A guy I used to work with, back before I made the move to Europe myself, once told me “just become an engineer, they make bank over there.” That was literally the entire depth of his advice. No numbers, no context, nothing about which countries, nothing about visas. Just vibes.
I ended up doing my own digging over the following year, cross-referencing actual salary data, talking to people already working in these roles, and comparing cost of living so the numbers actually meant something. What I found was more nuanced than “engineers make bank,” but also more useful, so I’m laying it all out here.
Quick note before the list: salaries below are rough gross annual ranges based on general market data at the time of writing, and they shift depending on the country, city, company size, and your actual experience level. Treat these as a starting point for your own research, not a guarantee. Always check current listings on sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, or Levels.fyi for the most updated figures in your target country.
Why Foreign Workers Specifically Get Paid Well in These Fields
This part matters. Companies aren’t sponsoring visas and paying premium salaries out of generosity. They do it because there’s a genuine skills gap they can’t fill locally, and it’s usually concentrated in tech, healthcare, engineering, and specialized finance roles.
I learned this the hard way when I first looked at jobs in a field I actually had (marketing) and realized the salary bump for foreign hires was much smaller compared to something like backend engineering or data science, where the shortage is way more severe.
The List: 20 High-Paying Roles Worth Targeting
1. Software Engineer / Backend Developer
Roughly 55,000 to 90,000 euros a year in Germany and the Netherlands, higher in Switzerland where it can push past 100,000 CHF. Demand is consistently high across almost every European tech hub.
2. Data Scientist
Around 50,000 to 85,000 euros depending on seniority and country, with companies in fintech and e-commerce paying toward the higher end.
3. DevOps / Cloud Engineer
Cloud infrastructure roles (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud specialists) tend to land in the 55,000 to 95,000 euro range, and demand keeps climbing as more companies migrate off legacy systems.
4. Cybersecurity Specialist
Somewhere around 60,000 to 100,000 euros, especially in countries tightening data protection compliance. I’ve noticed banks and insurance companies in particular paying a premium here.
5. Registered Nurse (Specialized)
Base pay is lower than tech roles, usually 35,000 to 55,000 euros, but specialized nurses (ICU, surgical) command higher rates plus night and weekend shift bonuses that add up meaningfully over a year.
6. Physician / Medical Doctor
This varies enormously by specialty and country, but specialists in high-demand fields can see 80,000 to well over 150,000 euros, particularly in Germany, Switzerland, and parts of Scandinavia. Recognition of foreign medical qualifications is a serious hurdle here though, often taking over a year.
7. Mechanical Engineer
Around 45,000 to 70,000 euros, with manufacturing-heavy countries like Germany and the Czech Republic having consistent demand.
8. Electrical Engineer
Similar range to mechanical, roughly 45,000 to 75,000 euros, with renewable energy companies currently paying a noticeable premium due to the push toward green infrastructure.
9. Petroleum / Energy Engineer
Norway stands out here, where energy sector salaries can range from 60,000 to over 100,000 euros depending on experience and specific role within oil, gas, or renewables.
10. Actuary
A less talked about one, but actuaries in insurance and finance hubs like Zurich, Frankfurt, and Dublin can earn 70,000 to 110,000 euros once qualified, sometimes more at senior levels.
11. Investment Banking Analyst
London and Frankfurt remain the big hubs here. Entry-level analyst pay (including bonus) can start around 60,000 to 90,000 euros, with senior roles climbing well beyond that.
12. Management Consultant
Firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain pay competitively across Europe, often 60,000 to 100,000 euros for mid-level consultants, with strong bonus structures on top.
13. Pharmacist
Especially in Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia, pharmacists with recognized qualifications can earn 45,000 to 75,000 euros, with hospital pharmacy roles often paying more than retail settings.
14. AI / Machine Learning Engineer
This field has genuinely exploded. Salaries range from 65,000 to well over 120,000 euros in hubs like Berlin, Amsterdam, and London, particularly for people with strong applied ML experience, not just theoretical knowledge.
15. Product Manager (Tech)
Roughly 55,000 to 95,000 euros, with fintech and SaaS companies often paying at the higher end for product managers who can demonstrate strong ownership of previous launches.
16. Skilled Tradesperson (Electrician, Plumber, Welder)
Often overlooked in these lists, but Germany’s shortage in skilled trades means qualified tradespeople can earn 40,000 to 60,000 euros, sometimes with overtime pushing it higher, plus a much faster visa process due to the shortage occupation list.
