Scottish Government statistics published on 15 September put devolved public-sector employment at 553,600 in June 2026. That was 6,060, or 1.1%, above June 2025. Most of the increase came from a 3,700 (2.0%) rise in NHS employment, which reached 191,100.

Local-government employment increased by 2,320 to 262,000. Headcount also rose by 280 in the devolved civil service and 240 in public corporations, while further-education college employment fell by 310 to 11,500. The figures are a June snapshot based on administrative records and surveys. The government said transfers to two new organisations not yet classified by the Office for National Statistics could mean the Q2 2026 figures understate the civil service and overall public-sector totals.