Professionals from outside the EU are being sought after by European employers more frequently. This is because there is a persistent shortage of local labor, claims a study by Manpower Group for the Initiative Liberalization titled “Europe’s labour market: Foreign talent at work.”. Employers in Germany believe they need more foreign workers, according to 28% of employers. This is a twofold increase from the beginning of 2015.
There is still a high demand for IT professionals and those who can speak German as a professional or first language (9%) but there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for specialists with English skills (10%).
According to the survey, there will be a significant increase in Italy over the next five years in the desire to hire professionals from abroad, with 18% of businesses anticipating doing so.
It is steadily increasing in France, where there are 15% more companies looking to hire foreign workers this year than there were last year.
Because of the persistent shortage of workers in a number of positions and industries throughout Europe, foreign specialists now have more significant opportunities than ever before within European businesses. The top 12 occupations in demand in Europe for foreigners are as follows:
Sales professionals (33%)
Despite the expansion of online commerce in Europe, consumers are still eager to shop in-person, making sales assistants in high demand. Depending on the nation they work in and how much experience they have, they can anticipate earning between €1,500 and €3,000 per month. These salespeople will be required to speak languages other than their mother tongue, like English or German. The countries that provide the most opportunities for this job role overall are France, Italy, and Spain. A senior-level specialist with more than four years of experience can earn approximately £10 000 ($14 500) per year in Germany, approximately £2 800 ($4 400) per month in France, and approximately £1 400 ($2 200) per month in Italy.
IT professionals (28%)
There is a high demand for IT professionals across Europe, and 28% of employers are looking to hire foreigners to fill open positions. Comparative to earlier years, this has increased. According to Manpower Group statistics, they are particularly required in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain where there is a shortage of local talent. Meanwhile, 47% of the companies polled said they would need to hire more foreigners in this sector than they did the previous year. The demand for IT specialists has increased by 16% in France as well. An English-speaking graduate can expect to earn between £25 000 and £35 000 ($40 000 to $56 000) per year in London, while their German counterparts can expect to earn between £29 600 ($45 100) and £18 800 ($30 300) per year in France and up to £11 700 ($18 500) per year in Italy.
Engineers (23%)
Compared to last year, a greater percentage of employers (23%) are looking to hire foreign engineers. This is especially true of those who speak English well. They’ll probably work as highly compensated specialists and trainees. Individuals with experience working with IT systems can earn between £25 800 ($40 000) and £42 800 ($64 000) a year, according to a survey of 26 percent of companies in the United Kingdom. For foreign engineers working in Germany, the annual salary ranges from £25 600 ($40 000) to £46 600 ($72 200).
Secretaries and Administrators (18%)
According to Man power Group’s statistics, there are more opportunities for foreign secretaries and administrators on the job market in Europe; 18% of companies are looking to fill positions with non-nationals this year, up from 12% last year. Again, English-speaking workers will be in high demand. These workers can anticipate salaries of about £26 500 ($41 000), or even more if they have previous experience working as an administrative assistant or secretary in London, where salaries range from about £35 000 ($54 000) to £49 600 ($76 700) annually.
Sales and marketing professionals (17%)
You can expect opportunities in positions related to sales and marketing throughout Europe; employers are looking for foreign workers at a 17% higher rate this year than last. This is particularly true in France, where 24 percent of companies will be hiring from abroad. Perhaps not surprisingly, many French businesses are still not set up online, so they require individuals who can travel throughout the nation visiting clients in person or making cold calls in a foreign language. The typical sales salary.
Clerks and assistants (15%)
Employers are looking for 15 percent more foreign clerks and administrative assistants than they did last year; this is due in part to young people’s lower likelihood of considering these careers. Naturally, businesses will also look for native speakers with excellent client communication skills. In London, these workers can expect to make about £22 600 ($35 000) a year; in Paris, about £14 900 ($22 000) a year; and on average, between €14 800 ($18 500) and €22 300 (US$25 200) a year in Germany.
Operators on the phone.
Depending on their level of experience, foreigners can make between £12 600 ($18 700) and £17 400 ($25 600) a year working as sales agents or call center agents in London. If they are fluent in another language, their salary will increase significantly. For instance, a native German speaker could expect to make between £17 500 ($25 000) and £23 800 ($35 200) annually for the same job.
Cooks & Catering staff (13%)
In contrast to last year, when 16 percent of employers in France said they were looking for more foreign workers, only 10 percent of employers said the same thing this year. However, in Spain, things might be different because this year, 25% more employers are looking to hire foreign workers than they did last year, according to a survey. In the UK, it’s the same story; according to Adzuna’s statistics, 20% of businesses currently employ non-citizens, and 15% said they wanted to hire more foreigners compared to 18% last year. Cooking jobs for foreigners typically pay between £7 600 ($11 000) and £19 800 ($29 100) per year in Spain, £12 500 ($18 400) and £19 800 ($29 100) in London, and €14 700 ($18 900) and €20 300 ($21 200) per year in Germany. If foreign cooks want a better job over their native tongue, they should speak clear English. Since they can communicate with clients more effectively in English, they will earn more money: if they speak good German, they will earn between £19 000 ($28 600) and £31 800 ($49 200) annually; if they speak good English, they will earn between £17 900 ($27 100) and £29 300 ($47 400).
The distance learning industry
With this it needs more foreign workers in the form of technicians and associate professionals (12%). According to Manpower Group statistics released earlier this month, there are 12 percent more employers looking for foreign workers than there were a year ago. These figures also demonstrate that business as usual is being conducted in Europe with regard to hiring foreign workers for these positions. Unsurprisingly, London, where there are many jobs in the distance learning industry, has a high percentage of foreign technicians and associates: according to Adzuna’s statistics, 34 percent of technicians and associates are not British, up from 33 percent last year.
Technician or Associate
As a technician or associate, an outsider can expect to make between £8 100 ($12 400) and €15 200 ($21 600) a year in Britain, €12 500 ($18 000) and €15 200 ($21 600) a year in Germany, and €11 800 ($17 300) and €15 200 ($21 600) a year in Spain. If employers want foreigners to join their team, they will look for those who can communicate clearly in English. German speakers who are fluent can also anticipate earning even more money: between £45 600 (US$67 400), depending on their level of experience and whether they are native speakers; or between £28 000 ($41 600) and £40 200 ($59 800) – again, because fluency in German gives them better communication abilities.
Final Thoughts Employers in Germany, the UK, and Spain hire more and more foreigners every year as they seek to improve the efficiency of their teams by bringing on the most educated and skilled candidates. Higher education or better communication skills, like language proficiency, are requirements for the non-national jobs that are most in demand.
There are undoubtedly many opportunities available if you speak other languages and have foreign degrees; if you work abroad, your salary probably reflects this. Before you start applying, it might be worthwhile to look at the Sarpsolutions Jobs pages to see what industries and countries are offering the jobs. In the end, some cultures place a high value on English fluency, so if you’re a native English speaker and have degrees in another language, it might be that the UK is the best place for you. But keep in mind, just because these are the jobs that are most in demand for foreign workers, doesn’t mean that they all require high-level or professional skills.
If so, your chances of landing a job abroad are higher than if you’re applying for a position in an office that values excellent communication skills, unless you happen to be multilingual. It’s critical that you research the nations where employers are looking for workers so that there will be opportunities for your skill set in the country you choose as your destination. Do not be afraid to get in touch with us if you are looking for English-speaking employment in Europe; we can assist you in doing so.