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The EU has set an ambitious goal: 20 million people working in tech by 2030. But current estimates show we’re likely to reach only 12 million. That leaves an 8 million person gap - and it’s a serious problem.
At the heart of the issue is a fundamental misalignment between the pace of digital transformation and the systems meant to support it. Our education pipelines, upskilling programs, and mobility frameworks simply aren’t built to scale fast enough - or fairly enough - across the continent.
Meanwhile, 80% of the technology powering Europe’s digital transformation is designed and manufactured outside of Europe. We’ve already lost ground in digital innovation, and now, without enough skilled professionals, we risk falling even further behind in critical areas like AI, clean tech, and cybersecurity.
Yes, reskilling is essential. But let’s be honest: retraining 8 million workers in under five years is not realistic. Especially when access to training is uneven and many regions still have big digital infrastructure gaps.
So what can we do right now? Make it easier for skilled people to move to where they’re needed.
When talent moves freely, companies grow faster, economies become more competitive, and workers get better opportunities.
Digital transformation won’t wait. And if skilled professionals are stuck behind borders or slowed down by outdated visa rules, whole industries feel the impact.
If we want Europe to remain competitive on the global stage, we must enable talent to move freely, efficiently, and at scale. It’s one of the most effective ways to close the skills gap and strengthen Europe’s place in the global tech race.
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