According to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical agency, over a third of workers in Spain, Turkey, and Greece were found to be overqualified for their positions in 2023, with non-EU graduates facing the highest levels of mismatch in job qualifications across the EU.
In Spain, 35.8% of employed individuals held tertiary qualifications but were found in low- or medium-skilled roles. Likewise, Turkey’s overqualification rate stood at 35.7%, while Greece reported a figure of 31.4%. The overall EU average for overqualified workers was significantly lower, at 22%.
The data reveals that 39.5% of non-EU workers in Europe are overqualified, compared to 31.4% of EU citizens working in other EU countries and around 20% of national citizens in their own country. Particularly alarming was the situation for non-EU citizens in Greece, with an overqualification rate of 69.6%, followed closely by Italy at 64.1%.
A Eurostat report highlighted that foreign-born individuals or non-citizens with tertiary education face persistent challenges in the labor market from 2014 to 2023, often finding that their qualifications are not fully utilized compared to their native counterparts.
Maria Elo, a professor of international business and entrepreneurship at the University of Southern Denmark, characterized this phenomenon as "brain waste." She noted, “We are investing in individuals who are unable to leverage their talents and skills,” indicating that this represents both an economic and a social dilemma.
Elo pointed to the lack of recognition for foreign qualifications as a primary reason behind these high overqualification rates, alongside discriminatory practices stemming from a lack of familiarity or understanding of foreign educational systems. She acknowledged that despite EU initiatives to standardize qualification recognition, many citizens still feel that their qualifications are undervalued upon relocating.
For instance, Germany has seen higher overqualification rates among EU citizens compared to non-EU citizens due to its targeted migration policies for specific professions like healthcare and IT. Elo explained that these targeted initiatives create fewer barriers for skilled workers to enter the labor market, whereas EU citizens moving under general free movement provisions often do not fill existing job shortages, making their integration more challenging.
Language barriers further exacerbate the issue, as individuals with limited local language skills tend to encounter difficulties in securing appropriate employment. Countries with multiple official languages, such as Luxembourg, report much lower overqualification rates—in Luxembourg, just 5.6% of EU nationals were overqualified in 2023.
In nations like Spain and Greece, the significant overqualification rates of national citizens—over 30%—often reflect a disconnect between the education system and job market requirements. Elo highlighted the intense value placed on education in these countries does not equate to adequate job opportunities, particularly in the wake of economic downturns.
The urgency to address overqualification is magnified by the EU's aging population and diminishing talent pool. Elo warned, “With fewer skilled individuals entering the workforce, we cannot afford discriminatory or ineffective systems that squander resources. There simply aren’t enough people to fill the gaps.”