Wouldn’t it be great if it were easier for people from elsewhere, to use the skills they have in the European labour market? Except: currently their qualifications are often not recognised. Moreover, labour migration is also a politically sensitive topic. Data journalism helps to shed light on the pros and cons.
There are many differences of opinion about labour migration coming from outside Europe. But what is the reality? Which sectors struggle to source well-skilled workers? Is it possible to match highly skilled migrants who are currently prevented to work here? The global investigative journalism organisation Lighthouse Reports, lays out the facts using data from the European Eurostat agency.
Wasted talent
The provocative project title Brain Waste refers to the waste of clever talent due to bureaucracy and political opposition. Lighthouse Reports aims to demonstrate which labour shortages in Europe could be overcome if countries accredited more foreign qualifications.
Human potential
The Eurostat annual labour market survey of one million citizens yields a wealth of anonymous data. Lighthouse Reports was the first journalistic organisation to gain access to this data. Their endeavour: A map of Europe showing where the untapped migrant talent is, set against a map of labour shortages. The result: a Europe-wide narrative about how we can, collectively, unlock huge human potential.
