Industries Hiring Talent Across Europe

Europe's labour market is short-staffed in nearly every sector. The EURES annual labour shortage report — compiled from national employment authorities across the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland — logged over 2,600 shortage occupations in its latest edition, with close to a quarter of all European employment sitting in roles the report classifies as widespread-shortage or widespread-surplus. Construction, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, and IT consistently top the list.

EU Helpers works across ten of these sectors, connecting employers with pre-screened international candidates and supporting every placement with documentation and relocation process assistance for the destination country. Whether you need seasonal agricultural staff, certified nurses, CNC operators, or senior engineers, we source, screen, and help place the right people — without the administrative load falling on your internal team.

Quick facts:

• Over 2,600 occupations are currently logged as shortage roles somewhere in Europe (EURES).
• Construction, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, and ICT are flagged as the most persistent shortage sectors (Cedefop).
• EU Helpers sources candidates from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe across 10 industry verticals.
• Every placement includes structured candidate screening and support for destination-country documentation and the relocation process.

Labour Shortage at a Glance

Sector	Shortage Signal	Source
Construction & Skilled Trades	~4.2 million net worker requirement by 2035	Cedefop
Healthcare & Long-Term Care	Shortfall of close to 1 million health workers by 2030	WHO/Europe
Hospitality & Tourism	~10% of the sector's workforce unfilled	HOTREC
Manufacturing & Production	Ranked among the EU's most persistent shortage sectors	Cedefop
Logistics & Warehousing	~502,000 unfilled truck driver positions (13% shortage rate)	IRU
Agriculture & Seasonal Work	EU fruit and vegetable sector heavily dependent on non-national labour	European Parliament
IT & Technology	~5 million jobs short of the 2030 Digital Decade target	Eurofound
Engineering & Technical Roles	24 shortage occupations tied to the green transition	European Commission
Retail & Customer Service	Persistent labour and skills shortages	OECD
Cleaning & Facilities Management	Among the EU's highest-concentration shortage occupation groups	Cedefop

Why Employers Are Looking Beyond Domestic Talent Pools

Three forces are converging on European employers at once: an ageing workforce that is retiring faster than schools and training programmes can replace it, a green and digital transition that is creating entirely new skill demands, and domestic labour markets that are too small, in several countries, to fill both at the same time. Cedefop's Labour and Skills Shortage Index projects that shortages will persist across nearly every sector through the mid-2030s, with the sharpest and most durable pressure in human health and social work, construction, ICT, energy supply, waste management, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing.

The scale shows up in the numbers regulators themselves publish. The European Commission has identified more than 40 occupations with shortages reported EU-wide. It puts the share of businesses struggling to find staff with the right skills at roughly four in five. The EURES report describes the same pattern — welders and flame cutters, nursing professionals, cooks, and building electricians have each been flagged as shortage occupations in at least three-quarters of reporting countries for several years running. This isn't a temporary post-pandemic correction; it is described as increasingly structural, driven by demographic change, skills mismatches, job quality issues, and limited labour mobility between countries.

International recruitment has moved, for most of the sectors below, from a contingency measure to a standing part of workforce planning.

Industries EU Helpers Recruits For Across Europe

Each section below summarises the current labour market pressure, the core hiring challenge employers report, how EU Helpers addresses it, and the roles we place most often. Every sector links through to a dedicated page with full role lists, country-level detail, and hiring timelines.

Construction and Skilled Trades

Construction has one of the EU's highest job vacancy rates, and Cedefop's skills forecast points to a net requirement of roughly 4.2 million construction workers across Europe between 2022 and 2035, driven mainly by retirements rather than new job creation. Sweden expects around 10% of its construction workforce to retire within a few years; Belgium is tracking roughly 20,000 skilled-trade retirements over a similar window.

Core hiring challenge: Verifying trade qualifications earned outside the EU, and keeping incoming workers' start dates aligned to live project schedules. How EU Helpers helps: We verify trade certifications through our sourcing networks and provide pre-departure site safety orientation ahead of each placement.

Typical roles: Bricklayers & Plasterers · Electricians & Plumbers · Scaffolders & Steel Fixers · Carpenters & Joiners · Civil Construction Labourers · Site Supervisors

Explore construction recruitment across Europe →

Healthcare and Long-Term Care

WHO/Europe projects a shortfall of close to one million health workers across the region, concentrated in nursing, elderly care, and allied health roles as the population ages faster than the workforce replacing it. Germany, France, and Italy currently employ the largest hospital nursing and midwifery workforces in the EU, and demand is rising fastest in long-term and elderly care rather than acute hospital settings.

Core hiring challenge: Verifying and recognising healthcare qualifications earned outside the destination country, and meeting language requirements set by national regulators. How EU Helpers helps: We coordinate qualification verification with source-country institutions and arrange language assessment ahead of placement.

