EPP Group backs revised EU Blue Card for qualified workers

Today, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted a new law on the Blue Card working permits for highly-qualified non-EU nationals. The revised EU-wide rules for issuing Blue Cards which will replace current national schemes, will help attract experts according to the changing EU labour market needs.

Mariya Gabriel MEP, the EPP Group Spokeswoman on the new EU law, said: “The revision of the Blue Card Directive aims to address the need for a comprehensive EU labour migration policy and to attract highly-skilled employees to EU countries where the demand for experts is high. The estimated economic impact of the new rules could go up to €6.2 billion every year. It is therefore time to reinforce the EU’s capacity for innovation, research and entrepreneurship by creating an effective and transparent EU-wide scheme for highly-skilled workers.”

“EU countries’ governments will nevertheless be allowed to use mechanisms that ensure that these highly-qualified migrant workers are only admitted after employers have unsuccessfully searched for national workers. A balance between the need to find an answer to the issue of an ageing EU workforce and securing employment of EU citizens has been reached in the new law”, added Gabriel.

The new EU legislation, which is part of the EU’s efforts to deliver on the European Agenda on Migration, will also allow highly-skilled beneficiaries of international protection to apply for the Blue Card. However, EU countries will have control over the level of the salary threshold for migrant workers which will be calculated on the national average, and over the shortage occupations to which a lower threshold will apply. Another important element of the law is the possibility of holders of the Blue Cards to travel for business trips of up to 90 days within the EU.