COUNTRIES WITH HIGH DEMAND FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN 2025

Germany

Germany continues to lead Europe in demand for skilled foreign workers. Under the Skilled Immigration Act and new points-based systems, it issued about 200,000 work visas in 2024, with expectations to rise to 222,422 in 2025.

In-demand sectors:

• Engineering (mechanical, electrical, civil)
• IT, software development, data science
• Healthcare: nurses, elderly care, doctors
• Skilled trades: welders, electricians, technicians

Germany also has bilateral recruitment agreements with countries like India, Kenya, and Morocco, targeting up to 250,000 recruits over the coming years. Skilled Indian nurses are increasingly moving to Germany, attracted by high standards and relaxed entry requirements.

Canada

Canada is known for its immigrant-friendly policies and robust migrant-worker programs:

• Express Entry system for skilled professionals
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
• Global Talent Stream (GTS) under TFWP (fast processing).

Recruited roles include:

• Healthcare workers (nurses, physicians, caregivers)
• IT specialists (software engineers, cybersecurity experts)
• Skilled trades (truck drivers, electricians, welders, early childhood educators)

Newly introduced regulations in 2025 allow foreign workers to switch employers immediately after application submission, enhancing flexibility

Australia & Pacific Schemes

Australia faces growing labor shortages across sectors:

• Healthcare and aged care
• Construction and infrastructure
• Agriculture and hospitality

The Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa supports skills-based migration. Australia also operates the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, enabling seasonal and long-term contracts for workers from Pacific Islands—accounting for 10% of its agricultural workforce.

Hospitality shortages are acute, with many small businesses hiring overseas due to local labor constraints.

New Zealand

New Zealand recruits foreign talent to address shortages in healthcare, engineering, IT, education, and agriculture:

• Offers Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and Skilled Migrant Category visa
• In-demand roles: doctors, nurses, caregivers; civil engineers; software developers; and construction and trades professionals

To streamline workforce entry, New Zealand also provides direct residence options for healthcare workers via visa pathways like “Straight to Residence.”

United Kingdom & Ireland

United Kingdom:

The UK’s points‑based Skilled Worker visa system targets professionals in healthcare (nurses, caregivers), finance, IT, engineering, agriculture, and transport (drivers, construction labor). Construction labor shortages are significant—approximately 300,000 additional workers are needed for its housing targets—which intensifies reliance on migration.

Also: the Global Talent Visa supports recognized experts in STEAM fields.

Ireland:

Ireland’s Critical Skills Employment Permit and General Employment Permit offer relatively fast pathways to permanent residency. In-demand roles include healthcare, software development, hospitality, food processing, and delivery services.

Japan

Japan faces a severe demographic crisis due to low birth rates and an aging population. The country has grown dependent on foreign labor across manufacturing, construction, eldercare, agriculture, and services:

• About 2.05 million foreign workers in 2023, up 185% since 2013, primarily from Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar
• Visa schemes include Specified Skilled Worker (SSW), Highly Skilled Professionals (HSP), and the J-Find/J-Skip programs targeting engineers, caregivers, and factory and construction workers.

Integration remains challenging due to language and cultural barriers.

Singapore & Luxembourg

Singapore:

An economic and fintech hub needing talent in:

• IT, cybersecurity, AI, fintech
• Healthcare professionals and engineers
  It offers visas like the Employment Pass, TechPass, and EntrePass for entrepreneurs and specialists.

Luxembourg:

High salaries (~78,800 USD average) attract foreign experts in finance, IT (cloud, cybersecurity), engineering, and healthcare. It offers the EU Blue Card and streamlined skilled work permits.

Spain & Southern Europe

Spain:

Since 2022, foreign workers have filled 45% of new jobs, now making up 13% of Spain’s workforce, notably in agriculture, hospitality, construction, and services. Spain’s inclusive integration policy supports legal migration and job localization efforts

Italy & Romania:

• Italy is increasing work visas in 2025 to 165,000 (including 93,550 seasonal slots), focusing on agriculture, tourism, and hospitality roles.
• Romania admits up to 100,000 guest workers per year, mostly from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, often in construction, hospitality, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait)

The Gulf remains a dominant destination for blue-collar and low/mid-skilled labor, especially from South and Southeast Asia:

• Saudi Arabia hosts over a million Indian ECR-flagged workers, topping the list in 2025, driven largely by Vision 2030 infrastructure projects.
• UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman similarly rely heavily on foreign labor: the UAE’s workforce is >80% migrant, with demand across construction, hospitality, healthcare, real estate, finance, and digital sectors.

Though powerful engines of growth, these countries often operate under the kafala sponsorship system, raising concerns over worker rights.

Broader Trends & Drivers

• Aging populations in developed countries drive demand in healthcare, eldercare, and engineering.
• Digital transformation and green-energy goals create opportunities for IT, sustainability, and technical roles.
• Infrastructure and housing projects in Europe, the GCC, and Asia spark the need for trades and construction labor.
• Recruitment partnerships and policy reforms (e.g., Germany‑India agreements, the UK points system, and New Zealand’s AEWV) support smoother international migration.
• Regulated migration vs. populist backlash plays out globally: Spain’s inclusive approach contrasts sharply with tougher rhetoric in the U.S. and Japan.

Summary Table

Final Thoughts

Skill shortages and economic needs are driving migration patterns. Countries such as Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK actively compete for skilled foreign labor through targeted visa systems. Simultaneously, Gulf nations and Southern European countries continue relying on migrant labor to support infrastructure and services.

For prospective foreign workers, understanding sector-specific demand, visa eligibility criteria, and integration prospects in each destination is key. Consider economic outlook, language requirements, and long‑term residency options when planning migration pathways.