India's festive season — running from the run-up to Dussehra through Diwali — has become one of the most predictable annual spikes in the country's gig and retail job market, and staffing firms expect this year's surge to be larger than last year's. Projections vary by firm, but they point in the same direction: somewhere between 2 lakh and 2.7 lakh seasonal and gig roles are expected to be created across e-commerce, retail, logistics, and hospitality in the second half of this year.

The numbers behind the hiring push

Staffing firm NLB Services projects festive hiring will grow 15-20% over last year across e-commerce, retail, logistics, and hospitality. Adecco India's estimate runs higher, projecting 2.5-2.7 lakh seasonal jobs, building on a base of roughly 2.16 lakh roles created during last year's festive period. TeamLease separately projects 15-20% year-on-year growth in temporary hiring specifically across organised retail, e-commerce, quick commerce, logistics, FMCG, and consumer durables. The variation between firms reflects different methodologies and sector coverage, but all point to meaningful growth over last year rather than a flat or declining season.

Where the demand is concentrated

Warehouse pickers and packers, dark-store staff, delivery riders, and in-store sales and support roles are seeing the strongest demand, according to Adecco's breakdown. Quick commerce platforms and organised retail chains are the biggest single sources of new seasonal openings, alongside the logistics operations that support festive-season delivery volumes. Quick-commerce heavy platforms like Meesho have publicly indicated plans to enable well over 10 lakh seasonal opportunities this year across their seller and logistics networks, underscoring how much of this hiring now flows through platform and gig arrangements rather than traditional retail floor staff.

Tier II and III cities are absorbing nearly half the demand

One of the more notable shifts this year is geographic. Adecco estimates around 45% of festive workforce demand will come from Tier II and Tier III cities, while the sharpest talent crunch — roughly 30% — is being felt in Tier I metros like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. That's a continuation of a trend seen across India's broader gig and warehousing economy, where smaller cities have become central to e-commerce and logistics operations rather than an afterthought.

Pay is rising too

Temporary wages for festive-season roles are expected to rise 12-15% in metro markets and 8-10% in Tier II and Tier III cities this year, per Adecco's projections — a meaningful increase for roles that are often filled by first-time or occasional gig workers. Employers are also reportedly moving away from last-minute, volume-driven recruitment toward structured hiring plans that start 12-14 weeks ahead of the festive peak, which gives candidates a longer window to apply before roles fill up.

What this means if you're looking for seasonal work

• Apply early. With hiring now planned months in advance rather than at the last minute, the best-paying and most convenient roles (location, shift timing) tend to fill before the peak festive weeks arrive.
• If you're in a Tier II or Tier III city, this is one of the stronger years to look locally — close to half of total demand is expected outside the four biggest metros.
• Seasonal roles can be a genuine entry point into permanent logistics or retail operations work; several large employers convert a portion of festive hires into longer-term staff based on performance.