Commission looks to attract new people to EU workforce

As refugees continue to pour into the EU from Ukraine, the Commission looks to prioritize the process of welcoming people into the EU. The newly proposed actions would aim to help member states integrate people into the national labor market through legislation, new agencies and updated policies. 

“Whilst our Member States are busy managing the arrival of over 5 million people from Ukraine, this does not preclude the need to lay the foundations of a sustainable and common approach to labor migration to address EU skills needs in the long term,” Vice President Margaritis Schinas of the Commission said. “[Migration] gives those who want to migrate an opportunity to improve their circumstances while providing more skilled workers for host countries, who in turn boost the economy for all.”

The proposal would update existing policies to streamline the process of applying to work and live in the EU by making one single application for work and residence in the EU. Long-term residence status will also be easier to acquire through the updated Long-Term Residence Directive. 

The Commission will also establish EU Talent Pool, a platform to help non-EU nationals find work in EU countries. It would work at the national level and the Commission hopes that it will entice people to come to the EU to get work. The goal for the Commission is to have a pilot of the program ready by summer 2022, to account for the Ukrainian refugees who are disproportionately distributed throughout the EU. 

While it was separately announced, the Commission is also developing the digital visa, which would replace the sticker. In a press briefing, the Commission proposes that moving the process of applying and receiving a visa online would reduce the cost of approving visas for EU countries at the national level. Working together, these two initiatives could make it easier than ever for non-EU citizens to live and work in Europe.

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