Hays flags rising demand for AI & cyber contractors

Hays has released its IT Contractor Rates Guide for FY26/27, covering Australia and New Zealand.

The report provides contractor rate benchmarks for more than 100 technology roles across 11 locations. It points to stronger demand for specialists in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud, data and transformation work.

Its findings suggest employers are relying more heavily on contract hiring to fill technical and digital skills gaps while managing project-based work. It found that 83% of employers identify technical and digital skills as the most sought-after capabilities.

According to the research, shortages are most visible in software engineering, data and analytics, project management, AI and machine learning, and cybersecurity. AI and machine learning were cited by 28% of employers as an acute shortage area, while cybersecurity was named by 26%.

AI and risk

The guide also highlights a widening gap between AI use and organisational readiness. While 72% of organisations use AI regularly, 47.2% said security and privacy concerns are the biggest barrier to further adoption.

That tension is shaping contractor demand in governance- and risk-related areas, including AI governance, identity and access management, data governance and cybersecurity. These functions are becoming more important as organisations move from early experimentation to broader implementation.

Day rates for some AI-focused roles reflect that demand. AI Engineers can earn up to AUD $1,360 a day, AI Solutions Architects up to AUD $1,640 a day, and Chief AI Officers up to AUD $2,300 a day.

The study also indicates that employers are using flexible hiring models to secure expertise that is scarce in the permanent market. It found that 60% of employers engage contractors to access specialist skills for project-based work, particularly across AI, cybersecurity, cloud, data and digital transformation programmes.

Project hiring

Technology recruitment is increasingly being shaped by short-term assignments tied to specific delivery goals. Nearly 60% of employers using contract, freelance or temporary workers said they do so to obtain skills for one-off projects.

That trend suggests a shift in the role of contractors within technology teams. Rather than filling only temporary vacancies, contractors are being brought in for specialist delivery work where internal capability is limited or deadlines are tight.

For employers, the guide presents contractor hiring as part of broader workforce planning rather than a separate staffing channel. It also points to cost control as an ongoing consideration, with businesses seeking targeted expertise without expanding permanent headcount in every specialist area.

Cybersecurity appears central to that calculation. The research identifies it as a leading obstacle to wider AI adoption, increasing demand for specialists who can address governance, security and risk issues alongside technical implementation.

Peter Marinis, Regional Director of Technology at Hays, said, "AI initiatives are driving demand for specialist contractors across data, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. While organisations are initially building core AI capability through permanent teams, we expect contract opportunities to grow as implementation matures and new capability gaps emerge."

The findings also underline how broad the search for technology skills has become. Beyond AI and cyber roles, employers continue to compete for software engineers, project managers and data specialists as they pursue digital change programmes and maintain existing systems.

For contractors, the figures point to a market that remains active but selective, with the highest rates concentrated in roles tied to scarce expertise or elevated organisational risk. For employers, access to specialist talent increasingly depends on a mix of permanent hiring and targeted contract engagement.

Across the region, the data suggests AI adoption is moving faster than many organisations can put the right controls around it, leaving contractors with governance, security and advanced technical expertise in a strong position.