IT positions have seen a decline in remote vacancies.
Anja Bates, head of data at Pnet, explains: “2023 and 2024 were the years of the great return-to-the-office, following the shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote jobs became scarcer and were often reserved for the most in-demand specialists, particularly software developers and other IT professionals.
“We are now seeing signs that more employers are offering flexible work options across a wider range of roles. Remote opportunities are gradually expanding beyond IT into other office roles. Employers recognise that flexibility is highly-valued by professionals and can be a powerful lever for attracting and retaining top talent.”
Renewed remote
During the pandemic, many jobs shifted to remote out of necessity. Once restrictions eased, most roles returned to office-based settings, with global markets reporting a strong “back-to-office” trend, notes the report.
Remote vacancies dropped by 13% between 2023 and 2024. The downward trend continued into early 2025, but over the past six months a shift has emerged: from March to September 2025, the share of remote jobs increased slightly.
While modest, this marks the first sustained period of growth in remote opportunities in two years and points to a renewed appetite for flexibility in the workplace, it points out.
Remote jobs were often reserved for in-demand specialists, particularly software developers and other IT professionals. Today, the picture is changing again. The list of remote job roles currently in highest demand illustrates that remote opportunities are becoming more diverse.
The top 10 by percentage of roles advertised as remote or hybrid jobs:
- Software developer – 13%
- Personal assistant – 12%
- Data analyst – 12%
- Customer support agent – 11%
- Business analyst – 9%
- Business developer – 8%
- Systems or network administrator – 8%
- Sales representatives and consultants – 3%
- Middle or department manager – 2%
- Accountant – 2%
According to Pnet, IT roles continue to dominate the remote job market, but opportunities are steadily expanding into other functions.
Employers are increasingly using remote work as both a valued benefit and a strategic tool to attract hard-to-find talent, while also widening their reach to candidates across regions.
“In the IT sector, the picture is more mixed. Demand for specialist IT professionals in business/technical architecture and systems analysis is driving an increase in remote opportunities. However, in line with challenges in the global IT job market, remote opportunities for systems and network admins and project managers have declined.”
Business and management roles, particularly managerial positions, are seeing more remote employment options.
Bates concludes: “Even with the absolute decline in remote vacancies for some IT roles, technology still leads in flexible work opportunities. But we are also seeing opportunities steadily expanding into other functions, creating more flexibility for professionals from diverse backgrounds.”
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