Discover new opportunities where your skills are needed

Whether you are a real estate agent living in France or a chemist in Slovenia, you will probably be facing the same problem: there are too many people in your respective professions competing for a limited number of jobs.

Labour imbalances in Europe are rising, as the latest European Labour Authority report highlights. Currently, 24 countries face surpluses while 29 face shortages. This means that some professions might be ‘overcrowded’ in one particular country, making it difficult for jobseekers to land a job among the competition. Or it might mean that there are just too few people available in a particular field, leaving many positions unoccupied and many sectors understaffed.

Unlocking transnational matching potential in Europe

The above scenarios significantly impact not only the economy, but importantly, individuals’ lives. Labour market imbalances affect everyone, but some groups have it worse than others. The majority of women workers, for example, find themselves in surplus occupations, as do young people. Not only is this discouraging, but it also hinders their long-term career prospects.

To counteract this, EURES is making it a priority to support mobility beyond borders. What does this mean in practice? With EURES’ help, jobseekers in a country where a specific occupation is reported as surplus have the opportunity to connect with employers in another country where the same occupation is reported as a shortage.

For example, the report has identified a shortage of plumbers in Ireland, while the profession is in surplus in Spain; plumbers from Spain, then, can explore job opportunities in Ireland, where their skills can more easily be absorbed.

By encouraging mobility from surplus to shortage regions, pressure from local labour markets lessens and chances increase for individuals to find meaningful work in the sector that they have trained in.

Digital tool unlocks cross-border mobility possibilities

EURES’ shortages and surpluses dashboard allows you to check shortages and surpluses by country, occupation and year. Individuals can explore the data and, after identifying the country or countries where their services are more urgently needed, they can filter their job search accordingly or reach out to a EURES Adviser for further information and assistance.

Overall, the EU offers a great privilege to its citizens: that of free movement of people and skills between the 27 Member States. Enlisting the help of data-driven technology to point talent to where it is most needed, EURES helps unlock great possibilities that can transform people’s lives.

Read more about the current status of labour market imbalances in Europe in our article What’s the latest on labour shortages and surpluses in Europe?

EURES Shortages and surpluses dashboard 2024

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