17. Petroleum/Chemical Process Engineer
Similar territory to energy engineering, particularly strong in Norway and the Netherlands, ranging roughly 55,000 to 90,000 euros.
18. UX/UI Designer (Senior Level)
Senior designers with strong portfolios can land 50,000 to 85,000 euros in major tech hubs, though junior designer roles pay noticeably less and are more competitive to break into.
19. Supply Chain / Logistics Manager
With e-commerce and manufacturing both expanding, experienced supply chain managers can earn 55,000 to 90,000 euros, particularly in the Netherlands given its major logistics hub status (Rotterdam port especially).
20. Air Traffic Controller
A niche one, but genuinely high paying where openings exist. Countries occasionally recruit internationally for this role, with salaries often exceeding 80,000 euros once fully trained and certified, though the training and certification process itself is lengthy and selective.
Step-by-Step: How I’d Actually Go After One of These Roles
Step 1: Match your existing experience to the closest fitting role on this list
Don’t force a pivot into a completely unrelated field just because the salary number looks good. I made this mistake early on, trying to angle myself toward cybersecurity roles with basically no relevant background, and got nowhere for months. Look at what you already have and find the closest realistic match.
Step 2: Check the shortage occupation list for your target country
Germany, the UK, and Ireland all publish these, and they tell you directly which roles are actively short on local talent. If your field is listed, your visa sponsorship odds go up significantly.
Step 3: Get any required licensing or recognition sorted early
This one is huge for regulated fields like medicine, nursing, and engineering. Recognition of foreign qualifications can take months, sometimes over a year for medical roles specifically, so start this process before you’re deep into job applications.
Step 4: Target the right platforms for your specific field
LinkedIn works well across almost every field on this list, especially with country-specific location filters.
Levels.fyi is genuinely useful for tech roles specifically, since it shows real reported compensation data broken down by company and level, not just vague averages.
EFinancialCareers is the go-to for finance roles like investment banking and actuarial positions across European financial hubs.
EURES remains solid for a broad range of roles, especially skilled trades and healthcare.
Company career pages directly for consulting firms and larger tech companies, since a lot of their roles get filled before they’re widely advertised elsewhere.
Step 5: Negotiate with actual data, not guesses
I used to just accept whatever number was offered because I assumed as a foreign hire I had less leverage. That’s not necessarily true. Bring actual salary data from sites like Glassdoor or Levels.fyi to the negotiation table, and be specific about the range you’re seeing for similar roles in that market.
Step 6: Factor in cost of living, not just the raw salary number
A 90,000 euro salary in Zurich stretches very differently than the same number in Lisbon. I nearly took an offer once purely because the number looked impressive, without properly checking rent prices in that specific city first. Use a cost of living comparison tool like Numbeo before deciding based on salary alone.
Real Examples From People I Know
A friend working as a DevOps engineer moved from a mid-tier salary back home to close to 80,000 euros in Amsterdam within his first year, largely because cloud infrastructure skills were in serious short supply there at the time.
Someone I met through a relocation forum, an electrician by trade, was skeptical that his profession would even qualify for a “high paying” list, but ended up earning more than several friends with university degrees once overtime and Germany’s skilled trade shortage bonuses were factored in.
A former colleague pursued the actuary path in Zurich, and while the qualification process took years, the eventual salary jump was significant once she reached a senior level.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Chasing the highest number without checking the local cost of living. A big salary in an expensive city can leave you with less disposable income than a smaller salary somewhere with lower rent and living costs.
Ignoring skilled trades in favor of only white-collar roles. Several trade professions pay surprisingly well in shortage regions, with less competition than oversaturated fields like general marketing or generic business roles.
Not starting the qualification recognition process early enough, especially for regulated fields like medicine, nursing, and engineering.
Assuming remote-friendly postings mean visa-friendly. These are two very different things, and remote contractor roles rarely come with actual sponsorship.
Forgetting to negotiate. A lot of foreign workers assume they have no leverage, and just accept the first number offered without checking market data first.
Final Thoughts
Looking back at my own research process, the biggest shift in my thinking was realizing that “highest paying” doesn’t automatically mean “best fit for you.” The electrician earning steady money with overtime bonuses in a shortage region might genuinely come out ahead of someone stretching themselves into an unfamiliar tech role just because the headline salary number looked bigger.
Match the role to what you’re actually good at, check the real demand data for your target country, and don’t skip the boring parts like qualification recognition and cost of living comparisons. That’s really the whole difference between people who land these roles smoothly and people who spend years spinning their wheels chasing a number that never quite works out the way they pictured it.