Job site Indeed has released a snapshot of job search patterns across competing European football countries, to map who is winning in the competition for talent ahead of the tournament, which kicked off on Friday. 

UK Job Index: Who’s looking, and where?

For the UK, Indeed looked at inbound and outbound job search data for the competing countries: England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The biggest source of job search traffic to England from competing tournament countries is fellow group competition Wales, followed by hosts, France. Neck and neck behind them are Italy and favourites Germany, although in the data captured, Italian and German jobseekers were four times less likely to search in England than Welsh jobseekers. Jobseekers in England are six times more likely to look to neighbours Wales for roles, than the countries next up on the index, Northern Ireland and France. Ireland and Germany both make the top five list of countries English jobseekers are looking to for work ahead of the tournament. 

Job Search Index: England (Source: Indeed)

Outbound Job Search

1. Wales
2. Northern Ireland
3. France
4. Ireland
5. Germany 

Inbound Job Search

1. Wales
2. France
3. Italy
4. Germany
5. Spain 

Bill Richards, UK Managing Director at job site Indeed, commented: “In terms of competition for job talent, England is clearly ahead as a popular talent magnet with European jobseekers, followed by rivals France and Germany. But, just as in football, our data shows that some of the smaller countries are making surprising gains in attracting the attention of European jobseekers, such as Belgium.”   

He adds: “It’s unsurprising, given that the majority of searches within the UK stay in the UK, that neighbours Wales and Northern Ireland are topping the outbound search table – a good example of free movement of labour, and very likely to be an indicator of jobseekers considering moving a relatively short distance or in some cases, back home.” 

Host France A Popular Talent Magnet

Among qualifying countries, French jobseekers are most likely to opt for group stage opponent, Switzerland for work. In fact, French workers are twice as likely to look in Switzerland than England, which sits at number two on France’s outbound index. When it comes to incoming job search traffic from competing countries, France is an attractive talent magnet for jobseekers in England, followed by Belgium and Germany. 

Favourites Germany vs Belgium, the underdogs

Belgium, widely predicted to be one of the underdog contenders for the championship, attracts jobseekers from host country France and 2014 winners Germany. One country conspicuously missing from the Belgian Index – neighbour Netherlands – who did not qualify but would ordinarily be one of the main sources on job traffic to and from Belgium.  Germany, who are the favourites after their 2014 win, are a popular country to watch both in terms of football and as a destination for jobseekers from many European countries. Neighbour Switzerland has a huge draw for German jobseekers, amounting to almost half of the job traffic directed to other football nations.