Good news for people who want to work from home in South Africa
Remote work is starting to make a comeback in South Africa after a noticeable drop over the past two years.
This is according to Pnet’s latest Job Market Trends Report, which noted that the share of remote job listings increased slightly between March and September this year.
Pnet’s Job Market Trends Report is published monthly and tracks how South Africa’s job market is changing.
The latest findings show that while remote work hasn’t yet returned to pandemic levels, it’s clearly on the rise again.
South Africa’s largest online recruitment platform said that 3.6% of all advertised jobs are now remote or hybrid.
It added that most of the growth is happening in Admin, Office & Support, Business & Management, and Finance roles, while some IT positions have seen fewer remote opportunities.
“2023 and 2024 were the years of the great return to the office. After the pandemic, remote work became rare and was mainly reserved for specialists like software developers,” said Anja Bates, Head of Data at Pnet.
“However, more employers are now reintroducing flexibility across a broader range of roles. They’ve realised that flexible work helps attract and keep top talent.”
The types of jobs available for remote work are also becoming more varied. The ten roles most likely to be advertised as remote or hybrid are:
- Software Developers (13%),
- Personal Assistants (12%),
- Data Analysts (12%),
- Customer Support Agents (11%),
- Business Analysts (9%),
- Business Developers (8%),
- Systems or Network Administrators (8%),
- Sales Representative or Consultants (3%),
- Middle or Department Managers (2%), and
- Accountants (2%).
Bates said this shift shows that remote work is no longer limited to the IT sector. “Even with a slight decline in remote vacancies for some IT roles, tech still leads in flexible work opportunities,” she explained.
“But we’re seeing remote options growing in admin and finance roles too. Employers are using flexibility as a benefit to reach more candidates and attract hard-to-find skills.”
Sectors seeing an increase in demand for remote work
Last month, Pnet’s data showed that demand for artificial intelligence (AI) skills is also booming.
The platform recorded a 352% increase in demand for AI expertise since 2023 and a 77% year-on-year rise between the first halves of 2024 and 2025.
Bates said this growth is creating new kinds of jobs. “It’s encouraging to see that AI seems to be creating opportunities in South Africa rather than replacing workers,” she said.
Gauteng accounts for 58% of all AI-related roles, followed by the Western Cape with 24%, while 3% are international listings.
Approximately 2% of these jobs are remote, enabling South Africans with AI skills to access both local and global work opportunities.
“Forward-thinking companies are building future-proof workforces by hiring people with AI skills,” Bates added.
“Businesses that focus on AI expertise and training are setting themselves up to be more productive, more innovative, and more competitive.”
Pnet’s report added that AI is becoming a standard part of many jobs, not just a specialist skill. This shift is opening the door for more flexible work in different sectors.
Business & Management roles, especially mid-level managers, are seeing an increase in remote opportunities, while Administrative and Finance roles—including accountants, bookkeepers, and customer support staff—are showing strong growth in flexible listings.
In IT, the trend is mixed. Some specialist roles, like business architects and systems analysts, are seeing more remote vacancies.
However, others, such as project managers, software developers, and systems administrators, have declined, reflecting global hiring challenges in the tech sector.
Despite this, Bates believes the overall picture is positive. “Remote opportunities are slowly expanding beyond IT,” she said.
“More employers are recognising that flexibility matters to workers. Remote work is becoming a strategic tool to attract and keep good people.”
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