Job opportunities are improving with demand for permanent staff continuing to rise, according to research by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

The latest Report on Jobsshows the number of people gaining permanent jobs increased for a seventh successive month in April, with the rate of growth accelerating since March. The number of vacancies also went up.

However, temp billings declined for the first time in nine months according to the study, and temp vacancies increased at the weakest pace in nine months.

Pay rates have also slowed for both permanent and temporary staff.

Demand for permanent staff grew most strongly in the engineering sector, followed by IT and computing, with a drop in the numbers required in the hotel and catering sector. Nursing and healthcare staff accounted for the biggest increase in demand for temporary positions.

The Midlands saw the strongest rate of permanent placements growth, as well as a rise in temporary billings. London and the South posted a decline in temporary billings and a largely unchanged position for permanent posts.

Bernard Brown, partner and head of business services at KPMG, said: comments: 'These positive signs should not be taken as a signal that we are reaching the proverbial pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The data suggests that optimism is lower when temporary roles are considered and there are also still too many inconsistencies across the UK to hint at recovery.'