LABOUR MIGRATION AND SKILLS SHORTAGES IN THE EUROPEAN PUBLIC SECTOR: SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS
RRSS 2026 No. 29 - Romanian Review of Social Sciences
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Authors:
• Carmen RADU, Liviu RADU -
Keywords: labour migration, skills shortage, public sector, brain drain, European Union, human capital
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Abstract:
\r\n Labour migration and demographic ageing have increasingly affected the availability of human resources in the European public sector over the past decade. This paper analyses the relationship between intra-EU mobility, external migration, and the growing shortage of qualified personnel in public administration, healthcare, and education during the period 2010–2025.\r\n\r\n The study relies on secondary statistical data provided by Eurostat, the OECD, and the European Commission, applying a comparative quantitative methodology based on migration flows, public sector vacancy rates, the age structure of employees, and participation in vocational training programmes.\r\n\r\n The findings highlight significant regional disparities, particularly between Western European and Central and Eastern European Member States, where persistent outward migration has contributed to structural staff shortages and reduced institutional capacity. The analysis shows that highly skilled professionals, including medical personnel and civil servants, are overrepresented among emigrants, thereby exacerbating difficulties in the provision of public services in less developed regions.\r\n\r\n The paper argues that low remuneration levels, limited career advancement opportunities, and insufficient investment in human resource development constitute key determinants of the “brain drain” phenomenon in the public sector. It advances public policy recommendations aimed at improving working conditions, strengthening retention mechanisms, and expanding continuing professional training frameworks in order to ensure the sustainability of public services.\r\n