A new commission proposal would see a blue card permit system introduced for qualified immigrants,  a one-stop shop for people seeking work and residence, and clearer rights for people working legally in the EU (23 October).

As a consequence of its aging population, Europe could soon experience a real shortage of qualified workers. To maintain economic growth in the EU, Europe has to become a real magnet for highly-qualified workers, many of whom currently prefer the US, Canada or Australia. Hence the proposal for a European blue card – a single work and residence permit giving access to a range of socio-economic rights, especially family reunification. Each EU country would still be free to decide the number of immigrant workers it could admit.

In order to avoid a damaging brain drain in developing countries, the commission proposes setting standards to limit or ban active recruitment there.

A one-stop shop would be set up for all potential workers, currently confronted with 27 different procedures.

The commission also wants legal immigrants to have the same rights as EU citizens (working conditions, salary, education, social security). This would both ensure better integration of immigrants, and protect European businesses against unfair competition based on cheap labour.

European immigration policy

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