COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council establishing an EU Talent Pool

EN EN
EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
Brussels, 15.11.2023
SWD(2023) 717 final
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT
IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT
Accompanying the document
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council
establishing an EU Talent Pool
{COM(2023) 716 final} - {SEC(2023) 716 final} - {SWD(2023) 716 final} -
{SWD(2023) 718 final}
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KOM (2023) 0716 - SWD-dokument
Europaudvalget 2023
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BACKGROUND AND POLICY CONTEXT ......................................................................................4
1.1. Policy and legal contexts...................................................................................................................4
1.2. Current challenges.............................................................................................................................5
1.2.1 Demographic trends and skills and labour shortages in key sectors of the EU economy ............5
1.2.2 Global supply and demand of skilled third-country nationals’ workers.......................................8
1.2.3. Challenges related to migration management .........................................................................10
2. PROBLEM DEFINITION...................................................................................................................11
2.1 What is the problem?.............................................................................................................................11
2.2. What are the problem drivers ...............................................................................................................13
2.2.1 Drivers outside of the scope of the EU Talent Pool initiative......................................................13
2.2.2 Drivers related to the employment aspects................................................................................13
2.2.3 Drivers related to the migration aspects....................................................................................19
2.2.4 Who is affected by the identified problems and in what ways ..................................................23
2.3 How will the problem evolve? ..............................................................................................................23
3. WHY SHOULD THE EU ACT? ........................................................................................................25
3.1 Legal basis.............................................................................................................................................25
3.2. Subsidiarity: Necessity of EU action....................................................................................................25
3.3. Subsidiarity: Added value of EU action...............................................................................................26
3.4. Proportionality......................................................................................................................................27
4. OBJECTIVES: WHAT IS TO BE ACHIEVED? ...............................................................................28
4.1 General objective (GO) .........................................................................................................................28
4.2 Specific objectives (SOs) ......................................................................................................................28
4.3. Consistency with other EU policies and with the Charter of fundamental rights ................................29
5. WHAT ARE THE AVAILABLE POLICY OPTIONS? ....................................................................31
5.1 What is the baseline from which options are assessed? ........................................................................31
5.2 Description of the policy options ..........................................................................................................33
5.3. Options discarded at an early stage ......................................................................................................34
5.4. Options retained for further in-depth assessment.................................................................................35
5.4.1 Non-legislative options...............................................................................................................35
5.4.2 Legislative options......................................................................................................................36
6. WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF THE POLICY OPTIONS? ...........................................................44
6.1 Policy Option 1 - Soft measures aiming at improving information provision and facilitating
identification and matching (non-legislative option)...................................................................................47
6.2 Policy Option 2 - Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market needs in key
occupations (legislative option)...................................................................................................................52
6.3 Policy Option 3 - Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool (legislative option)..59
2
7. HOW DO THE OPTIONS COMPARE?............................................................................................66
8. PREFERRED OPTION.......................................................................................................................69
8.1 REFIT (simplification and improved efficiency)..................................................................................70
8.2 One in, one out approach.......................................................................................................................70
9. HOW WILL ACTUAL IMPACTS BE MONITORED AND EVALUATED? .................................71