Typical roles: Registered Nurses (General, ICU, Emergency) · Elderly Care Workers · Healthcare Assistants · Physiotherapists · Dental Nurses · Medical Laboratory Technicians

Explore healthcare recruitment across Europe →

Hospitality and Tourism

HOTREC's most recent industry roadmap puts Europe's hospitality and hotel sector — around 10 million jobs across more than 2 million businesses — at roughly 10% short of the staff it needs, with the gap most visible during peak season in Portugal, Spain, Greece, Romania, and Czechia.

Core hiring challenge: High seasonal turnover and the need to recruit rapidly at volume without sacrificing service standards. How EU Helpers helps: Pre-built talent pools let us respond to volume hiring requests within short windows, with group arrival logistics coordinated for large hospitality operations.

Typical roles: Hotel Receptionists & Guest Relations · Chefs & Kitchen Staff · Food & Beverage Servers · Housekeeping Staff · Resort Activity Staff · Bar & Events Personnel

Explore hospitality recruitment across Europe →

Manufacturing and Production

Cedefop's shortage index places manufacturing among the EU's most persistent shortage sectors, and demand is accelerating fastest in specialist segments tied to the energy transition — SolarPower Europe estimates the workforce needed for European solar manufacturing alone will grow from roughly 77,000 to around 91,000 workers this decade.

Core hiring challenge: Meeting high-volume headcount requirements within compressed timelines while ensuring workers understand shift patterns and site safety protocols. How EU Helpers helps: Our volume recruitment model supplies cohorts of pre-screened factory workers aligned to confirmed start dates, with induction materials included as standard.

Typical roles: Production Line Operators · CNC Machine Operators & Programmers · Quality Control Inspectors · Welders & Metal Fabricators · Warehouse Packers · Forklift Operators

Explore manufacturing recruitment across Europe →

Logistics and Warehousing

IRU's latest global driver shortage survey found a 13% shortage rate for truck drivers in Europe — around 502,000 unfilled positions — and driver recruitment now ranks as the single biggest concern for 65% of European transport operators. Fewer than 5% of European truck drivers are under 25, while roughly a third are over 55.

Core hiring challenge: Validating heavy vehicle licences and forklift certifications issued outside the EU, and deploying cohorts quickly for seasonal peaks. How EU Helpers helps: We verify all required licences and certifications before presenting a candidate, and support both permanent and seasonal logistics placements.

Typical roles: Warehouse Operatives · Reach Truck & Forklift Operators · HGV/LGV Drivers · Inventory & Stock Controllers · Logistics Coordinators · Night & Weekend Warehouse Staff

Explore logistics and warehousing recruitment →

Agriculture and Seasonal Work

The European Parliament's research service reports that the EU fruit and vegetable sector is heavily dependent on non-national labour, with Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and Poland employing the highest numbers of migrant seasonal farm workers each harvest. This kind of seasonal work falls under the EU's dedicated framework for third-country seasonal employment, which sets minimum standards for contracts and living conditions.

Core hiring challenge: Tight harvest windows demand rapid group deployment, and seasonal processing timelines require planning months ahead of the agricultural calendar. How EU Helpers helps: We plan seasonal campaigns well ahead of each harvest window, maintain ready talent pools, and coordinate group travel logistics.

Typical roles: Fruit & Vegetable Pickers · Greenhouse Cultivation Staff · Farm Equipment Operators · Livestock & Dairy Farm Workers · Pack-House Graders & Sorters · Irrigation & Land Maintenance Workers

Explore seasonal agricultural recruitment →

IT and Technology

Eurofound projects the EU will fall around 5 million jobs short of its Digital Decade target of 20 million ICT specialists, with employment currently just above 10 million. Among firms with open IT vacancies, 57% report difficulty filling them — most acutely in cybersecurity, AI/machine learning, and cloud infrastructure roles.

Core hiring challenge: Verifying genuinely specialised technical skills in a competitive global market, beyond self-reported credentials. How EU Helpers helps: We run structured technical skills assessments tailored to each employer's technology stack and seniority requirements.

Typical roles: Software Developers (Full Stack, Backend, Frontend) · Cloud & DevOps Engineers · Cybersecurity Analysts · Data Engineers & Data Scientists · QA & Test Automation Specialists · Technical Project Managers

Explore IT and technology recruitment across Europe →

Engineering and Technical Roles

The European Commission has identified 24 shortage occupations tied specifically to the green transition, including civil engineers, insulation workers, and air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics — each flagged as a shortage role in more than a dozen member states.

Core hiring challenge: Engineering credential recognition varies across EU member states, and senior technical hires often face longer processing timelines. How EU Helpers helps: Our technical screening evaluates engineering credentials against destination-country recognition standards and supports credential portfolio preparation.

