Note the urgent emphasis in the stories below to attract into an
increasingly divided and 'multiculturalized' Europe many more millions
of immigrants from North Africa and Africa....
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Vote On EU Skilled Immigration Blue Card Due In November
14 October 2008
The proposed European Blue Card scheme for skilled immigrants will
need to pass a crucial vote in the Civil Liberties Committee in early
November, according to a press release by the European Parliament
(EP).
The upcoming vote will consider a report by Ewa Klamt, member of the
European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP-ED), the group
supporting the Blue Card scheme in parliament.
Ewa Klamt stressed the European Union's need for skilled migrants,
stating that her native Germany lacked 95,000 engineers; the nation's
education system has only produced 20,000. She said that the EU should
stop losing out on skilled labor; as an example, North Africans tend
to migrate to other Countries:
"50% of skilled migrants from [North African] states go to the US or
Canada, only 5.5 percent come to EU," she said.
According to the EP, the EU will need 20 million qualified immigrants
over the next two decades to avoid severe skills shortages, especially
in engineering and computer technology. Because the EU has 27 members
and thus 27 different immigration policies, the EP has proposed the
Blue Card in an attempt to make the EU more attractive to top talent
from around the world.
The Blue Card would provide a "one-stop-shop" for highly skilled
migrants from around the world who wish to live and work in the
European Union. The Blue Card would be granted for two years and would
be renewable.
While the Blue Card was inspired by the United States Green Card,
there are some fundamental differences. For one, the Blue Card does
not grant permanent residence while the United States Green Card does.
However, the Blue Card would allow skilled immigrants to bring family
with them to their country of residence. The Blue Card would also
grant freedom of movement within the entire European Union -- a kind
of "Schengen visa for employment", as the EP puts it. After five years
of living in the European Union, a skilled immigrant could choose to
apply for permanent residency in the country they are currently
residing in.
One of the key issues in implementing the Blue Card is the definition
of "highly qualified". Klamt feels that there should be two
possibilities: It could either refer to a higher education
qualification - meaning at least 3 years of studies, or five years of
professional experience.
MEPs on the Civil Liberties Committee support Klamt's view and will
attempt to come to a decision during the upcoming meeting in November.
http://www.workpermit.com/news/2008-10-14/europe/blue-card-vote-november.htm
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MEPs To Vote On EU Blue Card For Skilled Migrants
Source: European Parliament,
Wednesday, 15 October, 2008
The proposed European Blue Card scheme for skilled immigrants will
pass a crucial vote in the Civil Liberties Committee in early
November. The EU is facing a skills shortage of 20 million over the
next two decades - especially in engineering and computer technology.
Ahead of the vote, which was postponed from 13 October at the last
minute for procedural reasons, we spoke to Ewa Klamt of the EPP-ED
group who is guiding the measure through parliament.
Last October the Commission proposed the Blue Card scheme to make it
easier for skilled migrants to come to Europe. At present there are 27
different visa regimes in place.
The card would act as a work and residency permit for 2 years and can
also be renewed. Family members will also be allowed into the EU
whilst individual countries would be able decide for themselves how
many skilled migrants to admit. By way of comparison the US Green Card
allows permanent residency for 10 years and allows people to work and
travel freely in America.
Speaking to us ahead of the committee vote Ewa Klamt stressed the need
for skilled migrants. She said that in her native Germany "there is a
lack of 95 thousand engineers" and that "the education system had only
produced twenty thousand."
She also warned of the need for Europe not to lose out on skilled
labour saying that "50% of skilled migrants from Maghreb states go to
the US or Canada, only 5.5 % come to EU."
On the wider political need for the measures she was emphatic: "we
have always said we need the possibility of a legal migration. If you
want to stop illegal migration, you can only close the door if you
open up the door for legal migration."
Defining "Highly Qualified"
How to define a "highly skilled" individual is a key issue. MEPs on
the Civil Liberties Committee support Ms Klamt's view that there
should be two possibilities. It could either a higher education
qualification - meaning at least 3 years of studies - or higher
professional qualification, attested by evidence of at least five
years of professional experience.
The report also rules out an upper age limit for migrants.
How To Avert A Brain Drain
Many have voiced a fear that Europe will take the best and brightest
from Africa and other parts of the developing world in a modern day
"brain drain". Ewa Klamt told us that "we say that in areas and
sectors vital to achieving the UN millennium goals - like health and
education - which are vital to developing countries we must restrict
ourselves from plundering their essential workers."
A possible compromise that could emerge is that EU countries may
reject a Blue Card application to avoid brain-drain in sectors
suffering from a lack of qualified personnel in the countries of
origin.
Regarding the salaries to be paid to migrants, Ms Klamt told us that
"we have put down that it has to be 1.7 times of the gross monthly or
annual average wages under national law which is different in each
country."
In early November MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee will give
their vote on the Klamt report on the Blue Card. For this piece of
legislation the parliament is involved under the Consultation
procedure. In November the full parliament will vote on the agreement
reached.
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/21534
See also:
"SECRET PLOT TO LET 50MILLION AFRICAN WORKERS INTO EU"
LABOUR MARKET: Millions of Africans could get the green light to head
to Europe in search of jobs
Saturday, October 11,2008,
By Nick Fagge in Mali,
Daily Express, UK.
MORE than 50 million African workers are to be invited to Europe in a
far-reaching secretive migration deal, the Daily Express can reveal
today.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/65628/Secret-plot-to-let-50million-African-workers-into-EU