ANNEX 1 PROCEDURAL INFORMATION ...........................................................................................72
ANNEX 2 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION .....................................................................................82
ANNEX 3 WHO IS AFFECTED BY THE INITIATIVE AND HOW? .................................................121
ANNEX 4 ANALYTICAL METHODS..................................................................................................132
ANNEX 5 COMPETITIVENESS CHECK .............................................................................................143
ANNEX 6 PROBLEM ASSESSMENT FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE ..........................147
ANNEX 7 ASSESSMENT OF LABOUR AND SKILLS SHORTAGES IN THE EU ..........................160
ANNEX 8 MAPPING OF EXISTING INITIATIVES AT EU AND NATIONAL LEVEL...................195
ANNEX 9 ANALYTICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICY OPTIONS ............................................280
ANNEX 10 ASSESMENT OF COST AND BENEFITS OF THE POLICY OPTIONS ........................301
ANNEX 11 SME TEST ...........................................................................................................................337
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Glossary
Term or acronym Meaning or definition
Cedefop European Centre for the Development of Vocational
Training
EDC European Digital Credentials for learning
EMN European Migration Network
EQF European Qualifications Framework
ESCO European Classification of Skills Competences,
Qualifications and Occupations
ESDE Employment and Social Developments
EU European Union
FRA Fundamental Rights Agency
GDP Gross Domestic Product
ICT Information and communication technologies
IT Information Technology
ILO International Labour Organisation
MS Member State
NCP National Contact Points
NQF National Qualification Framework
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PO Policy Option
SMEs Small and Medium Enterprises
Study Study in support of the impact assessment on the
development of an EU Talent Pool
TCN Third-country national: a third-country national is any
person who is not a citizen of the Union within the meaning
of Article 20(1) of the TFEU
TFEU Treaty on the Functionning of the European Union
the Charter Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
4
1. BACKGROUND AND POLICY CONTEXT
1.1. Policy and legal contexts
Legal migration is an essential part of the comprehensive approach to migration set out in the
New Pact on Migration and Asylum1
. Effective legal pathways can contribute to the decrease
of irregular migration and benefit our labour market. While Member States retain the right to
determine volumes of admission for people coming from third countries to work, the EU
common migration policy needs to reflect the integration of the EU economy and the
interdependence of Member States’ labour markets. This is why, as the New Pact underlines,
EU policies need to foster a level playing field between national labour markets as migration
destinations. They should also help Member States using their EU membership as an asset in
attracting talent.
EU employers are facing structural labour and skills shortages in many professions2
. The
EU transition towards a green and digital economy creates high demand for specific skills
in certain sectors and calls for restructuring our economies and labour markets3
. In the context
of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also become clear that labour and skills shortages in the
health sector need to be addressed4
. All these demands for skills are further exacerbated by the
prospect of an ageing population and a shrinking working-age population, , posing
significant challenges for the EU and its Member States’ prosperity and competitiveness.
The EU is addressing the labour and skills shortages through a comprehensive approach which
includes the activation of the inactive EU population, reskilling and upskilling of the
existing workforce5
, and facilitation of intra-EU mobility. However, in view of the scale of the
skills challenges , this approach is not sufficient. Labour migration is part of the solution to
skills shortages and some Member States are developing talent attraction policies to this
effect6
. However, they are unable to achieve economies of scale when developing their policies
and activities independently.
At the EU level, both the European Skills Agenda and the New Pact on Migration and
Asylum recognise the need for a more strategic approach to legal migration, oriented
towards better attracting and retaining talent to foster growth and innovation potential and
channelling legal migration towards regions and occupations facing skills shortages.
The need to attract the necessary skills to the EU was also mentioned by President von der
Leyen in her 2022 State of the Union address7
where she also announced the European Year
of Skills8
, as well as an initiative on the recognition of qualifications of third country nationals
as part of efforts to make Europe more attractive for skilled workers.
1
COM(2020) 609 final.
2
As substantiated by the lists of widespread and acute shortage occupations contained in Eures 2022 report on
shortages and surplus occupations, see below, for more details: EURES-Labour Shortages report (europa.eu).
3
The Green Deal Industrial Plan of 2023 acknowledges that the green transition will amplify demands for new skills
at all levels. The Commission will consider how to combine a ‘Skills-first' approach, recognising actual skills, with
existing approaches based on qualifications, and how to facilitate access of third country nationals to EU labour
markets in priority sectors.
4
The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated long-standing shortages in sectors such as healthcare and ICT. Eurofound,
Tackling labour shortage in EU Member States, 2021, p. 6.
5
The European Skills Agenda launched in 2020 presented the EU objectives for upskilling and reskilling in the next
five years. The Skills Agenda also foresees the activation of the inactive EU pupolation by promoting their
integration into the labour market.
