Europe's QA hiring pace eases after its September peak
New QA and test postings are down 13% over the last 30 days, and the weekly pace has slipped 10% from its high in mid-September.
is what the typical role asks for. 4% ask for 10 years or more.
41% of open roles state years227 new roles in the last 30 days, against 261 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreat 521 companies hiring in Europe.
Issue of 2 November 2026This week's read
There are 1,030 open QA and Test Engineer roles across Europe right now, spread over 521 companies. A role stays open for a median of 27 days. New postings fell 13% compared with the prior 30 days, and the weekly pace is now 10% below its peak week of 14 September, so the slowdown is not just a one-month blip.
This is a mid-level market. Mid-level titles make up 68% of all roles, against 17% senior and just 7% lead. Where years of experience are stated, the median ask is 4 years, and only 4% of roles want 10 or more years. If you have a few years under your belt, you are in the biggest pool of demand here.
Remote work is the exception, not the rule: only 11% of open roles are remote. Pay is also rarely stated up front, with only 4% of postings listing a number, so most negotiating will have to happen after you apply.
On tools, Python is the most asked skill, named in 29% of postings, followed by Playwright at 17%, Git at 15%, and Java and Selenium both at 14%. Agile is named in 24% of roles and Jira in 21%, so process fluency matters alongside tooling. ISTQB is named in 10% of postings, well ahead of other certifications.
Capgemini is the single biggest hirer with 52 open roles, ahead of Alstom at 28 and Welo Global at 24. But the top 8 employers together hold only 18% of all open roles, so this is a market spread thin across many companies rather than concentrated in a few big ones.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Expect mid-level competition
68% of titles are mid-level and the median years asked is 4. Only 4% of roles want 10 or more years, so senior-only experience is not the main filter here.
- Python and Playwright lead tools
Python appears in 29% of postings and Playwright in 17%, ahead of Git, Java and Selenium. These show up far more often than any other listed skill.
- Don't count on remote or posted pay
Only 11% of roles are remote and just 4% list pay. Plan to apply without knowing the salary range, and expect most roles to be onsite or hybrid.
Momentum
New QA roles each week
Last 30 days: 227 new roles, against 261 the 30 days before (-13%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 58 |
| 14 Sep | 68 |
| 21 Sep | 59 |
| 28 Sep | 62 |
| 5 Oct | 50 |
| 12 Oct | 60 |
| 19 Oct | 57 |
| 26 Oct | 61 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open QA roles
521 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 18% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles |
|---|---|---|
| Capgemini | 52 | |
| Alstom | 28 | |
| Welo Global | 24 | |
| European Dynamics | 17 | |
| Expleo | 17 | |
| Tgs | 17 | |
| TransPerfect 4 | 17 | |
| Careers.Indragroup.Com | 16 |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology QA roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 986 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Banking 3%, Gaming 3%, Financial services 3%. Certifications named: ISTQB 10%. 11% of open roles say they are remote.
Cite this report