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EMN Study: Labour migration in times of labour shortages ,
With the growing labour shortage across the EU the EMN-OECD joint study on "Labour migration in times of labour shortages" provides an overview of labour migration laws and policies, as well as initiatives and practices of EMN Member and Observer Countries targeting third-country nationals.
The EU faces labour shortages at all skill levels and across several sectors – including healthcare, construction and ICT. Labour migration is one strategy for addressing labour shortages in EMN Member and Observer Countries, as well as in OECD Countries. One of the core challenges is the need to attract, retain and integrate talent from abroad to meet rapidly evolving EU's labour market demands.
The EMN-OECD study "Labour migration in times of labour shortages" explores how EMN Member and Observer Countries use labour migration to address current labour shortages and prevent future ones. It provides an overview of legislative and policy developments, and an analysis of best practices, lessons learned and challenges with regard to labour migration during the period of January 2021 to June 2024. Therefore, the study looks at labour shortages and labour migration at all skill levels and includes all third-country nationals moving to an EMN Member or Observer Country for the purpose of employment.
The study shows that labour migration is increasingly recognised as a key strategy to tackle persistent labour shortages across EMN Member and Observer Countries. Many EMN Member Countries have implemented extensive legal and policy reforms since 2021. Practical changes include e. g. digitalisation and fast track procedures to better align migration with labour market needs. National practices for attracting and recruiting foreign talent predominantly rely on initiatives led by employers and private recruitment agencies, which include bilateral agreements, quality-assurance measures and diverse advertising strategies.
Challenges limiting the effectiveness of labour migration initiatives, include complex governance structures, lengthy legal processes and integration barriers. Further barriers arise from challenges in integration and administration, such as language barriers, housing shortages, and negative public attitudes. Labour market conditions, exploitation risks, and difficulties in recognising foreign qualifications also affect the recruitment, retention, and fair treatment of migrant workers.
The EMN-OECD study is only available in English.
The EMN Inform and the EMN Flash are short summaries and are also only available in English (see "Downloads" under "Further information"). The EMN Germany Template "Labour Migration in times of labour shortages" provides a more comprehensive overview on the legal and political framework conditions in Germany as well as german initiatives for attracting workers from third countries (see "Downloads" under "Further information").