Nearly half of small and medium-sized businesses in the EU say they struggle to find workers with the right skills.
Some 46% of SMEs reported difficulties finding suitably skilled staff, according to a new Eurobarometer survey cited by the European Commission on Monday.
SMEs are businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
Recruitment from outside the EU remains relatively uncommon, with one in seven SMEs saying they had tried to hire non-EU nationals in the past two years, according to Eurobarometer.
Among those that had recruited non-EU nationals — 14% of the sample — 54% described the process as difficult.
Administrative and immigration procedures were the most frequently cited barrier to hiring from outside the EU, named by 31% of respondents.
Firms also pointed to difficulty finding suitable candidates (25%) and language barriers (24%).
Most SMEs — 85% to 90% — said they handle international recruitment directly rather than using third parties.
Awareness of public support for recruiting internationally was described as limited, while the use of private recruitment agencies was “significantly higher” for hiring from outside the EU.
Calls for support and an EU-wide recruitment platform
When asked what would help, surveyed companies cited financial support (31%), information and guidance (25%), and assistance in finding candidates (23%), Eurobarometer said.
Others mentioned help with workplace integration (20%) and support with immigration and relocation (18%).
The European Commission noted that an “EU Talent Pool” is planned as an EU-wide platform intended to match vacancies in shortage occupations with workers from outside the bloc.
The Commission also linked the findings to its recently announced EU Visa Strategy and a Strategy on European Asylum and Migration Management, which it said include measures to simplify and accelerate processes for attracting workers, including recognition of qualifications and skills.
