30 most in-demand jobs around the world right now
Lauren Weymouth
21 November 2016
What countries need you?
From Santa Claus to psychologists, some people are extremely high in demand around the world right now. Using data collated by Michael Page, we count down through the top 30 most in-demand professions.
30. Santa Claus
Just in time for Christmas, a range of Santa Claus jobs are up for grabs all over the UK at the moment. Father Christmas is also in high demand across Australia and the United States as some of the world’s biggest department stores prepare to embrace the holiday season. Don’t worry, these jobs don’t require flying around the world on a sleigh.
29. Lawyers
While law might seem like a popular career path for many, lawyers have to undergo intensive training and pay high education fees in the process. This has led to a shortage of lawyers in Denmark, Canada, Mexico and Australia. The US, however, is a hotspot for eager law students, with well over a million people working in the industry (and earning seriously lucrative salaries).
28. Surgeons
Much like lawyers, surgeons have to undergo incredibly intense training to land themselves a job. Being a surgeon is also one of the most high-pressured careers in the world, and requires working hard to save lives on a daily basis. Because of this, many countries such as Russia, Australia, the US and New Zealand are all crying out for new surgeons to take to the operating tables.
27. Foresters
It will come as no surprise that the countries most in need of foresters are the places with a lot of forest: Switzerland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. According to The Greenest Workforce, well-managed forests and responsibly-manufactured forest products are key to battling climate change, making the demand for people to help higher than ever.
26. Electricians
From your wireless internet connection to your light switches, electricians are responsible for most things we come into contact with on a daily basis. So it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that more of them are needed. Countries like Norway, Russia, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all have a shortage of electricians.
25. Vets
Yep, there is actually a shortage of vets. Who would’ve thought there would be a high demand for people who spend all day looking after animals? But nevertheless, Russia, Canada, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand are all looking for more kind folk to take care of our furry friends.
24. Paramedics
Much like surgeons, being a paramedic isn’t easy. It requires lots of training, long hours and a strong stomach. Paramedics are primarily in demand across Europe, and Russia. However, Canada and Australia are also seeking some eager life savers to join the force.
23. Dentists
Spending all day staring inside the mouths of strangers probably isn’t the most appealing career, but does come with a good salary. Dentists can earn more than £140,000 in some cases. But that doesn’t seem to be enough to entice many, as European countries such as Denmark, Finland, Estonia and Sweden are all searching for more dentists.
22. Auditors
At the other end of the spectrum, auditors don’t generally earn more than £28,000 a year, which could well be the reason for the current shortage across the US, Denmark, France, Chile and Australia.
21. Plumbers
As you will notice from this list, professions involving manual labour are much more in demand than office-based jobs. Europe, Canada and Australia are most in need of plumbers as the amount of people trained in this field has become gradually slimmer.
20. Architects
Much like working in law, becoming an architect takes time and money. Fees can be incredibly expensive and training in architecture takes years. The lack of people in this industry is particularly noticeable across all of North America, but Russia and Spain are keen to recruit too.
19. Metalworkers
People working in the construction industry are often well-paid for their efforts. This is the case for metalworkers, who can earn around $79,000 (£63,000). But despite this, the supply of employees with skills in metal work is low almost everywhere apart from South America and Asia.
18. Astronomers
Love space? If so, head to Europe, which needs more people to work as astronomers. The UK, Ireland, Sweden and Slovenia are all in need of people who want to study the universe for a living. But if you’d rather live further afield, Canada and Australia have a shortage of space experts too.
17. Radiographers
Radiographers can earn up to £50,300 for taking X-rays, but there is still a lack of people filling the position, especially across Europe, where there is a shortage virtually across the whole continent.
16. Midwives
While midwifery is a popular profession in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and many European countries - which all suffer from a shortage of midwives due to a lack of investment in midwifery education.
15. Actuaries
Experienced actuaries can earn as much as £200,000 annually, so you’re probably wondering why there is such a shortage. But that’s exactly why. Actuaries get paid so much for a reason; they are highly skilled in compiling and analysing statistics, something that requires substantial training. North America has the highest shortage of people in this trade, along with India, Europe and Australia.
14. Teachers
The need for more teachers is a global one. While countries such as Finland, Poland and Sweden are in need of more pre-elementary/primary teachers, almost all of Europe, Canada and Australia need more high school/secondary school teachers.
13. Pharmacists
Much of Europe is struggling with a shortage of suitable pharmacists. This comes despite the average salary for a pharmacist standing at around €80,000 (£67,000) in Switzerland, £40,000 in the UK and €42,000 (£36,000) in Germany.
12. Physiotherapists
For newly-trained physiotherapists, job opportunities are endless, and in some parts of the world, such as Korea and the UK, managers are really struggling to find applicants to fill these positions. This is in part because of the changing role of a physiotherapist, which is no longer just about muscular-skeletal services, but also general clinical services.
11. Machine operatives
As we mentioned earlier, manual labour is much more in demand than office-based jobs, where positions are filled incredibly easily. This is especially the case for the likes of machine operatives, who handle heavy machinery on a daily basis. You’ll find the highest amount of job ads for this role in France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and Austria.
10. Chefs
Despite the popularity of Iron Chef, MasterChef and other TV cooking competitions, there still aren’t enough chefs in the UK, Belgium, Norway, Canada of Australia. So don’t give up on your culinary dreams just yet.
9. Surveyors
The UK, Belgium, Norway, Canada and Australia are also in need of surveyors. But they’re not the only ones. There’s also a shortage in the US and New Zealand. There is no particular reason for the shortage of surveyors, other than there being a lack of skilled workers in the construction industry more generally.
8. Welders
Due to its technical nature, the welding industry has long been suffering from a shortage of willing students across Europe, Canada and Australia. However, landing yourself a welding job in one of these countries could earn you around A$89,000 in Australia (£54,000) or up to C$65,000 (£38,000) in Canada.
7. Sales executives
Despite the prospect of good commission and a decent salary, sales jobs are extremely hard to fill. While there could be many reasons for this, researchers have found it’s primarily because young people are reluctant to enter a field where success often boils down to a number. Sales executives are most desired in Japan, Mexico, Canada and across Europe.
6. Psychologists
You’d be surprised at how high the demand for psychologists is, especially across Scandinavia, where countries such as Finland, Denmark and Sweden are known for a high quality lifestyle and good mental health. But these countries, alongside Canada, Chile and Australia, are seeking more.
5. Accountants
Like actuaries, accountants are in high demand due to their statistical and technical knowledge. They can also be paid an absolute fortune if successful, but there just aren’t enough of them out there. Most positions are available in Europe, South America and Asia.
4. Doctors and medical practitioners
There can never be too many doctors, given their skills have the ability to save millions of lives every year. But they are still needed all over the world. From Ireland to Japan, pretty much every country you can think of is constantly seeking new doctors.
3. Nurses
Nurses are some of the most sought-after employees in the world. Almost every European country is seeking new nurses, as are Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This is largely the result of long hours and unsociable shift patterns.
2. Engineers
Engineers are wanted universally. And we’re talking electronics engineers, civil engineers, engineering managers, mechanical engineers, industrial engineers – the list could go on. Why? Because there is an increasing demand from companies for highly-skilled engineers to create and build high-quality systems, from manufacturing to product designs.
1. Software developer
Software is quite literally taking over the world. As the role of computers continues to expand, so does the demand for people to build the software we rely so heavily on. It is now the most in demand profession around the world. Being a software developer takes extreme skill, but it will pay you for it. The average salary in the US is around $99,000 (£80,000) and around £50,000 in the UK.
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