6
See: Mapping of the existing intiatives in Annex 8.
7
State of the Union 2022, available at https://state-of-the-union.ec.europa.eu/state-union-2022_en.
8
Decision (EU) 2023/936 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on a European Year of
Skills.
5
To ensure that the EU becomes more attractive and to improve the overall migration
management, the Commission adopted in April 2022 the Skills and Talent Package9
which
puts forward a set of initiatives to reach these goals. In particular, the Package announced the
intention to establish an EU Talent Pool: the first EU-wide platform aimed at facilitating
international recruitment and providing job opportunities for third country nationals workers10
at all skills levels11
.
The idea of establishing an EU Talent Pool was strongly supported by the European
Parliament in its two resolutions on the legal migration policy of 202112
as well as by the
European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of the Regions in
their opinions on the Skills and Talent Package13
. The importance of improving migrants’
access to the EU labour market via matching tools was also mentioned during the Conference
on the Future of Europe.14
In October 2022, the Commission launched the EU Talent Pool
Pilot to facilitate the integration of people fleeing Ukraine into the EU labour market15
. In
parallel, the European Commission is launching Talent Partnerships with specific partner
countries to boost international mobility and the development of talent in a mutually beneficial
way, as part of a comprehensive approach to migration management. The EU Talent Pool may
play a role in their implementation.
By making the EU more attractive for talent from abroad and filling in labour and skills
shortages, the EU Talent Pool will directly contribute to the European Year of Skills and will
be a key component of the Commission’s Package on talent mobility.16
1.2. Current challenges
1.2.1 Skills and labour shortages in key sectors of the EU economy
EU employers, in particular SMEs, are facing acute and structural labour and skills
shortages in many professions. The unmet demand for labour, as approximated by the job
vacancy rate17
, has more than doubled in less than a decade18
. As Eurofound reports, in the last
quarter of 2022, recruitment challenges experienced by EU employers have reached a record
9
European Commission, Communication, Attracting Skills and Talent to the EU, COM/2022/657 final.
10
The EU Talent Pool was announced as as “the first EU-wide platform and matching tool to help make the EU more
attractive for third country nationals and addressing the challenge of matching EU employers with the talent they are
unable to find in the EU’s labour market”.
11
Please note that the term ‘talent’ from abroad used throughout this text refers to the entire range of skills that might
be needed by EU employers.
12
The European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on legal
migration policy and law (2020/2255(INL); European Parliament resolution of 20 May 2021 on new avenues for
legal labour migration (2020/2010(INI)).
13
Opinion of European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission to the European
Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions —
Attracting skills and talent to the EU of 28 February 2023, EESC 2022/02745. Opinion of the European Committee
of the Regions on legal migration: Attracting skills and talent to the EU, COR 2022/03942.
14
Conference on the Future of Europe, Report on the final outcome, 2022, p. 85.
15
Additional information on the EU Talent Pool Pilot is available at https://eures.ec.europa.eu/eu-talent-pool-pilot_en.
16
This Package will include a Communication on skills and talent mobility, a Commission recommendation on the
recognition of qualifications of third country nationals, a proposal for a Regulation establishing an EU Talent Pool,
and a proposal for a Council recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’ – learning mobility opportunities for everyone.
17
There is no agreed methodology to identify labour shortages in the EU, and different sources have strengths and
weaknesses in order to identify shortages. Please, refer to Annex 7 for more details and for a comprehensive
approach how to identify critical occupational shortages, in line with the recommendations of the 2023 EU semester
and the emphasis on the twin transition.
18
Eurostat (jvs_q_nace2). Additionally, according to Eurofound the most significant shortages are in Czechia,
followed by Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria. Eurofound (2023), Measures to tackle labour shortages: Lessons
for future policy.
