European companies are having difficulty hiring outside the EU, research shows.

Nearly half of European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing difficulties. to find workers with the qualifications they needHowever, hiring outside the European Union remains "limited" and "too difficult," according to a Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission.

The Commission points out that 84% of all EU occupations experienced shortages in at least one Member State in 2023. SMEs, which represent 99% of all EU businesses, are the group with the greatest untapped potential for recruiting foreign workers.

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Few try, many give up.

Over the past two years, the proportion of SMEs that attempted to recruit outside the EU ranged from 2% in Hungary to 48% in Malta. In ItalyIn Spain and Denmark, the rate was 15%. In Germany, it reached 25%.

Among companies that recruited from outside the bloc, 54% rated the process as “difficult”. The main barriers were bureaucracy and complex immigration procedures (31%), difficulty in finding suitable candidates (25%), and language issues (24%).

On the other hand, almost a quarter of recruiting companies (24%) said they had encountered no problems. The proportion was higher in Greece (67%) and in Portugal (46%). Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands had the worst results in this regard, with less than 10%.

Among companies that have already hired non-EU citizens, more than 60% rated the integration and retention of these workers as a smooth process.

What the EU proposes

The European Commission is launching the EU Talent Pool, a platform focused on international recruitment to reduce skills gaps. In parallel, it proposed a new visa policy to make procedures "simpler and faster" for skilled workers.

“The results clearly show that we need to help our companies attract talent. With the visa strategy, we aim to facilitate international recruitment,” stated Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.

SMEs that did not recruit outside the EU cited language requirements, administrative procedures, and the recognition of qualifications obtained outside the bloc as the main obstacles.

ADVERTISING

🔴 Supreme Court • May 2026

Standing in line at the consulate doesn't erase your right to citizenship.

The Italian Supreme Court has confirmed that a consular blockade is legal grounds for legal action.

• Were you unable to schedule an appointment at the consulate?
• Is the process stalled or poorly managed?
• Maternal lineage?
• Incomplete documentation?

See if there is still a solution.