CARE-ABILITY strengthens vocational education and skills recognition in Europe’s care sector, addressing workforce shortages and gender inequality.
Introduction
CARE-ABILITY was created to respond to the urgent reality of Europe’s care systems. Population ageing, workforce shortages, and persistent gender inequalities are clear issues in the long-term care sector. More specifically, migrant women, who play a crucial role in sustaining these care systems face structural barriers in employment and professional recognition.
In today’s care system, Europe greatly depends on women and informal Work. Approximately 80% of long-term care in Europe is provided by informal carers (Eurocarers, 2025). According to the International Labour Organization (2021), 2.36 million people work as domestic workers across Northern, Southern and Western Europe and 89% of them are women. It is clear that care work is essential, yet it is still undervalued and under-recognised. Women especially, suffer from great labour inequalities.
Research consistently shows that migrant women face more barriers than both native-born women and male migrants.
- Migrant women in European labour markets experience lower employment rates and poorer job quality than native-born women (Ballarino & Panichella, 2017).
- Female migrant workers face a significantly larger gap in accessing qualified jobs that match their educational level compared to male migrants (Cangiano, 2014).
- Studies on occupation–education mismatch show that immigrant women are disproportionately affected by overqualification in Europe (Akgüç & Parasnis, 2023).
In other words, skills exist — but recognition and career progression often do not.
Furthermore, even beyond inequality, Europe is facing a major workforce gap. According to the Joint Research Centre (2021), the EU will need 10.9 million additional health and care workers by 2030 to meet growing demand. However, without structured training pathways, professional recognition systems, and inclusive vocational education and training (VET), this shortage will not only deepen but continue increasing the gender inequality in the workforce, as well as affect care quality.
Why CARE-ABILITY Is Essential
CARE-ABILITY, is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, and brings together partners across Europe to strengthen care systems through innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based action.
CARE-ABILITY directly addresses these structural challenges by strengthening:
- Inclusive vocational education and training (VET) in the care sector
- Skills recognition through micro-credentials
- Professional pathways for women
- Quality standards and long-term sustainability of care services
Europe depends on care. Care depends on women. Women depend on opportunity and recognition.
CARE-ABILITY works to ensure that skills are valued, training is accessible, and care work is recognised as the essential profession it truly is. Learn more about the project and follow us on social media!
REFERENCES
- Akgüç, M., Parasnis, J., Org, M., Akgüç, M., & Parasnis, J. (2023). Occupation–Education Mismatch of Immigrant Women in Europe. Social Indicators Research 2023 170:1, 170(1), 75–98. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-023-03066-0
- Ballarino, G., & Panichella, N. (2018). The occupational integration of migrant women in Western European labour markets. Acta Sociologica (United Kingdom), 61(2), 126–142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001699317723441
- Cangiano, A. (2015). Migration Policies and Migrant Employment Outcomes. Comparative Migration Studies 2014 2:4, 2(4), 417–443. https://doi.org/10.5117/CMS2014.4.CANG
- Eurocarers. (2025). Integrating migrant care into European and national long-term care strategies: Eurocarers’ concerns and recommendations – Eurocarers. https://eurocarers.org/publications/integrating-migrant-care-into-european-and-national-long-term-care-strategies-eurocarers-concerns-and-recommendations/
- European Commission. (2021). Joint Research Centre Annual Report.
- International Labour Organization. (2024). ILO global estimates on international migrant workers. https://doi.org/10.54394/ESKI5420