European Labour Market 2026: Where Are the Biggest Shortages?

Almost every country in Europe is looking for workers, but not everywhere and not in every job to the same degree. The report published in June 2026 by the European Labour Authority (ELA) and EURES gives a clear picture of where the shortages are biggest. If you are a mobile worker, you can learn a lot from it for your next step.

What does the report measure?

The ELA (European Labour Authority) is an EU agency, and EURES is the network of European employment services. Their report, based on 2025 data, came out on 11 June 2026. Countries reported which jobs have a shortage of workers and which have a surplus.

The main numbers:

• In total 2 617 shortage reports came in.
• Of the 436 occupations studied, 421 have a shortage in at least one country, which is about 97%.

This shows that the lack of workers is not a problem of one or two sectors, but of almost the whole European economy.

Where are the biggest shortages?

These five countries reported the most shortage occupations:

1. Italy: 253
2. Netherlands: 195
3. Bulgaria: 193
4. Belgium: 184
5. Romania: 170

Interestingly, the list has both Eastern and Western countries. So shortages are not only where wages are high.

The special position of the Netherlands

The Netherlands is not only second in the number of shortage occupations, it also stands out because very few jobs have a surplus: it reported only 8. Unemployment is also lower than in the other top 5 countries.

Dutch data supports this. According to the indicator of the UWV (the Dutch employment agency) for the first quarter of 2026, the market is tight or very tight in 87 of 93 occupation groups. Shortages are biggest in technical and healthcare jobs: electricians, mechanics, plumbers, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, carers. Construction and industrial helpers are in the middle.

An honest picture matters too: the tightness has eased since the 2022 peak. According to CBS, unemployment was 4.0% in September 2026, and in the last three months it grew by about 5 thousand people per month. So the market is cooling, but it is still tighter than before.

Which jobs are wanted almost everywhere?

The report also shows which jobs most of the 28 countries reported as shortage occupations:

Occupation	Number of countries (out of 28)
Specialist doctors	22
Welders and flame cutters	22
Building electricians	21
Plumbers and pipe fitters	20
Nurses	20
Heavy truck drivers	19

One thing is clear from this: skilled manual work is very valuable in Europe. A good welder, electrician or truck driver is wanted in almost any country. These skills are also "portable": your know-how does not depend as much on one country's language or system as, for example, office work does.

Where is there a surplus?

The report also lists jobs where there are more applicants than jobs:

• Graphic and multimedia designers: surplus in 19 countries.
• Cleaners and helpers in offices and hotels: in 16 countries.
• General office clerks: in 15 countries.

If you are looking for work as a cleaner or hotel helper, this does not mean there are no chances. But it does mean there is more competition, and it is harder to negotiate better conditions. It is worth thinking about what training could move you into a field that is more in demand.

How to read these numbers

A shortage report is not the same as a real job offer. It shows that in a country it is hard to find people for that job, but it does not say how much they pay, on what terms or in which region.

It also matters that the shortage is a national average. Inside one country there can be regions with lots of work and others with little. The same is true the other way round: in a job with a surplus there can still be good offers, just with more people applying.

So use the report as a compass, not a map. It shows you which way to look, but before you decide, always check the actual job ad, the pay, the housing and the contract.

What does this mean for a mobile worker?

A few practical conclusions:

• Your trade is worth more than the country. If you have a shortage occupation, you can choose between several countries. That gives you a stronger position to negotiate.
• Get the papers. A welding certificate, a forklift or crane licence, a truck driving licence: these count a lot, even next to language skills.
• A shortage does not mean high pay. Bulgaria and Romania are both in the top 5, yet they have some of the lowest minimum wages in the EU: in January 2026 the gross monthly minimum wage was about 620 euros in Bulgaria and 795 euros in Romania. Always compare net pay and the cost of living.
• Think about housing and travel too. A better hourly wage quickly melts away if housing is expensive or you have to commute a lot.
• Follow the trends. The Dutch market is slowly cooling, but according to the UWV the shortages are still biggest in technical jobs. Demand for a job can change from year to year, so it is good to look at fresh data from time to time.

Before a personal decision (a contract, tax, another country), it is a good idea to talk to the agency, to the Belastingdienst (the Dutch tax office) about tax, and to the Juridisch Loket or the trade unions (FNV, CNV) about work matters.

On Eyesonworks.eu you can filter by type of work, housing and net weekly pay, so you can easily see what offers there are in your trade, and you always reach the agency's original job ad.

In short

• According to the ELA/EURES report published in June 2026, 421 of 436 occupations have a shortage in Europe.
• Italy, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Belgium and Romania reported the most shortage occupations.
• In the Netherlands only 8 occupations have a surplus, and unemployment is lower than in the other top 5 countries.
• Welders, electricians, plumbers and truck drivers are wanted almost everywhere.
• General office work, graphic design and cleaning have more applicants: there is more competition there.