Mechanical Engineers: Jobs in Demand in Europe (2025)
Mechanical Engineers is an official occupation group (ISCO-08 code 2144) used by the International Labour Organization and Eurostat.
- Aeronautical engineer
- Engine designer
- Marine architect
- Marine engineer
- Mechanical engineer
Pay in Germany for this job
German occupation used: Ingenieur/in - Maschinenbau (Mechanical engineer), occupation code KldB 2010 25104. This is a national figure for all of Germany, before tax and social contributions, including extras such as holiday and Christmas pay.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Entgeltatlas (employment statistics), reference date 31 December 2025. Full-time employees subject to social insurance only; civil servants, self-employed people and apprentices are not included. Retrieved 2026-10-13. The upper quarter is above the social insurance ceiling (€8,050), so the exact figure is not published.
Pay in the UK for this job
UK occupation used: Mechanical engineers (SOC 2020 code 2122). Placeivo matched this to ISCO-08 2144 by job title and duties; the UK and international occupation lists do not line up exactly. National figure for the whole United Kingdom, in pounds sterling (GBP), before income tax and National Insurance.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional, Table 14 (occupation by 4-digit SOC 2020): tables 14.7a (annual pay, gross) and 14.1a (weekly pay, gross), full-time employee jobs, United Kingdom. Weekly pay is for April 2025; annual pay is for the tax year ending 5 April 2025, employees in the same job for at least a year. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
UK Skilled Worker visa for this job
This occupation (UK code 2122, Mechanical engineers) is on the UK list of jobs eligible for the Skilled Worker visa. The job usually has to pay the higher of £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation. GOV.UK says the lower going rate applies if you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa in certain occupations, or got the certificate of sponsorship for your first Skilled Worker visa before 4 April 2024 and have held one ever since. Going rates are for a 37.5-hour week and are pro-rated for other hours. Placeivo matched this UK code to ISCO-08 2144 by job title; the lists do not line up exactly.
This is a summary of official rules, not legal advice. Rules change and some people (for example those already on a Skilled Worker visa) have different rules. Always check GOV.UK before you apply.
Source: UK Visas and Immigration, GOV.UK tables "Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes" and "Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes", updated 2025-07-22, retrieved 2026-10-15. General minimum salary from GOV.UK "Skilled Worker visa: Your job", checked 2026-10-15.
Compare UK visa going rates by job · Eligible occupations (GOV.UK) · Going rates (GOV.UK) · Salary rules (GOV.UK)
Latest mechanical engineers job ads
Real vacancies from the official public employment services, updated daily. Job titles are translated into English automatically; the full ad opens on the official site in German or Swedish (your browser's translate button turns it into English).
Germany
203 open ads- Mechanical engineer
German title: Maschinenbauingenieur
FERCHAU GmbH Vertriebsstützpunkt Greifswald · Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg · Posted 2026-10-16 - Mechanical engineer
German title: Maschinenbauingenieur
Helmut-Schmidt-Universität - Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg · Hamburg · Posted 2026-10-15 - Mechanical engineer
German title: Maschinenbauingenieur
Technische Universität Dresden · Dresden · Posted 2026-10-15 - Mechanical engineer
German title: Maschinenbauingenieur
N.O.C Engineering GmbH · Friedrichshafen · Posted 2026-10-15 - Mechanical engineer
German title: Maschinenbauingenieur
Pro Personalmanagement GmbH · München · Posted 2026-10-15 - Mechanical engineer
German title: Maschinenbauingenieur
Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH · Burgbrohl · Posted 2026-10-15
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German Federal Employment Agency). Ads are written by employers; Placeivo does not check them. See all ads in Germany
Sweden
400 open ads- Sub-project manager Automation
Swedish title: Delprojektledare Automation
Hykmann Global Business Solutions AB · Stockholm · Posted 2026-10-18 - Experienced plumbing designer for Cretec in Växjö
Swedish title: Erfaren VS-projektör till Cretec i Växjö
Maxkompetens Sverige AB · Växjö · Posted 2026-10-17 - Gas turbine Heat Transfer Engineer – Secondary Air System and whole engin
Siemens Energy AB · Finspång · Posted 2026-10-16 - Gas Turbine Aerodynamicist
