An increase in employment among immigrant populations is currently observed across the European Union. This finding is the result of research conducted by the private economic research institute Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF), which reported the study in the “Frankfurter Rundschau”. The analysis relies on data provided by the EU statistical office, Eurostat.
According to the report, the share of employed migrants in the EU rose from 67.8 percent to 68.2 percent in the past year, marking a record high in 2025. The largest proportional growth was recorded among migrants from non-EU countries, whose employment rate jumped by 6.6 percentage points since 2017, moving from 59.4 percent to 66 percent in 2025. Meanwhile, the employment rate among EU migrants increased from 71.1 percent to 74.8 percent. For comparison, the rate among the native population grew from 67.2 percent to 71.6 percent during the same period.
Tommaso Frattini, Deputy Director of the research center at RF Berlin and a Professor of Economics at the University of Milan, noted that “The share of migrants in employment has been rising for many years, and the figures are close to those of the native population.” However, he emphasized that there are significant variations depending on the country of origin and the host country. He pointed out that migrants born in other EU member states sometimes achieve employment rates that even surpass those of the native population. Conversely, results for migrants from non-EU countries vary widely between host nations. In some countries, the employment quotient is notably high, such as Malta (83.7 percent), the Czech Republic (77.3 percent), and Ireland (76.1 percent). The lowest rates were observed in Belgium (58.5 percent) and Finland (58.6 percent). In Germany, the employment rate for non-EU migrants stands at 66.1 percent.
The researchers also identified an underutilization of migrants’ qualifications across the continent. In much of Europe, highly qualified non-EU migrants have a significantly lower probability of finding a job compared to native residents with the same educational background. Christian Dustmann, Director of RF Berlin and a Professor of Economics at University College London, stated, “Europe has made remarkable progress in integrating migrants into the labor market.” He suggested that improving the recognition of foreign qualifications, eliminating unnecessary certification hurdles, and boosting the labor participation of women from non-EU countries could help alleviate labor shortages while better harnessing Europe’s human capital.
