Europe's Job Vacancy Map 2026: Which Countries Need Workers the Most?

By Marco · February 9, 2026 · 6 min read

There are over 4 million unfilled jobs across Europe right now. Germany alone accounts for more than a million. And yet, most job seekers have no idea where the real demand is — or where they'd have the best chance of getting hired.

This is the data behind Europe's job vacancy crisis: which countries have the most open positions, which sectors can't find workers, and what this means if you're looking for a job.

The Numbers: Job Vacancies Across Europe

Based on the latest Eurostat and national statistics data, here's where the demand is concentrated:

The Big Four — Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands account for nearly half of all job vacancies in Europe:

Germany: 1.05 million vacancies — the largest absolute number in Europe. Manufacturing, logistics, IT, and healthcare drive most of the demand. Despite receiving 1.27 million immigrants in 2023 alone, the gap keeps growing.

United Kingdom: 781,000 vacancies. Post-Brexit labor shortages hit hospitality, construction, healthcare, and social care hardest. The UK remains Europe's third-largest job market.

France: 504,000 vacancies. Demand is strongest in healthcare, engineering, and digital services. Notably, only 37% of French workers plan to change jobs in 2026 — the lowest rate in Europe — meaning less competition for those who do apply.

Netherlands: 400,000 vacancies. With the highest vacancy rate in the EU at 4.2%, roughly 1 in 24 positions is unfilled. Tech, logistics, and healthcare lead demand. Many roles operate in English.

The High-Vacancy Rate Countries — These countries have smaller absolute numbers but proportionally more unfilled positions:

Belgium: 170,000 vacancies, 3.9% vacancy rate. Brussels alone offers opportunities across EU institutions, NGOs, and multinational headquarters.

Austria: 148,000 vacancies, 3.4% rate. Tourism, healthcare, engineering, and skilled trades are the main shortage areas.

Norway: 107,000 vacancies, 3.4% rate. Oil and gas, maritime, healthcare, and IT. High salaries but high living costs.

Malta: 8,000 vacancies, 3.2% rate. Small numbers but a high proportion of unfilled roles, particularly in financial services and iGaming.

Cyprus: 3.3% vacancy rate, driven by growing financial services and tourism sectors.

The Low-Vacancy Countries — Fewer opportunities, but often overlooked potential:

Spain: 145,000 vacancies, but only 0.8% rate. Tourism and hospitality are the main drivers. Lower salaries are offset by significantly lower living costs.

Poland: 101,000 vacancies, 0.8% rate. Growing tech sector, especially in Krakow and Warsaw. EU's largest eastern economy.

Romania: 0.6% — the lowest vacancy rate in the EU.

The Trend: Vacancies Are Falling, But Shortages Aren't

Here's what makes the current situation unusual: vacancy rates across Europe have been declining since their 2022 peak. The EU average dropped from 2.4% in Q2 2024 to 2.1% in Q2 2025. In 22 out of 27 member states, rates fell year-over-year.

But this doesn't mean the labor shortage is over. What's happening is more nuanced. Economic slowdown in manufacturing — particularly in Germany — has reduced hiring in some industrial sectors. Meanwhile, healthcare, IT, and skilled trades shortages are getting worse, not better.

The result is a two-speed job market. Some sectors are cooling. Others are overheating. And the mismatch between what employers need and what candidates offer is growing.

In 2018, 42% of European employers reported they couldn't find workers with the right skills. By 2023, that number had jumped to 75%. In Germany and Greece, it reached 82%.

Where the Demand Is: Sectors With the Biggest Shortages

Across Europe, the same sectors appear on shortage lists again and again:

Healthcare is the most universal shortage. Nurses, doctors, elderly care specialists, physiotherapists, and lab technicians are needed in virtually every EU country. Europe's aging population means this will only intensify. Latvia is offering extra incentives for rural doctors. Sweden has invested billions to expand healthcare capacity. Germany's new immigration law specifically targets healthcare workers from non-EU countries.

IT and Technology is the fastest-growing shortage area. AI engineers, cloud architects, cybersecurity specialists, data engineers, and software developers are in acute demand. Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Sweden lead in tech hiring. Salaries for senior AI engineers now exceed €100,000 in Switzerland, Ireland, and parts of Germany.

Construction and Skilled Trades face chronic undersupply. Electricians, plumbers, welders, carpenters, and heavy equipment operators are needed across the EU. A shortage of 400,000 truck drivers was already documented in 2022, and the situation has worsened as the average driver age exceeds 50.

Engineering — mechanical, electrical, civil, and industrial engineers remain central to infrastructure projects, automotive manufacturing, and the green energy transition. Germany and Sweden are particularly affected.

Hospitality and Food Service continues to struggle with recruitment. Cooks, chefs, hotel managers, and service staff are consistently in the top 5 most-demanded occupations across Germany, France, the UK, and the Netherlands.

What This Means For Job Seekers

The data paints a clear picture: Europe has jobs. The question is whether you're looking in the right place — and whether you know how well you actually match.

The average job seeker applies to dozens, sometimes hundreds of positions without knowing whether their skills actually align with what the employer needs. In a market where 75% of employers say they can't find the right talent, the problem isn't a lack of jobs. It's a matching problem.

This is exactly what we built AlmostHired to solve. Instead of scrolling through thousands of listings with keyword filters, our platform reads your CV, understands your experience level and industry background, and scores every job against your actual profile. Across 220,000+ positions in 14 European countries, you see not just what's available — but where you genuinely fit.

A match score of 82% with "Strong in operations management, gap in SAP experience" is infinitely more useful than a generic listing that tells you nothing about your chances.

The Bottom Line

Europe's job vacancy map in 2026 is a map of opportunity — but only if you read it correctly. Northwestern Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Germany) has the highest proportional demand. The big economies (Germany, UK, France) have the most absolute openings. And the shortage sectors — healthcare, IT, skilled trades, engineering — are consistent across virtually every country.

The smart move isn't to apply everywhere. It's to understand where your skills are most needed, which countries match your profile, and which roles give you a realistic chance.

The data exists. The jobs exist. The question is whether you're using the right tools to connect the two.

AlmostHired matches your CV against 1 million+ European job vacancies using AI. See where you actually fit — free at almosthired.co