As of 2025, approximately *** percent of businesses in the United Kingdom were experiencing worker shortages. Around **** percent of education businesses had a staff shortage at this time, the most of any industry sector.

As of October 2025, approximately *** percent of businesses in the United Kingdom reported that they were experiencing a worker shortage, compared with **** percent in September 2022.

The labor market has so far shown remarkable resilience to the Federal Reserve’s recent monetary policy tightening. Severe labor shortages in the post-pandemic era have led many employers to hold on to workers and hire less-skilled workers—even though they expect demand for their goods or services to weaken in the future. As a result, unemployment remains low, and labor productivity has declined.

In 2024/2025, natural stone, mineral, and building material production was the profession in Germany with the largest shortage of skilled workers, according to this data. The average vacancy time for open positions was *** days. The vacancy period measures the time from when a desired vacancy should be filled until the actual cancellation of a position at the employment agency.

A survey conducted in Japan in August 2025 revealed that the Diffusion Index (DI) of excessive and insufficient employment was highest for occupations requiring *******************, reaching ** percentage points. A positive DI indicates that the share of businesses experiencing a shortage of workers was higher than that of businesses reporting a surplus of workers.

As of 2024, the occupation most affected by skill shortages in the UK was Skilled Trades, with just almost half of job vacancies for this occupation group due to skills shortages among applicants.

U.S. labor markets are currently experiencing unprecedented labor shortages. Reduced immigration flows in recent years have contributed to these labor supply shortages and tightened labor markets. Industries, occupations, and regions that rely more heavily on foreign workers have been particularly affected.

Canada BOS: Labour Shortages data was reported at 20.000 % in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 17.000 % for Dec 2024. Canada BOS: Labour Shortages data is updated quarterly, averaging 31.000 % from Sep 1998 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 107 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68.000 % in Jun 1999 and a record low of 7.000 % in Dec 2009. Canada BOS: Labour Shortages data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.S003: Business Outlook Survey. Business Outlook Survey Questionnaire: Labour Shortages - Does your firm face any shortages of labour that restrict your ability to meet demand? [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Maintaining a full workforce is critical to the operational efficiency of ports, which are key to the functioning of global maritime transportation systems, as well as to the larger logistics systems and the industries they support. A shortage of skilled workers, or extended, large-scale, absenteeism at one or more ports can affect cargohandling operations, competitiveness and even the efficiency of international trade. Through numerical experiments, we study (i) whether the effects of low-level workforce shortages can be ‘absorbed’ without loss of efficiency; (ii) the level at which shortages in a region can impact another region, or the performance of the wider maritime system. To test this, we investigate the ports used by the M2 shipping alliance of Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The analysis is supported by advanced mathematical modeling and algorithmic procedures. Findings include that low- and even mid-level network-wide worker shortages can be absorbed, but at a greater cost to shippers. Moreover, when a worker shortage arises in some regions of the world, the impacts in other regions can be very significant.

A summary of metrics to understand changes within occupations between 2016 and 2021, with a look at movements in and out of the workforce in addition to workforce demographics.

Unpack the structural drivers of Australia’s labour shortages in this webinar, the sectors most at risk, and the actions needed to secure long-term economic growth.

Slovenia Business Survey: EM: Limits to Production: Labour Shortage data was reported at 19.342 % in Apr 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 19.006 % for Jan 2025. Slovenia Business Survey: EM: Limits to Production: Labour Shortage data is updated quarterly, averaging 3.023 % from Jan 1996 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 118 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.384 % in Oct 2022 and a record low of 0.321 % in Apr 2013. Slovenia Business Survey: EM: Limits to Production: Labour Shortage data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Slovenia – Table SI.S003: Business Survey: Manufacturing: Quarterly.

Dataset

This dataset was created by Tyan Brooker Thorpe

Contents

In 2026, there is predicted to be a deficit of around ****** skilled workers in the sales industry, excluding product specialization. Childcare and social work rounded off the top three industries that are predicted to have the largest shortage of skilled workers.

Following severe labor shortages during the post-pandemic recovery, employment and wage growth in the healthcare sector have returned to their pre-pandemic trends. The healthcare sector is labor intensive, and inflation in the sector has historically tracked wage growth. Thus, lower wage growth may limit price pressures in the healthcare sector.

In a survey conducted among private business enterprises in Japan, approximately ** percent of companies belonging to the *********************************************************** industry reported a shortage of regular full-time employees as of August 2025. Around ** percent of businesses in ************ reported shortages.

During the post-pandemic recovery, sectors with larger mismatch unemployment saw higher growth in labor costs.

Canada BOS: Intensity of Labour Shortages: More Intense data was reported at 6.000 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10.000 % for Dec 2024. Canada BOS: Intensity of Labour Shortages: More Intense data is updated quarterly, averaging 25.000 % from Sep 2001 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 95 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.000 % in Dec 2021 and a record low of 2.000 % in Jun 2009. Canada BOS: Intensity of Labour Shortages: More Intense data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.S003: Business Outlook Survey. Business Outlook Survey Questionnaire: Intensity of Labour Shortages - Compared with 12 months ago, are labour shortages generally… [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Blytheville, Arkansas, faces labor shortages in its steel industry despite expansion efforts, with local initiatives aiming to attract and retain workers amidst economic and housing challenges.