The market for Java developers continued its momentum throughout 2021 and we are expecting this to continue into 2022. Java has been one of the most sought-after languages in developers and this has created a competitive and candidate-driven market.
We are still seeing an influx of candidates from Europe and India, with visa sponsorship via the Critical Skills Work Permit on the rise. Java development is a popular choice for recent software engineer graduates, who are well-versed in the most up to date versions.
The most common Java framework being used in 2021 was Spring Boot, and we have also seen a surge of organisations looking for skills in AWS. Docker and Kubernetes are also frequently sought, along with SQL being the most popular database choice. As always, the main pairing for Java on Fullstack roles is JavaScript, with Angular and React remaining the frameworks of choice.
Salaries for Java Software Development Engineers have certainly shifted in 2021, with a particular rise seen in permanent roles for senior and principal/tech lead positions. We have also seen an increase in organisations choosing to work with contract Java developers, as a more cost-effective, short-term solution.
Organisations have had to be more competitive with their average salary and benefits in order to draw in the best software developer candidates. The rise in a concrete approach to remote working has been successful as Software Developers as a group seem eager to take advantage of remote working, as well as improve the overall benefits package. Younger organisations in their growth phase have also started to offer equity or stock units as standard. Additionally, candidates are highly motivated by interesting projects and the opportunity to work with the latest technologies.
As the market is highly candidate-driven, it is more important than ever to streamline your recruitment process in 2022. Speeding up and shortening your process is the best way to do this. We have also seen a rise in candidates being able to present a recent technical test as an alternative to completing a new one for the specific role.