6
high19
. In the EU Business and consumer surveys, 26% of company managers responsible for
recruitment in industry reported that labour shortages were a factor limiting production, while
the corresponding number was 30% in services and 31% in construction20
. At the same time,
85% of EU firms find that the lack of available staff with the right set of skills is a factor
hampering their investments21
.
Across the EU, the labour and skills shortages concern all skill levels and are largely
concentrated in the healthcare and long-term care22
, hospitality, construction,
manufacturing and services, transportation, information and communication technology
(ICT) sectors23
( a more granular analysis on specific shortage occupations, with more detailed
information, is developed in Annex 7).
Member States are reporting sectoral differences as highlighted by the Eurofound study in
2021, which indicated that in the recovery from the pandemic, the emphasis on digital and
climate-neutral transitions will give rise to new shortages, as well as exacerbating existing
ones.24.
.
Table 1 : Distribution of sectorial shortages across Member States
Shortage Sectors Countries identifying the shortage sectors
Manufacturing Bulgaria, Finaland, Poland, Sweden
Construction Cyprus, Ireland, Poland, Portugal
Energy Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Portugal,
Romania
Transport Poland, Portugal
Professional, scientific and technical
activities
Cyprus, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania
Tourism Bulgaria
Agriculture Latvia
Education Spain
Reference: Eurofound Study (2021) Tackling Labour Shortages
The Commission's 2023 Employment and Social Developments in Europe report25
shows that
causes of labour shortages are varied, including low labour market participation of certain
population groups, poor working conditions in occupations, skill mismatches and the
implications of some tax and benefit systems.
19
Eurofound (2023), Measures to tackle labour shortages: Lessons for future policy.
20
ECFIN Business and Consumer Surveys (BCS).
21
European Investment Bank, 2022/2023 Report, EIB investment report 2022/2023 - Publications Office of the EU
(europa.eu).
22
In healthcare and long-term care, Europe is lacking around 2 million workers, with up to 1 million new job openings
for health associate professionals and long-term carers expected up to 2030. European Commission, Long-Term
Care Report: Trends, challenges and opportunities in an ageing society, 2021.
23
ECFIN Business and Consumer Surveys (BCS); Measures to tackle labour shortages: Lessons for future policy |
(europa.eu).
24
Eurofound (2021) Tackling labour shortages in EU Member States, p. 29, Confront with Table 5, sectors
experiencing large vacancy rates across Member States, p. 22.
25
2023 Employment and Social Developments in Europe report, available at:
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=26989&langId=en.
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In addition, the prospect of an ageing population26 and a shrinking working-age
population27 pose further significant pressure for the EU and its Member States ability to
effectively address such shortages.
The share of working-age population is declining while the share of older population is
increasing, resulting in a large number of people leaving the labour market to retire28
and
increasing the demand for long-term care29
. Thus, EU labour markets become increasingly
tight, with insufficient active workforce to satisfy employers’ needs30
. (a more detailed
assessment of the demographic trends, including the differences in this regard among Member
States, can be found in Annex 6).
The transition towards a climate-neutral European economy under the Green Deal leads to
additional demand for labour force and new ‘green skills’ within certain sectors (in particular
the construction, energy, manufacturing and transport)31
. Between 2015 and 2021, labour
shortages in key sectors for the green transition doubled and up to 1 million additional jobs are
expected to exist by 2030.32
New skills will be also required for the digital transition of the
European economy, which is already hampered by bottlenecks in this area33
.
Therefore, notwithstanding efforts to upskill and re-skill the EU domestic workforce, to
activate the inactive and/or vulnerable EU citizens or to promote intra-EU mobility, labour
shortages are expected to increase in the EU, in view of the projected demographic trends
and other structural drivers of the EU workforce transformation34
. These shortages have the
potential to limit EU growth, productivity, innovation, competitiveness and the EU’s ability to
deliver on its climate and digital ambitions.
26
The share of population aged 65 and over is projected to grow to 32.5% by 2100 (the corresponding value in 2022
was 21.2% and 17.8% in 2011), according to Population projections in the EU - Statistics Explained (europa.eu).
