EU Countries Seek Foreign Workers for These Job Positions in 2024
Key Takeaways:
- The most in-demand jobs across the EU are in construction, engineering crafts, healthcare, and ICT.
- Nearly 40 of the identified shortage occupations are critically affected by a lack of workers.
- The latest EURES report highlights persistent labour shortages in the construction sector.
The 2023 EURES Report on labour shortages and surpluses indicates that the European labour market is tightening despite slower economic growth.
According to the report, 84 per cent of occupations are experiencing shortages in one or more countries, with construction, engineering crafts, healthcare, and ICT being the most affected sectors.
The most acute shortages are found in occupations such as heavy truck drivers, nursing professionals (including specialists), doctors, electricians, roofers, waiters, and construction labourers. These shortages exert significant pressures on industries and economies.
Several factors drive these shortages, including structural economic changes, new labour trends and skill requirements, demographic shifts, and societal developments. Additionally, unattractive working conditions and mismatches between job seekers’ preferences and employers’ offerings contribute to the challenge.
Approximately 40 of the identified shortage professions are severely impacted by the lack of available workers. The most affected occupations across Europe include:
- Welders and flame cutters
- Plumbers and pipefitters
- Heavy truck drivers
- Specialist doctors
- Motor mechanics
- Nursing professionals
- Waiters
- Metal machine setters
- Floor layers and tile settlers
- Roofers
- Air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics
- Construction labourers
Persistent Shortages in Construction
The EURES report notes that the construction sector faces ongoing labour shortages due to factors such as an ageing population, low employment attractiveness, and skills mismatches. The use of subcontractors, self-employed individuals, and temporary labour increases job precariousness, discouraging individuals from entering and staying in the sector. The report suggests that increasing the representation of underrepresented groups, especially women, could help alleviate these shortages.
Construction is the EU’s largest industrial employer, with nearly 13 million workers in three million companies across Europe.
Surplus Occupations
While skills mismatches contribute to profession shortages, many workers in surplus jobs are highly skilled. High levels of education do not automatically translate to good employment opportunities. The report highlights that 60 per cent of employees in surplus jobs in the EU in 2022 were women, whereas women made up only 27 per cent of those in shortage occupations. This creates a "less favourable" labour market for women compared to men.