Foreign Investors Council (FIC)’s Post

"In Q2 2025, 10.8% of employed people aged 20-64 in the EU worked more than 45 hours per week in their main and second job combined" #employment #europe #europeanunion Highest shares in:  #Greece (20.9%)  #Cyprus (16.6%)  #Malta (14.6%) https://lnkd.in/d_qzHQUT

- In 1/3 of the countries of Europe and Central Asia, both the population and employment rose from 2009 to 2024. In another 1/3, the population fell, but employment rose.  - In the rest, both the population and employment fell. https://lnkd.in/eBsiZzYN

Unemployment in the European Union has seen significant shifts over the past 15 years. After peaking in the early 2010s, the overall rate steadily declined, reaching a low of 5.9% in 2024. The economic shock of the COVID-19 crisis briefly reversed this trend, but recovery followed quickly. Yet the numbers reveal a striking divide. In 2024, youth unemployment stood at 14.9%, 2.5 times higher than the general rate and more than triple that of older workers aged 55 to 74, whose unemployment was just 4.1%. Despite progress, these figures show that Europe’s younger generation continues to face tougher conditions in the labour market. What do you think should be done to bridge this generational employment gap?

The State of Social Care 2025: Progress, Pressure, and the Path Ahead The latest Skills for Care report shows cautious progress — workforce growth, falling vacancies — but it’s still a fragile recovery. The numbers tell a familiar story: ✅ Recruitment has improved. ⚠️ Retention remains the biggest challenge. 💷 Pay still barely above the National Living Wage. 🌍 Reliance on overseas staff is rising fast. And that last point now comes with a serious warning. International recruitment has been the lifeline keeping many care services running. But government plans to end overseas recruitment for care workers and raise visa salary thresholds (The Guardian, The Times) mean that, from mid-2025, most providers will no longer be able to recruit new international staff for frontline roles. Here’s the reality check: Vacancy rates have fallen only because of overseas workers filling the gap. Without them, those gains won’t hold. Domestic recruitment has not improved — and pay, conditions, and progression remain the core barriers. If we want lasting stability, we need policy and workforce strategy pulling in the same direction: 💷 Fair pay and contract stability. 🎓 Domestic pathways from school, college, and career changers. 🌱 Real career progression, not dead-end contracts. 🤝 Policy alignment that supports, not undermines, providers. At Irvine Consultancy, we’re helping organisations interpret the data behind these reports and plan ahead — building resilient, values-led teams that can thrive even in turbulent times. Read the full analysis 👉 The State of Adult Social Care 2025: Progress, Pressure, and the Path Ahead- https://lnkd.in/epqi7ufq #SocialCare #Leadership #SkillsForCare #WorkforceDevelopment #AdultSocialCare #Recruitment #Retention #Policy #IrvineConsultancy

Find out about The State of Social Care 2025: Progress, Pressure, and the Path Ahead The latest Skills for Care report shows cautious progress — workforce growth, falling vacancies — but it’s still a fragile recovery. 👇

𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤? Did you know that official unemployment figures don't tell the whole story? Labour market slack, which includes: ✦ People available to work but not actively seeking employment ✦ Underemployed part-time workers ✦ Those seeking work but not immediately available adds a new dimension to the narrative. In the EU, labour market slack stands at 11.7% (Q2 2025), with significant variations across countries: ✦ Highest: Turkey (25.8%), Finland (19.5%), Sweden (18.8%) ✦ Lowest: Poland (5.1%), Slovenia (5.3%), Malta (5.4%) and Bulgaria (5.5%) Among the EU's largest economies, Germany has the lowest labour market slack at 7.8%, while France, Italy, and Spain face higher rates. *** SOURCE: Euronews #LabourMarketSlack #HiddenUnemployment #Europe #Employment #Economy.

🏃♀️ Could exercise help you land a new job? 🤔 In this new Euronews episode of #MakeItWork, we try a new way to connect workers and recruiters.  💼 Meet Sonia, a French cross-border worker in Strasbourg, as she swaps her CV for sneakers, and discovers a new way to make professional connections.  Did you know that 1.8 million people in the EU are cross-border workers like Sonia? They live in one country and work in another. The EU's Freedom of Movement helps them adapt their education and experience to different workplace requirements.  📊 To facilitate their movement, we created the European Employment Services, or EURES, to help people find jobs and country-specific information.  💸 To support their endeavors,1.7 million euros from #EUFunds is being invested to promote fair labour mobility and social inclusion.  📄 Plus, with tools like #Europass, workers can easily showcase their skills and qualifications to potential employers.  🌟Looking ahead, the 2026 #FairLabourMobility package will strengthen the European Labour Authority, combat worker exploitation, and introduce a European Social Security pass, making it even easier for workers to move freely and find work across the EU.  Watch now and learn how exercise can help you connect with recruiters and land your dream job. → https://lnkd.in/dsQeXkFu

It’s strange, isn’t it? 🤔 The EU’s unemployment rate sits around 6%, while countries like Germany have over 1 million unfilled jobs. The data below (Eurostat, 2025) shows it clearly unemployment and job vacancies are rising together. That means the problem isn’t a lack of jobs or talent. It’s a lack of connection between the two. We’ve reached a point where borders, bureaucracy, and outdated systems stop opportunities from flowing where they’re needed most. The challenge now isn’t “how do we create more jobs,” but ➡️ how do we make it easier for people and companies to find each other across countries, cultures, and markets. 🌍 Source: Eurostat, “Job vacancy and unemployment rates – Beveridge curve,” #JobMarket #FutureOfWork #Opportunities #TalentWithoutBorders #EU

Was interviewed by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) "Hong Kong Connection" (鏗鏘集) on elderly employment. Hong Kong's elderly labour participation rate is only 13% and much lower than other developed economies, including Singapore, Japan, Korea and the US. This represents an immense untapped potential. As many elderly people prefer working part-time rather than full-time, the government could consider increasing subsidies for part-time elderly workers under the current "Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme". Intangible support measures, such as reducing stereotypes and promoting age inclusivity, are also important. Revisit the programme: https://bit.ly/4mZM32w #鏗鏘集 #銀髮再出發 #SilverEconomy #ElderlyEmployment

Around six in ten workers globally are part of the informal economy, according to estimates by the International Labour Organization (ILO). This share has remained persistently high – and in some regions even increased – due to limited job creation in the formal sector and growing inequality. Half of the global workforce today lacks adequate social security and legal workplace protections. While the informal economy is vital for production, income, and job creation in many countries, its workers are excluded from the protections and benefits that formal employment offers. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of such workers. #statista #informaleconomy #socialprotection #futureofwork