27
The working age population, aged 15-64 is projected to fall from its 63.9% share in 2022 to only 54.4% by 2100
(Eurostat PROJ_23NP Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu)).
28
According to Eurostat projections, the old-age dependency ratio which is the proportion between the population 65
and over years-old and working age population – already at a very high 33.0 ration in 2022 – is projected to grow
very quickly to above 50 in the coming decades and to reach 59.7 ratio by 2100. Eurostat PROJ_23NP ;
Eurostat, Demography 2023.
29
Employment in the health and social sector has been growing rapidly in recent years in the EU27, from an overall
number of workers of 17.4 million in 2008 to 21.7 million in 2022, representing a 24,8% increase in sectoral
employment against the 3,8% total employment growth over the same period.
30
Already in 2022, the employment rate of the EU 20-64-year-olds peaked at 75%, the highest share recorded since
2009, corresponding to 193.5 million of employed people, bringing the EU economy as a whole closer to full
employment with unemployment rates at historic lows and recruitment process becoming more difficult. Eurostat,
lfsi_emp_a and lfsa_ergan
31
Eurofound, Measures to tackle labour shortages: Lessons for Future Policy, 2023. According to the narrow definition
of green jobs provided by Eurostat, sectors linked to the green transition include manufacturing, construction,
transportation and electricity, steam, gas and air conditioning. In the 2010-2020 period, employment in these sectors
grew at a faster rate than the EU overall rate of employment, confirming the structural nature of the transformation
of the EU economy beyond cyclical developments, particularly in waste management, renewables and energy
efficiency. Eurostat, 2023, 'Environmental economy — statistics on employment and growth'.
32
European Commission, A Green Deal industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age COM(2023) 62 final.
33
The 2030 Digital Compass points to the need to have at least 20 million employed ICT specialists in the EU by 2030
and the Digital Economy and Society Index shows that the EU is falling short of achieving this target (9 million
employed in 2021).
The 2023 European Semester exercise shows that most EU Member States already suffer from significant and
growing skills shortages, while low training provision could create bottleneck in strategic occupations related to the
net zero economy in key sectors. See 2023 European Semester: Spring package (europa.eu).
34
Employers’ difficulties in finding people with the right skills are also linked to their inability to attract and retain
workers (e.g., due to poor working conditions or human resource management practices). However, a limited supply
of skilled workers poses challenges for persistent labour shortages in fields such as STEM or healthcare. In other
occupations, especially those characterised by more manual skills and lower literacy challenges in attracting and
retaining workers play a more significant role. For more details and recent analysis on labour shortages at the EU
and national levels: Labour Market Wage Development, 2022 Chapter 3 and 2023 ESDE, Chapter 2
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=26989&langId=en
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Labour and skills shortages are a common European challenge. When comparing the average
EU job vacancy rate at the end of 2022 with the same period in 2012 (in the last quarter of the
year), it is apparent that difficulties to fill vacant positions have gradually worsened in all
Member States over a decade. However, some differences among Member States can be
identified35
.
Three groups of Member States can be identified. First, there is a group most severely affected.
These countries have witnessed a steep increase in their job vacancy rate over the past decade.
At end of 2022, the unmet demand for labour was most pronounced in Austria, with a vacancy
rate of 4.6% compared to merely 1.5% in 2012. In both Belgium and the Netherlands, the rate
was 4.5% in 2022 – up from 2% and 1.2% respectively. Similarly high numbers were recorded
in Germany (4.4% in 2022 versus 2% in 2012) and the Czech Republic (4.2% in 2022 versus
1% in 2012).
A second group (Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta,
Slovenia and Sweden) is experiencing a vacancy rate similar to the EU average of 2.8%.
Although none of these countries has a rate more than 1% below the EU average in 2022, they
are all confronted with greater difficulties in filling vacant positions when compared to 2012.
