The EU Talent Pool is an important element of the EU's efforts to attract talent and address labour shortages, while facilitating legal pathways for migration, contributing to the EU's competitiveness. It will be the first EU-wide platform to facilitate the international recruitment of jobseekers residing outside the EU, while helping employers identify and recruit talent for occupations facing labour shortages within the EU.
Jobseekers from third countries can register on the platform and complete their profile with their skills, qualifications, work experience and language knowledge. EU employers will be able to look at the jobseekers’ profiles, getting access to a broader pool of talent available for recruitment. In turn, job vacancies of EU employers from participating Member States will be made public in the EU Talent Pool, allowing jobseekers to find jobs that match their profile and skills. Member States’ participation in the EU Talent Pool is voluntary.
The Talent Pool also supports the implementation of Talent Partnerships, a Commission initiative to match the skills of workers from countries outside the EU with the labour market needs inside the EU. Jobseekers who have developed their skills under a Talent Partnership will be able to flag them in their profiles on the EU Talent Pool platform. In addition, the Talent Pool will also support the implementation of future European legal gateway offices, starting with the EU-India pilot, aimed at facilitating skilled labour mobility to the EU.
Next steps
Following the entry into force of the Regulation establishing an EU Talent Pool, on 1 June 2026, the Commission will now develop the platform. The EU Talent Pool platform is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027.
Background
The European Commission presented a proposal for an EU Talent Pool Regulation in November 2023 as part of the Skills and Talent Mobility package, an initiative designed to tackle critical labour shortages across the EU by attracting and retaining skilled professionals from outside Europe.
A first EU Talent Pool Pilot was launched in October 2022, to facilitate the access to the EU labour market for beneficiaries of temporary protection fleeing the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. This pilot was designed to support and facilitate the integration of displaced persons into the labour market, making the most of their skills.
Related links
EU Talent Pool Impact Assessment
Skills and Talent Mobility package