How the EU can help you find a job

A key advantage of Union citizenship is the EU principle of Freedom of movement of workers. EU rules make it easy for you to work in another EU country and protect your social security rights once you are there. You don't have to worry about getting a work permit in any EU country, whether you live in the country you are working in or not.

Regardless of whether you work locally or in another EU country, you have the right to equal treatment with nationals in accessing jobsworking conditions and all other social and tax benefits. EU law also protects you in your profession by Discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religious belief or disability is illegal.

In practice, the EU can help you get a foothold in the job market by creating the perfect CV. Thanks to the free online Europass platformcreate customized CVs and cover letters that let you communicate your qualifications and skills to employers across Europe in one of 31 languages.

You can then upload your CV to the European job seeker database EURESto gain access to the labour market both in your own country and in the rest of the EU. EURES helps match jobseekers with employers in Europe and offers information on living and working conditions in your desired country, as well as language courses, integration courses and other post-employment support.

If you are a professional (e.g. doctor, lawyer, teacher, nurse, pharmacist), you should first check whether you need to have your professional qualifications recognised in the EU country you want to move to. Consult the EU database for professional qualifications Here you will find the right national authority that will guide you through the necessary formalities to have your qualifications recognised. For a limited number of professions, there is also a European Professional Card that allows you to have your qualifications recognised online in another EU country.

Once you have settled into a new job, it is reassuring to know that your Social benefits are protected by EU lawAlthough each EU country has its own social security system, overarching EU rules mean that you only pay contributions in one country, have the same rights and obligations as nationals in the country where you are insured, and that your previous periods of insurance, work or residence in other countries are taken into account when you claim a benefit. It is worth checking in advance what the conditions are for claiming benefits in the country where you work. For example, the length of time you have to wait before you can claim unemployment benefit varies from country to country.

And what if you need to retrain your skills? As part of its European Skills Agenda, the EU is making a concerted effort to ensure that as many individuals and companies as possible have access to opportunities for retraining or upskilling. Among several other initiatives, it has, for example, launched the Pact for Skillswhich has 1,000 members and 14 major partnerships in strategic sectors and is committed to supporting up to 6 million people in their further education. European Platform for Digital Skills and Jobs provides information and resources on digital skills, such as a self-assessment tool. And recently, the EU launched a EU talent pool and talent partnerships with selected third-party partners to match the skills of candidates for work in Europe with the needs of the labour market.

More information

Working in the EU

Moving and working in the EU

Europass

EUREKA

Professional qualifications

Coordination of social security

Social security systems in the EU

Database of regulated professions

European Skills Agenda

Pact for Skills

Platform for digital skills and jobs

EU talent pool

Talent partnerships