Siemens Energy AB · Finspång · Posted 2026-10-16 - Technical Product Owner to real estate company
Swedish title: Teknisk Product Owner till fastighetsbolag
Nordicrule AB · Stockholm · Posted 2026-10-16 - Product Manager
0to9 AB (publ) · Stockholm · Posted 2026-10-16
Source: Arbetsförmedlingen (Swedish Public Employment Service). Ads are written by employers; Placeivo does not check them. See all ads in Sweden
Where mechanical engineers are needed in Europe
| Country | EURES 2025 | Average gross pay, all professionals (2022) | 1-bed rent in the capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Shortage | €5,370 a month * | Brussels: €1,150 |
| Bulgaria | Shortage | €1,367 a month | Sofia: €650 |
| Cyprus | Shortage | €2,809 a month | Nicosia: €750 |
| Czechia | Shortage | €2,276 a month | Prague: €1,250 |
| Ireland | Shortage | €5,669 a month | Dublin: €2,000 |
| Italy | Shortage | €3,172 a month * | Rome: €1,300 |
| Netherlands | Shortage | €4,726 a month | Not yet verified |
| Romania | Shortage | €1,991 a month * | Not yet verified |
| Slovenia | Shortage | €2,727 a month | Ljubljana: €950 |
| Sweden | Shortage | €4,330 a month * | Stockholm: €2,100 |
| Finland | Surplus | €4,673 a month * | Helsinki: €1,150 |
| Greece | Surplus | €1,904 a month * | Athens: €1,150 |
| Latvia | Surplus | €2,136 a month | Riga: €870 |
| Portugal | Surplus | €2,323 a month * | Lisbon: €1,400 |
Pay: Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey 2022, mean gross monthly earnings of all professionals in each country, in euros. This is the average for the whole occupation group, not for mechanical engineers alone, and before tax. * Firms with 10 or more employees only. Rent: Eurostat, good-quality 1-bedroom flat in the capital, 2025.
What mechanical engineers do
Mechanical engineers conduct research; advise on, design and direct production of machines, aircraft, ships, machinery and industrial plant, equipment and systems; advise on and direct their functioning, maintenance and repair; or study and advise on mechanical aspects of particular materials, products or processes.
Typical tasks
- Advising on and designing machinery and tools for manufacturing, mining, construction, agricultural, and other industrial purposes
- Advising on and designing steam, internal combustion and other non-electric motors and engines used for propulsion of railway locomotives, road vehicles or aircraft, or for driving industrial or other machinery
- Advising on and designing: hulls, superstructures and propulsion systems of ships; mechanical plant and equipment for the release, control and utilization of energy; heating, ventilation and refrigeration systems, steering gear, pumps and other mechanical equipment
- Advising on and designing airframes, undercarriages and other equipment for aircraft as well as suspension systems, brakes, vehicle bodies and other components of road vehicles
- Advising on and designing non-electrical parts of apparatus or products such as word processors, computers, precision instruments, cameras and projectors
- Establishing control standards and procedures to ensure efficient functioning and safety of machines, machinery, tools, motors, engines, industrial plant, equipment, or systems
- Ensuring that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards
Finding mechanical engineers jobs in Europe
- EURES is the official job portal of the EU public employment services. The search above looks for "Mechanical engineer".
- Some jobs are regulated professions: before you can work, your qualification may need to be recognised in the new country.
- If you are not an EU/EEA citizen you will usually need a work permit or a visa such as the EU Blue Card. Check the rules of the country's immigration authority.
Cost of living where the jobs are
Take-home pay needed to rent a good 1-bedroom flat in the capitals of countries reporting a shortage:
About this data
- Shortage and surplus: European Labour Authority, EURES Report on labour shortages and surpluses 2025, annex table 21 (published 2026). Each country's public employment service reports which occupations it finds hard to fill or in oversupply. Countries not listed did not report this occupation as either.
- Definition, tasks and job titles: International Labour Organization, ISCO-08 structure and definitions.
- Pay: Eurostat, Structure of Earnings Survey 2022 (earn_ses22_48), by occupation group. Germany, this exact job: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Entgeltatlas (median pay of full-time employees). United Kingdom, closest UK occupation: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (median pay of full-time employees).
- Job ads: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Germany) and Arbetsförmedlingen (Sweden), refreshed about once a day.