Today we will talk about the professions that are most in demand in France and consequently where employers have the greatest difficulty in finding workers.
Here is the list of the most in demand professions in France:
– Waiters and kitchen staff in bars, restaurants and hotels. The hotel and restaurant industry is one of the driving sectors of the French economy. It is not for nothing that France is the country with the most visitors from all over the world, with almost 100 million visitors per year. And today, after the crisis related to the Covid pandemic, the sector is in full recovery and is recording record numbers. Barman, waiters, cooks, waitresses, receptionists and are in high demand.
– Agricultural workers. In the wine region there is a shortage of workers who want to work in viticulture or agriculture in general.
– Domestic workers and caregivers. In France, a large number of workers are employed in personal service. These occupations are mainly aimed at the elderly or disabled. Personal services include all activities that people are no longer able or willing to perform themselves: Shopping, dressing, preparing meals, or cleaning. As the population ages, the need for personnel in this field increases, and there are numerous occupations related to the care of frail people. These services are not limited to performing the assigned tasks, but it is also necessary to provide moral and social support to the people you work with.
– Logistics is related to the activities of various companies that have the task of delivering and storing goods. Nowadays, most large companies have established their own logistics department, so the demand for personnel in this field is constantly increasing.
– Craftsmen (blacksmiths, tinsmiths, plumbers, welders, etc.). The shortage of these workers is now chronic, and all this is becoming a real problem for companies, with economic losses as well. Nowadays, all sectors are suffering from a shortage of workers. French companies are trying everything possible, from recruiting to advertising on job portals to using employment agencies, but the results are far from encouraging.
– Pharmacists, nurses, and doctors. The French health care system suffers from a shortage of doctors and nurses, overcrowding in health care facilities, and the intense work shifts to which health care workers are subjected. The French healthcare system is going through a complex phase after being severely stressed by the coronavirus pandemic, and now needs staff more than ever.
– Drivers. In France, the number of missing truck and bus drivers in 2022 increased by 28% compared to the previous year. (With 61,000 missing drivers) and the situation does not seem to be improving, in fact the problem is expected to increase in the future.
– Workers in the automotive sector (coachbuilders, mechanics, tire specialists, etc.). The problem of the shortage of skilled workers in this sector in France is now a well-known fact. The reasons for the labor shortage are many and vary from profession to profession, in any case, both bodybuilders, tire specialists, mechanics and auto electricians are in high demand.
– Socio-cultural jobs. The social sector, where women are often employed, is divided into 3 categories:
- a) Animation and education (educator, sociocultural animator, etc.)
- b) Assistance and counseling (family mediator, social worker, etc.)
- c) Local development and integration (integration manager, area manager, etc.)
– Construction. Almost all occupations are wanted in the construction sector: Construction manager, tiler, plumber, painter, electrician or mason.
Most in demand jobs in France – Find personnel
Despite the current difficult socioeconomic situation due to the impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine, French companies continue to constantly request new workers and have difficulty finding personnel. These difficulties in finding workers affect almost all companies and all sectors. More than 60% of French companies reported that they have difficulty finding new employees.
By far the greatest difficulties concern seasonal workers in agriculture (harvest workers, farm laborers, etc.), in the hotel and restaurant industry (cooks, waiters, etc.), and in the support and care professions (housekeepers, nurses, etc.).
There are also considerable problems finding personnel in the construction industry (plumbers, carpenters, painters, etc.), in industry (technicians, welders, etc.), in the automotive industry (bodybuilders) and in the healthcare sector (doctors, physiotherapists, pharmacists, etc.).
In most cases, staff is eventually found, but this takes more time and requires the employer to improve his job offer, for example, by increasing the salary or agreeing to train an applicant who has no previous experience.
If you want to know more about the possibilities to work in France, I recommend you to read the article: The guide to work in France