New data from the Rockwool Foundation Berlin confirms a shift in the European labor market. In 2025, the employment rate for immigrants across the European Union reached a record 68.2 percent. This progress continues a trend observed over the past few years, effectively narrowing the employment gap between migrant workers and native-born citizens. Researchers note that immigrants from outside the EU saw the most significant gains, with their employment rate climbing to 66 percent compared to 59.4 percent in 2017.
While the numbers show a positive trajectory, the report identifies clear obstacles that remain. The overall data hides wide discrepancies between different host countries and regions of origin. For example, non-EU immigrants in countries like Malta and the Czech Republic show high employment rates, while those in Belgium and Finland face lower participation. Furthermore, the report indicates that highly educated migrants from non-EU backgrounds often struggle to secure roles that reflect their actual skill sets.
Gender remains a primary factor in these employment gaps. While employment rates for non-EU men have nearly converged with the native-born population, women from outside the EU continue to lag behind. Experts argue that simply increasing total employment numbers is no longer the sole objective for the region. The current priority is to address the underutilization of foreign-earned qualifications and remove certification barriers that prevent skilled workers from contributing fully.
Christian Dustmann, director of CReAM at the Rockwool Foundation Berlin, notes that the integration of workers is ongoing. Future policy efforts are expected to shift toward better qualification recognition and strategies to boost participation among women from non-EU nations. These steps aim to mitigate labor shortages across the bloc by better managing existing human capital.