Editor’s Note
This report from Safeguard Global highlights strategic, cost-effective talent pools for critical life sciences roles, offering a data-driven approach to navigating global hiring challenges.
AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Safeguard Global, a pioneer in global workforce enablement and creator of the modern employer of record (EOR) category, today released its first Industry Intelligence Report, “Top Countries for Hard-to-Fill Life Sciences Roles.” The report identifies countries that balance depth of skills, cost, and compliance considerations across five hard-to-fill role clusters: machine learning engineers/data scientists; QA/validation engineers; bioprocess, process development, and automation engineers; clinical pharmacologists and translational scientists; and clinical project managers and operations leads.
The analysis arrives as pharma’s growth and deal cycles tighten the race for specialized talent. In 2024, the global market was valued at $1.65 trillion USD and is projected to grow by more than 40 percent, reaching $2.35 trillion USD by 2030, says Grand View Research. And according to a recent EY report, roughly two-thirds of big-pharma revenue over the next few years will come from dealmaking.
The report leans on insights from Safeguard Global’s in-country HR experts and recruiters who have handled client searches for these roles, as well as Intelligent Workforce, Safeguard Global’s AI-driven workforce optimization platform. It surfaces a range of new trends and counterintuitive findings, such as:
• Montreal boasts the highest concentration of academic deep-learning researchers, a differentiator for AI-enabled discovery and trials. (Source: Mila)
• Portugal’s pharma/biotech talent pool has grown ~2.2% annually since 2017 and ranks 6th globally for English proficiency. (Sources: Invest in Portugal, AICEP)
• The Czech Republic averages ~60-day clinical-trial approvals and offers cost advantages for trial operations. (Source: Cromos Pharma)
• Puerto Rico’s industry operates under full US FDA oversight and boasts attractive operating costs in addition to bilingual talent. (Source: Safeguard Global)
• The Netherlands’ “closed-loop” air cargo chains have helped to facilitate the export of more medicines, vaccines, and medical devices than cheese, flowers, and meat. (Source: Invest in Holland)
• Nineteen of the world’s top 20 biopharma firms operate in Ireland, which has developed a strong reputation for cell and gene therapies. (Source: Innopharma education)
