European labour migration system set for approval

Malta has given its backing to the introduction of the EU's Blue Card system, a programme aimed at attracting highly-skilled migrants to the European labour market.

During a meeting finalising the details of how the system will work before final approval by the EU Justice Ministers, the government said it had no objections to the plans.

"Malta agrees with the new system as it provides a legal avenue to attract highly-skilled migrants into EU labour markets," a government spokesman said yesterday.

"As is the case in all EU migration matters, Malta will not be obliged to use this system. It is entirely up to individual member states, particularly the ones wanting to fill up some gaps in their labour markets. However, we acknowledge that this is a new tool we can use," the spokesman said.

The Blue Card will work on the same lines as other similar systems such as the US Green Card. Canada and Australia also have similar mechanisms.

People obtaining the Blue Card will be able to live and work together with their families in the EU under certain conditions, including that they have to be highly skilled and earning 150 per cent of the gross average salary in the country where they want to work. For jobs where there is a particular shortage, that figure was brought down to 120 per cent. After 18 months, the card holders will be free to move to another country in the EU, though s/he must re-apply for new work papers on arrival. Currently, holders of a work permit in one country must, generally speaking, leave the EU and apply for a visa if they wish to take a job in another country.

With an ageing population, the EU will be depending on migrant labour in a few years' time. But so far it is not managing to attract the highly skilled, who prefer the US or Canada. Foreign highly-skilled workers make up only 1.72 per cent of migrant workers in the EU, against 9.9 per cent in Australia and 3.2 per cent in the US.

According to EU Council sources, the only issue pending before the approval of the new system is the date of its introduction because the Czech Republic is insisting that the system should be introduced from May 2011 onwards. The EU wants the system to be in place by the beginning of the same year. It does not appear that a compromise will be difficult to come to.