Europe is grappling with a paradox. Even as governments introduce policies to stimulate employment, millions of jobs remain unfilled across the continent. Labor shortages have become a defining economic challenge, with some countries facing record vacancy levels despite sluggish growth and migration inflows.
According to the latest Eurostat and national statistics, as of Q2 2025, the largest gaps are concentrated in Europe’s biggest economies—Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy—but mid-sized markets from the Netherlands to Belgium are also reporting acute shortages.
Defining a Job Vacancy
CEOWORLD magazine defines a job vacancy as any newly created, unoccupied, or soon-to-be vacated paid post that employers are actively trying to fill from outside the enterprise. Importantly, vacancies reflect positions employers intend to fill immediately or within a set timeframe, not simply long-term workforce plans.
The Leaders: Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy
Germany tops the list with over 1 million open positions, underscoring its dual challenge of an aging workforce and high demand in sectors like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.
Russia comes second with 945,000 vacancies, and the United Kingdom ranks third with 781,000 vacancies. Despite Brexit, the United Kingdom’s labor market continues to struggle with shortages in hospitality, construction, and healthcare. These numbers show that demand for workers is spread across northern and western Europe, with strong pull factors in countries with dynamic export sectors and high living standards.
Where Vacancies Are Lowest
At the other end of the spectrum, Europe’s smallest states have modest needs: Monaco: 250; Liechtenstein: 350; San Marino: 318; and Andorra: 1450. While these figures are low in absolute terms, vacancy rates relative to population size may still be significant.
Europe’s Labor Shortage: Which Countries Need Workers the Most?
| Rank | Country | Number of job vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 1048815 |
| 2 | Russia | 945000 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 781000 |
| 4 | France | 503629 |
| 5 | Italy | 480000 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 399700 |
| 7 | Turkey | 206189 |
| 8 | Belgium | 170382 |
| 9 | Austria | 147941 |
| 10 | Spain | 145941 |
| 11 | Sweden | 112500 |
| 12 | Norway | 106739 |
| 13 | Poland | 100647 |
| 14 | Switzerland | 93781 |
| 15 | Kazakhstan | 92000 |
| 16 | Czech Republic (Czechia) | 83227 |
| 17 | Ukraine | 74000 |
| 18 | Hungary | 68459 |
| 19 | Denmark | 62000 |
| 20 | Finland | 54236 |
| 21 | Greece | 52070 |
| 22 | Azerbaijan | 52000 |
| 23 | Portugal | 51625 |
| 24 | Belarus | 42000 |
| 25 | Serbia | 35000 |
| 26 | Lithuania | 31164 |
| 27 | Romania | 30752 |
| 28 | Ireland | 29700 |
| 29 | Croatia | 22176 |
| 30 | Bulgaria | 21335 |
| 31 | Latvia | 21278 |
| 32 | Slovakia | 20331 |
| 33 | Georgia | 19200 |
| 34 | Slovenia | 17786 |
| 35 | Armenia | 17200 |
| 36 | Albania | 15000 |
| 37 | Cyprus | 13524 |
| 38 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13200 |
| 39 | Estonia | 11700 |
| 40 | North Macedonia | 10014 |
| 41 | Moldova | 10000 |
| 42 | Malta | 8273 |
| 43 | Luxembourg | 6726 |
| 44 | Kosovo | 5200 |
| 45 | Iceland | 4500 |
| 46 | Montenegro | 3000 |
| 47 | Andorra | 450 |
| 48 | San Marino | 418 |
| 49 | Liechtenstein | 350 |
| 50 | Monaco | 250 |
Migration and the Labor Shortage Paradox
The vacancy picture also intersects with Europe’s migration flows. Germany, the EU’s top migration destination, welcomed 1.27 million immigrants in 2023 (324,000 from EU states and 905,000 from outside the bloc). Yet, its job vacancy rate remains the highest in Europe.
Spain, in contrast, ranks only tenth in vacancies (145,941) but still received 1.25 million immigrants in 2023, nearly matching Germany’s total. This mismatch highlights the need to analyze each country’s economic structure, labor market demands, and integration capacity individually.
Youth Employment: Turkey’s Challenge
Turkey stands out with 206,189 vacancies, yet also the highest rate of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEETs) in 2024. This juxtaposition underscores structural imbalances—vacancies exist, but the skills and pathways to fill them remain weak.
What This Means for Europe
Europe’s labor shortage is not evenly distributed. Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy account for nearly half of all job vacancies, driven by aging demographics, skills mismatches, and sectoral transformations.
For job seekers, this creates opportunities in healthcare, digital technologies, engineering, and skilled trades. For policymakers, the challenge lies in balancing migration policy, education reform, and workforce mobility to address systemic shortages.
A Market of Contrasts
Europe’s job vacancy landscape in 2025 is a study in contrasts. Some nations are overwhelmed with demand for workers despite record immigration, while others face relatively low vacancy numbers but persistent structural challenges.
The data clearly shows that Europe remains one of the most attractive labor markets in the world for professionals with in-demand skills, with Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy leading the demand for new talent.
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