Details
- Identification
- Discussion Paper 241
- Publication date
- 13 January 2026
- Authors
- Áron Kiss | Joana Elisa Maldonado | Alessandro Turrini | Kristine Van Herck | Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs
Description
This paper presents recent trends of labour mobility and migration in the EU and analyses their impact on EU labour markets.
Highlights:
- The share of EU working age population born outside the EU has increased dynamically, from about 8% in 2014 to more than 12% in 2024.
- Gravity equations suggest that the ability of intra-EU relocation flows to serve as a channel of economic adjustment in the EU has continued to increase in the last decade.
- Immigration has significantly contributed to recent employment growth in the EU.
- Increased employment of people born outside the EU has contributed to the easing of labour shortages in a context of decelerating working-age population growth and a strong demand for labour.
Information and identifiers
Discussion Paper 241. January 2026. Brussels. PDF. 50pp. Tab. Graph. Bibliogr. Free.
KC-01-25-064-EN-N (online)
ISBN 978-92-68-31836-2 (online)
ISSN 2443-8022 (online)
doi:10.2765/7071468 (online)
JEL classification: J21, J61.
Disclaimer
European Economy Discussion Papers are written by the staff of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, or by experts working in association with them, to inform discussion on economic policy and to stimulate debate. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the European Commission.
