Australian recruitment is set to return to pre-downturn levels during the next quarter, with insurers among the most active employers.

The latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey reveals 30% of Australian employers are looking to recruit new staff between April and June, while just 6% intend to reduce headcount.

The survey of more than 2200 employers found a considerable uplift in hiring intentions among the finance, insurance and real estate sectors.

Taken together, the category has a net employment outlook of 22%, eight percentage points higher than the first quarter and its most optimistic outlook since October 2008.

“The figures for this quarter show that the Australian employment market has come full circle, returning to employment levels seen before the economic downturn,” Manpower Australia and New Zealand MD Lincoln Crawley said.