The recently published study "Average Per-Vacancy Recruitment Costs for Software Engineers in the European Union: A 2026 Analysis" (OS-SCi, May 2026) reveals: good FOSS talent is not just scarce—it’s expensive. Very expensive.
Every time an open-source organization seeks a senior engineer, a race against the clock begins—and that race is often lost. The report shows that recruitment costs for a senior open-source engineer can reach €26,250–€57,250. These aren’t just salary costs; they include the 22% agency fees charged by recruiters, €3,000–€5,000 in job advertising, and €63,000 in lost productivity when a vacancy remains open for 90 days. And then there’s the 50% chance that the candidate will fail probation—sending you back to square one.
It’s a vicious cycle. And it only gets worse as more organizations compete for the few available experts.
But imagine a world where you don’t have to fight for talent. A world where you can draw from a pool of motivated candidates who not only understand open source but are ready to champion it.
That world is closer than you think. The FOSS Career Foundation already has a waiting list of people eager to enroll in training to specialize in open-source technologies. These are individuals who already understand the principles, know the community, and only need the specific skills to strengthen your team.
The only thing missing? The resources to train them.
With your support, we can clear that waiting list. We can provide these candidates with the training they need—whether in Kubernetes, Rust, or other open-source tools. While the report highlights the high costs and scarcity, the FOSS Career Foundation demonstrates that there is a practical solution: a sustainable talent pipeline that strengthens not just the community, but also future-proofs your organization.
This isn’t just an investment in open source. It’s an investment in your own future. A future where you no longer pay the price of scarcity, but instead benefit from abundance. A future where you have access to people who see open source not just as a job, but as a calling.
The waiting list is waiting. The opportunity is now. Help us open those doors.