Five European countries with strong employment opportunities for your next move
It’s no secret that European countries are an attractive prospect for job seekers around the world. Besides the beautiful cobblestoned cities and centuries of history, many European countries also have some of the strongest economies in the world and excellent work-life balance.
Whether you’re a recent graduate eager to kickstart your career or an experienced professional seeking growth in new opportunities, countries like Germany, the Netherlands, or Ireland are an excellent place to prove your skills.
In this article, we’ll look at the top five European countries that offer strong employment opportunities, benefits, and salaries. In the meantime, be sure to work on those interview skills and update your curriculum vitae to make sure it follows the Europass CV format.
Germany
According to the International Monetary Fund, Germany is the largest economy in Europe, with an average salary of about 4,500 EUR per month. This country is home to some of the most prominent companies in Europe, including the Mercedes-Benz Group (automotive, aircraft manufacturing), Siemens AG (electronics), Volkswagen AG (automotive), Allianz (financial services), Aldi (retail), and many others.
At the moment, the healthcare, IT, and engineering industries are most affected by the skilled worker shortage, and it might be worthwhile to consider Germany if you work in one of the latter sectors. When looking for a job, it’s best to pay attention to cities where large companies and startups are concentrated, such as Berlin, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. In fact, each city is famous for a different sector: Frankfurt is the financial hub of Germany, Stuttgart is the automotive capital, and Munich serves as the tech capital of Germany (it’s often called the Silicon Valley of Europe!)
Sweden
Those looking for excellent work-life balance should look no further than Sweden. Its impressive statistics include 240 days of paid parental leave for each parent (480 days total), the 40-hour workweek is the gold standard, and working overtime is seen as unnecessary.
Perhaps most endearing is the deeply-ingrained tradition of fika, where co-workers take a midday break to visit a local cafe, relax, and chat with each other on topics outside of work.
The Swedish economy is based on innovation and technology, with companies such as Ericsson (telecommunications), AstraZeneca (pharmaceuticals), Spotify (IT technologies), IKEA (furniture) and H&M (fashion) being based here.
The average monthly salary in Sweden is about 45,300 SEK (4,050 EUR) per month, contingent on the profession, years of experience, and other factors. IT specialists, engineers, and construction workers are especially in demand here.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands is a country that combines a dynamic economy, safety, and a high quality of life — no wonder it constantly ranks in the top 5 happiest countries in the world.
Likewise, the Netherlands is known for its business juxtaposition: you have the up-and-coming start-ups and tech companies on one side, as well as established companies like Heineken (beverages), Airbus (aerospace and aircraft), Philips (electronics, healthcare), and ING Group (finance) on the other.
Despite the Netherlands’ small size, the average gross income per year is about 35,000 EUR. Industries facing talent shortages include scientific services, engineering, healthcare, business, and education. When looking for a job in the Netherlands, you’ll find the most vacancies in major metropolitan areas like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht.
France
France is often referred to as the ‘cultural capital of Europe’ and is also the second-largest country on the continent. The country is primarily known for its fashion industry, restaurant and gastronomy sector, and tourism, with the latter contributing the most to France’s GDP.
France is home to some of the most prestigious and largest corporations in the world, including L’Oréal (cosmetics and perfumes), TotalEnergies (energy and petroleum), LVMH (luxury goods), Danone (consumer goods), and many others.
Like other countries in our article, the largest demand is for IT professionals, although designers and tourism employees are always sought-after in France. The best cities to find work are Paris, Lyon, and Toulouse.
Compared to other countries, integrating into French society is easier thanks to the government’s official OFII initiative. OFII, which stands for l’Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration (the French Office for Immigration and Integration), is an organisation that helps immigrants integrate into France with initiatives such as language courses, a 4-day class on French culture and society, and a case worker who will help with any questions.
Ireland
Thanks to low taxes, excellent pay transparency, and highly educated workforce, Ireland attracts many international companies — and potential employees as well.
In fact, this is also why Ireland serves as a base for many international companies like Google, Facebook, Apple, Intel, Accenture, and many others. This creates a high demand for specialists, especially in the field of information technology, programming, and engineering.
The average salary in Ireland is approximately 45,000 EUR per year, or about 3,750 EUR per month. Ireland is also attractive for specialists in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, as companies like Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson are based here.