Members of the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties are ready to move forward quickly on the Commission’s new proposals on legal migration, including improving the stay of long-term residents and making it easier to obtain a single work and residence permit, as well as on the creation of talent partnerships to attract migrant workers (see EUROPE 12940/8) at a time when the EU will eventually face shortages in its labour market. However, they also set a series of conditions and safeguards.
The Commission proposes, with the revision of the Single Permit Directive, to shorten processing times and to give new rights to migrant workers, such as the right to change employers while keeping their single permit.
For the long-term resident directive, the proposal aims in particular to facilitate the acquisition of long-term resident status in the EU by allowing third-country nationals to cumulate periods of residence in different Member States in order to fulfil the 5-year residence requirement.
However, MEPs have raised several objections, in particular to the 5-year period retained as a prerequisite for long-term resident status, several of them considering it too long.
The procedure for obtaining long-term resident status in the EU should also be shortened to no more than 90 days, said rapporteur Javier Moreno Sanchez (S&D, Spanish), with the Commission proposing 90 days, with the possibility of adding 30 days.
Observing also that highly qualified migrants today are more likely to choose the United States, Canada or Australia because of the better conditions offered, the elected representatives wished to improve the mobility of these third country workers between Member States, but also between different jobs, with the European Parliament wanting a migrant worker who had obtained a single permit for a specific job to be able to keep it if he/she wishes to take another job.
It is also important to ensure that the procedures for recruiting these third-country workers are not too burdensome for companies, whose lives should be “made easier”, insisted German MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew Europe).
Dutch Green MEP Tineke Strik (Greens/EFA) wants to make sure that these same companies respect their obligations, especially with regard to the enhanced rights of third country workers, and do not “exploit” them. An effective system of sanctions must therefore be provided as well as legal aid for migrant workers.
Beate Gminder, from DG Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), was present at the hearing and spoke about the first talent partnerships launched with North African countries, which will concern the tourism, healthcare and construction sectors. The Commission is also exploring such legal migration arrangements with Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)