More than half of IT workers in the Netherlands and Germany have received pay rises of up to ten per cent in the past year.

New figures show that there is a disparity between pay rises within the sector during the last 12 months, with 50 per cent of UK IT workers reporting no change in their wages over the period.

According to the IT Jobs Board data, 27 per cent of employees in the industry in Germany and 31 per cent of those in IT jobs in the Netherlands experienced pay freezes.

German and Dutch respondents were most optimistic when it comes to whether or not they expect pay rises during 2011, with around two-thirds of each predicting they will earn more by the end of this year.

In addition, the report showed more Britons anticipate bonuses, do better in terms of overtime and receive pension contributions, while German employees revealed they had the most flexible working hours.

A report by Information Week has noted that employment in the US IT sector has risen above four million, returning to pre-crisis levels, with joblessness in the field falling to 3.4 per cent.