Typical roles: Mechanical & Electrical Engineers · Civil & Structural Engineers · Process & Chemical Engineers · HVAC & Building Services Engineers · Automation Technicians · CAD Designers

Explore engineering recruitment across Europe →

Retail and Customer Service

The OECD notes that Europe's retail sector faces persistent labour and skills shortages, compounded by the digital and sustainability skills the sector increasingly expects from front-line staff alongside traditional customer service experience.

Core hiring challenge: High attrition and rotating shift requirements demand ongoing, not episodic, recruitment. How EU Helpers helps: We screen for language aptitude and demonstrated customer service experience, and structure placement agreements to support long-term retention.

Typical roles: Customer Service Assistants · Stock & Inventory Staff · Department Supervisors · Bakery & Fresh Produce Staff · Online Order Pickers · Loss Prevention Personnel

Explore retail workforce recruitment →

Cleaning and Facilities Management

Cedefop's shortage index places accommodation and food services and waste management—sectors closely linked to cleaning and facilities demand—among the EU occupation groups with the highest concentration of shortage roles, a gap driven by early-morning and late-night shift requirements that are hard to fill locally in major urban centres.

Core hiring challenge: Physically demanding, off-peak shift requirements make consistent local recruitment difficult, driving recurring turnover costs. How EU Helpers helps: We source candidates who understand the shift structure and physical requirements of facilities roles, screening specifically for reliability.

Typical roles: Commercial Cleaning Operatives · Industrial Deep-Clean Teams · Facilities Coordinators · Laundry & Linen Services Staff · Waste Management Operatives · Building Maintenance Staff

Explore cleaning and facilities management recruitment →

How Our Process Works

1. Enquiry and Requirements — You share your vacancy details, timeline, and destination country; we scope a tailored recruitment plan.

2. Candidate Sourcing — We draw on active pipelines across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, or pre-built talent pools for volume and seasonal needs.

3. Screening and Verification — Skills and experience verification, document authentication, language assessment where required, reference checks, and sector-specific technical testing.

4. Documentation and Relocation Process Assistance — We help prepare the paperwork each destination country requires and coordinate the practical steps of relocating.

5. Placement and Post-Arrival Support — Pre-departure orientation and post-arrival check-ins during the initial settling-in period.

Built for Employers, Recruiters, and Candidates

Employers

Submit your vacancy requirements across any of the sectors above and receive a tailored recruitment proposal built around your role, timeline, and destination country. Service packages are scoped to hiring volume and role complexity — request a quote to see what a structured international hiring plan looks like for your business.

Talk to our employer team →

Recruiters and Manpower Partners

If you place workers into European roles and need a sourcing or compliance partner on the ground, our recruiter partnership programme extends our candidate network and destination-country process support to your existing client relationships.

Learn about partnering with EU Helpers →

Candidates

We welcome applications from skilled and semi-skilled workers across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe who are seeking legal employment opportunities in Europe. Register your profile and a consultant will match your qualifications and experience to active vacancies across our employer network.

Register as a job seeker →

Already working legally in Europe and looking to relocate to a new destination country? See our country-by-country relocation guides. Looking for a paid traineeship or internship instead of full employment? Visit our traineeships hub.

How EU Helpers Reduces the Risk in International Hiring

Structured candidate screening. Every candidate undergoes screening, experience verification, document authentication, language assessment, and the required reference checks. Industry-specific technical assessments apply to trades, engineering, healthcare, and technology roles, so employers see only candidates who match the vacancy.

Documentation and relocation process assistance. We help employers and candidates prepare the paperwork each destination country requires and coordinate the practical steps of relocating — from document checklists to pre-departure orientation. EU Helpers works within the labour regulations of each destination country and supports the process end to end; the relevant national authority ssubmits and decides the formalapplication

Multi-region sourcing network. Active candidate pipelines across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe let us respond to both niche specialist searches and larger cohort requirements without long lead times.

Dedicated account management. Each employer partner works with a consultant who understands their sector, so requirements don't need to be re-explained every time a new vacancy opens.

Learn more about how we structure an international hiring plan on our employer page.

Where Our Candidate Network Comes From

Asia — Skilled and semi-skilled candidates from countries including India, the Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, most active in healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and logistics.

Africa — A sourcing network spanning Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, supplying candidates for agriculture, hospitality, cleaning, and manufacturing roles.

Middle East — Candidates from Jordan, Lebanon, and the wider region, many with prior international work experience in technical and service industries.

Eastern Europe — Support for the mobility of workers from Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and the Western Balkans into EU member states, particularly in construction, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Ready to Build Your International Workforce?

For Employers: Submit your vacancy requirements and receive a tailored recruitment proposal. Request a Quote →

For Recruiters and Manpower Partners: Extend your network with our sourcing and process support. Explore Partnership →

For Candidates: Register your profile and get matched to active vacancies. Register as a Job Seeker →