European employers are facing significant difficulties in finding qualified workers: the greatest shortages are observed in education, healthcare and information technology. UNN writes about this with reference to Euronews and the study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
At the same time, vacancies that do not require high qualifications are filled much more easily in most countries. The situation is compounded by the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult for young Europeans to find work, despite the shortage of specialists in key sectors of the economy.
Details
According to the OECD report Mapping Skill Shortages in OECD Countries, published in October 2026, the European labour market is characterised by a significant imbalance between employers' demand and the availability of workers with the required skills. The study covered 38 OECD countries. At the same time, the analysis of European trends presented by Euronews concerns 27 countries, including the countries of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
Which specialists are currently most in short supply in Europe
According to the study, European employers find it most difficult to recruit teachers, doctors, healthcare workers and information and communication technology specialists. In particular, teachers are among the five professions for which vacancies are hardest to fill in 13 European countries. Healthcare workers and IT specialists appeared on the same list in 12 countries each.
Executives and managers were among the five most in-demand professions in seven countries. In another six countries, nursing staff, care workers, and business and administration professionals were among the occupations for which it was most difficult to find workers. A shortage of healthcare specialists is observed in 23 of the 27 European countries studied.
A shortage of teachers was recorded in 21 countries, while information and communication technology specialists were in short supply in 18.
Why Europe cannot overcome the shortage of healthcare workers
Healthcare remains one of the most problematic sectors. Difficulties arise both in recruiting new specialists and in retaining staff who are already employed.
Paul De Raeve and Manuel Ballotta, representatives of the European Federation of Nurses Associations, explain that healthcare facilities face difficulties in recruiting and retaining nurses because of excessive workloads, inadequate pay and challenging working conditions. Among the main problems, they cite the large number of patients per healthcare worker, insufficient workplace safety, limited career advancement opportunities, and cases of psychological and physical violence.
Ole Johan Bakke, President of the Standing Committee of European Doctors, also drew attention to the increased workload on medical professionals. According to him, due to a systemic staff shortage, doctors are forced to work overtime and take on additional responsibilities. This increases the risk of professional burnout and makes a medical career less attractive.
An additional negative factor is Europe's ageing population. The growing number of elderly people increases the need for medical assistance and care services, while training new doctors and nurses takes a long time. Therefore, even increasing the number of students admitted to medical educational institutions will not allow the staff shortage to be eliminated immediately.
Teacher shortages are not caused solely by low salaries
The situation in Europe's education system is also difficult. According to OECD data, a shortage of teachers was recorded in 21 countries. At the same time, in Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain and Turkey, the balance between demand and supply in this profession is generally assessed as balanced.
Daniel Wisniewski, Secretary-General of the European Federation of Employers in Education, emphasizes that the teacher shortage problem is no longer limited to the need to fill vacancies in schools. In his view, the issue concerns the long-term attractiveness of the teaching profession and the ability of education systems to retain qualified workers. Although competitive pay remains an important factor, teachers are increasingly facing additional professional demands. In particular, they must master digital tools, implement inclusive approaches to teaching, pay greater attention to students’ psychological well-being, and perform a substantial amount of administrative work.
In addition, career development prospects, the ability to make professional decisions independently, and the quality of educational institution management influence the choice of the teaching profession. Experts warn that without improving working conditions, it will become increasingly difficult to attract new teachers and retain experienced specialists.
IT specialists remain in demand, but AI is changing the labor market
Information and communications technology is another sector facing a significant labor shortage. In 18 of the 27 countries analyzed, employers are experiencing a shortage of IT specialists. A similar situation is observed among professionals in business and administration.
OECD economist Isabel Skak Olufsen explains the high demand for such workers by the digitalization of the economy and the development of new technologies. However, the continued spread of artificial intelligence (AI) could significantly change the employment structure. In particular, the automation of certain tasks could potentially reduce the need for some categories of IT workers, primarily entry-level specialists. At the same time, demand for experienced professionals with advanced technical knowledge, particularly in the development and maintenance of artificial intelligence technologies, may remain high.
Which vacancies in Europe are filled the fastest
In contrast to highly qualified specialists, employers in most countries find it easier to recruit workers to perform simple and routine tasks. According to the study, laborers rank among the five occupations whose vacancies are easiest to fill in 14 countries.
Kitchen assistants appeared on a similar list in 12 countries, other office and clerical workers in 11, elementary occupations in 10, and assemblers in eight.
When considering the overall ratio of demand to supply, a relative surplus of laborers was recorded in 21 countries.
Kitchen assistants are relatively easy to find in 17 countries, workers performing elementary operations in 16, and sales workers and clerical workers in 15 countries.
At the same time, this trend is not universal. For example, in Norway, laborers are among the categories of workers whom employers find most difficult to recruit. In Spain, the greatest difficulties arise in hiring kitchen assistants, although in many other European countries the supply of such workers exceeds demand. In France, workers performing elementary operations are among those in shortest supply.
The OECD explains that differences between countries are linked to the structure of their national economies. In particular, countries with strong industrial sectors may experience increased demand for equipment operators, assemblers, and other production workers.
Young people find it harder to find work despite labor shortages
Researchers pay particular attention to the contradictory situation regarding youth employment. Despite shortages of specialists in a number of sectors, young Europeans are finding it increasingly difficult to enter the labor market.
According to the OECD, in the countries studied, the gap between the unemployment rate among young graduates and that of the broader working-age population has widened. The European Central Bank also recorded a deterioration in young people’s employment prospects in the euro area starting in 2023
One of the reasons for this situation is the mismatch between candidates’ skills and employers’ requirements. Companies may need experienced workers with specialized expertise, while graduates are only beginning their professional careers.
Why the labor shortage is becoming a long-term problem
The European Labour Authority (ELA) notes that the shortage of workers is increasingly taking on a structural character. Pia-Johanna Fallström, a representative of the agency, cites demographic changes, a mismatch between professional skills and employers’ needs, insufficient job quality, and limited labor mobility among the main causes. According to her, Europe needs to improve its vocational training system, create more attractive working conditions, and ensure more effective matching of employers’ demand with workers’ qualifications.
One possible way to overcome the imbalance is seen in developing labor mobility between countries. After all, occupations whose representatives face difficulties finding work in one country may be among the most in demand in another. At the same time, OECD experts point to the need to expand vocational retraining programs and lifelong learning, as well as adapt education systems to technological changes.
In the long term, staffing problems may intensify due to population aging and a decline in the size of the workforce.
The situation in Ukraine
In Ukraine, over the past month — October 2026 — the highest incomes were earned by plasterers, dentists, facade workers, technologists, and bricklayers. The average salary for representatives of these professions ranged from UAH 66,000 to UAH 85,000.