February sees 8% rise in tech job demand, led by full-time roles: Report

India’s technology job market has shown its first meaningful sign of revival in over six months, with active hiring demand rising 8% month-on-month in February 2026, according to the latest Active Tech Jobs Outlook report by staffing firm Xpheno.

The report notes that total active tech job openings stood at around 109,000 in February, marking a statistically significant increase after a prolonged period of sluggish demand since August 2025. While the rise does not yet signal a full recovery, it represents a clear break from the sector’s earlier downward trajectory.

Despite the month-on-month improvement, hiring volumes remain well below last year’s levels. Active tech job demand in February 2026 was still 18% lower compared to the same period in 2025, underscoring the continued caution among employers.

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Full-time roles continue to dominate the market, accounting for nearly three-fourths of all openings. Contract hiring saw a sharper monthly rise, though from a smaller base, while internships and part-time roles declined further. Mid-senior professionals remained the most sought-after talent group, contributing over half of all active openings, even as entry-level hiring stayed flat.

A notable shift was also observed in work formats. Full-time remote roles surged sharply in February, even as hybrid openings declined, suggesting that some employers may be using flexible work models to attract talent amid growing resistance to mandatory office attendance

From an employer perspective, IT services firms continued to be the largest contributors to tech hiring, though their overall demand remains significantly lower than last year. Global capability centres (GCCs), however, stood out as one of the few segments to record both month-on-month and year-on-year growth, highlighting their expanding role in India’s tech ecosystem.

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Geographically, hiring remained concentrated in major metros such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR. At the same time, demand from tier-2 and tier-3 cities continued to rise on an annual basis, pointing to a gradual decentralisation of tech jobs beyond traditional hubs.

According to Xpheno, the improvement in February was also reflected in a higher “freshness index,” indicating that more roles were newly posted or refreshed as companies entered the final quarter of the financial year. Whether this momentum sustains over the coming months, the report cautions, will depend on broader market conditions and enterprise confidence.