London, UK – As the war in Ukraine rages on, NATO’s European member states are facing an acute workforce crisis in their current push for rearmament- the European defence sector’s single greatest expansion since the Cold War.
Defense firms across the continent are struggling to recruit the necessary talent required to complete projects, and the state of Europe’s defense industry is part of a wider trend of “persistent labour shortages” in key sectors of the continent’s economy.
Analysts have pointed to a “systemic talent pipeline failure,” attributed to prolonged underinvestment in the defense sector. Skilled professionals have consequently moved to other industries, leaving a shortage of specialized talent that now threatens to slow urgent rearmament efforts.
While Europe seeks to reshore defense production, domestic firms face greater pressure to deliver contracts for armored vehicles, aircraft, air defense equipment, and ammunition. The crunch spans both advanced technological roles- including data analysts, AI specialists and software engineers- and traditional trades such as welding, metal fabrication and assembly.
Policy responses have focused not only on fostering the right talent, but also on increasing overall labor supply. In the long term, this translates to the upskilling of workers to meet defence industry demands, and directing investment toward incentives for skilled workers.
But, in the short run, migration remains the best approach to offset the shortage. According to a March 2025 report by management consulting firm Kearney, European NATO members would need up to 760,000 more workers to meet the alliance’s new 3% defense spending target.
Now, much of this demand is being met by Ukrainian refugees and, increasingly, Latin American migrants.
Migration, policy and precarity
Poland and Spain stand out in this context as among the most popular destinations for Latin American migrants.
As per a 2019 report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Spain has historically been the largest destination for Latin American and Caribbean migrants in Europe, while Poland has only recently seen a boom in Latin American migration- a fivefold increase in 2025 compared to 2023. Notably, Spain has been the second-most important destination for Latin American immigrants, only after the U.S.
The popularity of European destinations is only likely to increase as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump proceeds with its anti-immigrant clampdown. As border crossings plummet and deportations increase, Latin American migrants are searching for alternatives.
The IOM also reports that “many LAC [Latin American and Caribbean] immigrants come to Europe with high education levels.” According to the Migration 2.0 report, prepared by the University of Warsaw’s Centre for East European Studies and the EWL Group, a recruitment firm, around 43% of Latin American migrants possess higher education qualifications.
While labour markets across Europe are reeling from labour shortages, European politics across the spectrum have seen greater polarisation on the topic of migration, characterised by increasingly hostile rhetoric and measures tightening migration rules, such as the April 2024 EU reform.
In this, whereas Poland has typically been perceived as a “migrant-friendly country,” it has recently been characterised by greater legislative and social hostility towards Latin American workers specifically.
Increasing labor demand in the country is exacerbated by a shrinking workforce. The Polish Institute of Economy, for one, signals that the country’s labour force will decline by 12.5%- or 2.1 million workers- within the next decade.
Migration has thus become essential for sustaining growth: between 2022 and 2024, the number of foreigners in the Polish labour market rose by one-third, according to Al Jazeera.
Latin American migration has particularly surged. Just in 2022, Poland issued over 4,000 work permits to Colombians alone, and by 2024, the figure rose to 34,000.
Many others remain undocumented, but are supported by organizations like the Latin American Workers’ Union and La Strada, an anti-trafficking group.
Yet, reports of harassment, exploitation and abuse by employers and recruitment agencies are widespread. Like many of its European neigbours, Poland has seen a spike in anti-migrant sentiment, stoking fears of “unconstrained illegal migration.”
“Sifling [xenophobia] in the West has led to rapes and terrorist acts, that’s why we should cherish xenophobia,” said Konrad Berkowicz, a member of the Polish Parliament.
This charged rhetoric is accompanied by on-ground reports of abuse faced by Latin American workers. Mexican native Rocio Flores, for example, had a representative of her employing agency wave a gun at her following a dispute over increased working hours.
While migrant workers in Poland are increasingly vulnerable to harassment, the government has prioritised restricting immigration into the country.
The introduction of a law for stricter oversight on temporary work agencies by Polish lawmakers in June 2025 further perpetuates barriers for entry, calling migrants to apply for work permits in their home countries rather than while residing in Poland.
Spain, on the other hand, has embraced a more open approach to migration, recognising the key role played by immigrants in the country’s economic growth.
Madrid’s May 2025 reform aims to regularize 300,000 undocumented migrants per year for three years, and, in an explicit recognition of the role played by migrants in Spanish economic growth, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated: “Spain needs to choose between being an open and prosperous country or a closed-off, poor country.”
Spain’s demographic decline and rising labour demand mirror Poland’s. Migrants now make up 13.5% of the Spanish workforce and account for 40% of new jobs created in 2024, according to EuroNews.
Like in Poland, Latin American migrants—most of whom hold university degrees—are crucial to help fill the continent-wide need for skilled labor in rearmament.
A continent divided on migration
For Latin American workers, Europe is becoming an increasingly attractive destination that offers opportunities that others, like the U.S., do not.
And while European labour markets are also increasingly turning to migrant workers to fill the gaps left by underinvestment and demographic decline, political and legislative responses to the influx of skilled Latin American workers vary.
In countries like Poland, migration policy is driven largely by anti-immigrant rhetoric, while the Spanish approach prioritizes economic and labour market needs.
These divergent paths reveal a crucial tension in Europe’s wartime recovery: the clash between geopolitical imperatives and the social politics that continue influencing the region’s future.
Featured image: President of Ukraine via Flickr
License: Creative Commons Licenses
