The great AI underemployment push is laid bare - more qualified specialists are now actively seeking unskilled jobs, research says

• Report warns a college degree no longer guarantees skilled work in today’s AI-powered global job economy
• Remote jobs, once seen as offering freedom, now trap professionals in cycles of digital underemployment
• Middle-level professionals are taking side gigs to survive while tech roles remain out of reach

The global job market is undergoing a profound transformation as remote work, economic disparities, and digital labor migration reshape employment trends across borders.

A new survey by Global Work AI has now revealed underemployment is no longer confined to local economies or immigrant populations - instead, it is spreading across the global remote work landscape, where educational attainment no longer guarantees job relevance or economic security.

After analyzing data from over 5 million users, the platform found that “qualified specialists actively seek unskilled jobs,” including roles in data entry, customer service, and assistant positions, even though 62.75% of job seekers have completed higher education.

The paradox of qualifications in a globalized job market

Demographic data shows that women account for more than 70% of users on the platform, while men represent just under 30%, and millennials and late Zoomers (ages 25 to 40) comprise nearly two-thirds of all job seekers.

The majority of users are mid-level professionals, making up 30.37%, compared to 7.38% junior staff and just 3.47% executives.

“Mid-level specialists are among the most vulnerable employees,” the report notes, adding that recent layoffs have pushed many toward side gigs and project-based work to sustain their income.

The report also highlights that remote work opportunities have fueled digital labor migration, particularly from emerging economies to wealthier nations.

Professionals in countries like Nigeria, India, and the Philippines are using their English-language skills to secure jobs in English-speaking countries, often earning significantly more than they would domestically.

For example, a highly experienced dentist in Nigeria might earn around $1,885 per month (or less than $400 in many cases), while a remote data entry job for a U.S.-based company could pay over $4,000.

Still, this shift is not uniform. High-HDI countries such as the U.S., U.K., and Canada generally show a preference for domestic remote roles.

In contrast, middle-HDI countries like Mexico and Colombia exhibit strong interest in remote opportunities but largely focus on internal markets.

Countries with strong native-language dominance tend to have lower rates of digital migration.

Even with access to the best job sites or the CV builders, many professionals are being forced to downgrade their ambitions.

This trend raises critical questions about the future of work: What does skill mean in a globalized economy? Can professional credentials alone guard against systemic underemployment? And most importantly, what does this evolving landscape mean for long-term career prospects?

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