Artificial Intelligence Has Caused Major Changes in the Labor Market of Western Europe

Business
BB.LV
Publiation data: 18.01.2026 12:12

In the UK, the proportion of people intending to look for a new job in 2026 is the highest.

Almost half of Europeans in major economies plan to look for a new job in 2026. However, nearly four out of five feel unprepared for this.

The new year brings new hopes, and January is considered a popular time for career changes. According to a new LinkedIn study, nearly half of Europeans (47%) intend to seek a new job in 2026, yet an overwhelming majority (77%) feel unprepared for this. At the same time, recruiters face their own challenges: most say it has become harder to find qualified specialists.

How do Europeans overall assess the labor market? And in which countries are workers most actively seeking new opportunities?

According to research presented by Euronews Business, the UK has the highest proportion of people intending to look for a new job in the new year compared to seven other European countries. More than half of respondents in the UK answered "yes" when asked if they plan to look for a job in 2026.

In the seven surveyed European countries, the average proportion of those planning to seek a new job is 47%.

The UK is the only European country where the figure exceeds the global average of 52% (calculated across 14 countries).

Data from the global hiring platform Indeed also shows that the number of job vacancies in the UK remains below pre-pandemic levels and is the lowest among the five largest economies in Europe at the end of 2025. This underscores the tough competition in the UK labor market.

More than half of respondents in Sweden also plan to look for a new job, while the figure in Spain is close to this level.

"The labor market is changing rapidly, and competition remains high," said LinkedIn career expert Charlotte Davis.

The lowest proportion of those intending to seek a new job in 2026 is in France. Only 37% stated that they plan to look for a new job.

In Germany and Italy, the figure is below the European average, while in the Netherlands it matches it.

LinkedIn did not provide specific explanations for the differences between countries upon request. While almost half of Europeans plan to seek a new position in 2026, nearly four out of five say they feel unprepared for job searching. This feeling is most pronounced in Sweden, where 83% report feeling unready.

A similarly high level is observed in France, the UK, and Germany: there, the figure is close to the "four out of five" mark.

In Spain, the lowest proportion of those feeling unprepared for job searching is 67%. Italy and the Netherlands are close to the European average. The study also shows that about two-thirds of recruiters (66%) say it has become harder to find qualified specialists over the past year.

The survey was conducted by Censuswide with a sample of 10,400 respondents working full-time or part-time. The sample also includes those currently looking for work but not employed (aged 18 to 79) in these seven European countries.

Researchers from the LinkedIn Economic Graph also analyzed millions of job placements of LinkedIn members from January 1, 2023, to July 31, 2025, to calculate growth rates for each job title. AI-related roles clearly dominate the list of "emerging professions."

In the five largest economies in Europe, two of the three fastest-growing roles are AI Engineer and AI Manager. The third role varies by country: in the UK, it is educators; in Spain, it is logistics analysts; in other countries, it includes positions related to environmental protection and health.

France

AI Engineer
AI Manager
Environmental Coordinator

Germany

AI Manager
AI Engineer
Occupational Health, Safety, and Environmental Specialist

Italy

AI Engineer
AI Manager
Occupational Health, Safety, and Environmental Specialist

Spain

AI Engineer
AI Manager
Logistics Analyst

United Kingdom

AI Engineer
AI Manager
Educator

Charlotte Davis from LinkedIn emphasized that AI is increasingly influencing how we work, how organizations hire employees, and how people find their next opportunity.