Hissa Nsoli and Patrick de Meersman, L’île aux oiseaux. © Lai-momo
A Blue Card for the best brains in the third world
At the end of November, the European Parliament approved the European Blue Card, a new system for highly skilled foreign workers required by EU countries.
© Lai-momo
Europe has done its sums. Over the next two decades, Europe will be faced with skills shortages, in particular in the engineering and IT sectors. In light of this, the Commission introduced the European Blue Card scheme in October 2007. This aims to attract highly skilled workers to Europe and to encourage them to immigrate by establishing common provisions on admission procedures, which are currently still determined individually by each Member State.
According to German MEP Ewa Klamt (European People’s Party), 50 per cent of skilled immigrants from the Maghreb region go to Canada or the USA, compared with just 5.5 per cent to Europe. The Blue Card will help combat clandestine immigration and enable Europe to compete with the USA in attracting the majority of skilled workers from developing countries.
There are key differences between the European Blue Card and the American Green Card. Firstly, the Blue Card will not provide permanent residence in the Member State and will be valid for two years with the possibility of renewal. It will provide free access to all EU Member States for the holder and members of his/her family. Finally, it will confer permanent resident status after five years. Ewa Klamt sees it as a special kind of work permit ensuring a well-managed system of legal immigration. The migrants will receive remuneration with a ceiling of the equivalent of 1.7 times the gross average annual or monthly salary depending on legislation in each country.
German MEP Manfred Weber (EPP) said: “There is global competition in labour markets. The Blue Card will be a key factor in the future of innovation in our economy.”
Comments
THIS IS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF US IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, ESPECIALLY AFRICA, WHERE MERITS ARE NOT NATURALLY REWARDED. IT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW WHERE SUCH BLUE CARD CANDIDATES CAN PRESENT THEIR PROFILES FOR SCRUTINY BY APPROPRIATE QUARTERS. THANK YOU.
This is a great opportunity for people from the South. Personally am glad and am waiting to apply for this venture. In developing Countries workers are not valued, opportunities are given to relatives, friends and inlaws. This will be a solution to this.
Can someone holding qualifications in social science field be considered in this venture?.
Thanks
Es el pillaje del siglo XXI. ya no somos sus ex-colonias y por eso ya no pueden sacar oro, plata, especies, o esclavos, pero sí cerebros por los que no pagan entrenamiento. Se quejan de tener que pagar los gastos sanitarios y de educación de los inmigrantes pauperizados, pero no pueden ver que todos tienen un nivel de escolaridad que por básico que sea le costó a una nación pobre producir y comparativamente la pérdida es menor para el que acoge que para el que deja ir.
Dentro de nuestra ONG disponemos de personal altamente calificado, pero que no puede desarrollar toda su capacidad dentro del pais de residencia.
La Casa de la Union Europea trabaja incansablemente para difundir y concientizar dentro de la poblacion de Argentina, las posibilidades de desarrollo personal y grupal que puede ofrecere la U.E. En una poblacion que mantiene un altisimo porcentaje de raices europeas dentro de sus habitantes, es notable el interes y acercamiento que dichos sectores desean mantener con el viejo continente. Tal vez seria oportuno evaluar oficialmente esta tendencia, en relacion a la tarjeta azul..
www.casaunioneuropea.com.ar