The third group consists of Member States whose job vacancy rate remains below the EU
average, hence not exceeding 1.8% (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Spain). Nevertheless, the job vacancy rate has increased considerably in some of
these countries. For example, it has more than doubled in Poland (from 0.3% to 0.9%) and
Lithuania (from 0.7% to 1.7%). It even increased fivefold in Portugal, from 0.3% in 2012 to
1.5% in 2022.
In addition, the 2022 EURES report36
has shown that there are differences among Member
States in terms of shortage occupations. Member States submitting the highest number of
shortage occupations were Italy (205), the Netherlands (166), Belgium (164), Slovenia (107),
Denmark (106), Estonia (97), France (77) and Finland (60). The situation varies according to
the countries and regions, where certain occupations are affected more than others and could
constitute a bottleneck on growth, depending on the economic specialisation of the region (for
instance, specialisation of territorial economic districts in specific technologies such as
mechatronics) or the sectoral composition of the national business economy (for instance,
small and medium-size countries have a less complex business economy than larger ones).
1.2.2 Global supply and demand of skilled third-country nationals’ workers
There is an upward trend in global mobility37
. In 2020, 3.6% of the total world population
(an estimated 281 million people) were living permanently outside their country of birth38
, in
comparison to 2.8% in 1990. In 2021, 16% of adults worldwide, corresponding approximately
to 900 million people had aspirations to migrate permanently39
. Future trends of international
labour migration are difficult to predict40
. However, the global labour market is likely to
35
Eurostat (job vacancy rate), https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser//product/view/JVS_A_RATE_R2.
36
EURES, 2022 labour shortage and surplus report, EURES-Labour Shortages report (europa.eu).
37
The estimated global stock of migrants people is steadily increasing, according to the criteria established by the
UNDESA: International Migrant Stock | Population Division (un.org). The annual flows contributing to this stock
are oscillatin, due to their volatile nature, relative to the underlying mixed aspirations and motivations of people on
the move at global level.
38
JRC, Migration Megatrends, Increasing significance of migration | Knowledge for policy (europa.eu).
JRC produces research datasets or indicators about global mobility (based on air traffic data or Mobile Network
Operators derived indicators) without distinction of motivation or reasons for such mobility.
39
Gallup, Nearly 900 Million Worldwide Wanted to Migrate in 2021 (gallup.com).
40
European Commission, Strategic Foresight Report, 2023, pp. 9-10 2023 Strategic Foresight Report (europa.eu).
9
continue to absorbe the increasing workforce supply for various reasons, including the
global demand generated by the shift to a “knowledge economy” and “net-zero economy”41
and ageing population of the developed countries.
According to the OECD, the EU as a whole rates high on underlying factors of attractiveness
to skilled third-country nationals (TCNs)42
. However, it appears less effective compared to
other OECD countries in converting this attractiveness into actual numbers of TCNs coming
to work into the EU43
. This might also be explained by the differences in perceived
attractiveness of specific Member States44
. Even though several smaller EU Member States are
rated high in objective analyses of attractiveness, third-country jobseekers rarely refer to these
Member States as preferred destinations for migration45
. The overall fragmentation and
complexity of the EU migration framework also decreases its attractiveness in the eyes of the
third-country jobseekers46
.
Also, in contrast to other developed economies such as Canada, New Zealand and Australia,
the EU has proven unable to attract migrants at all levels of the skills it needs47.
The EU’s difficulty in attracting jobseekers from third countries is also linked to the fact that
the EU is competing with other advanced economies in attracting the skills and talent that they
need in view of the increasing labour shortages at all skills levels48
. Canada and Australia are
consistently more attractive, than the EU according to OECD indicators49
. What OECD
analysis shows is that while job-search visas and labour migration policies are important
components to attract migration for employment purposes, additional attractiveness factors
include the overall environment, such as the openness of respective societies toward migrants.
In this respect, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have built a significant reputation as
countries that are open to economic migration. The high attractivness of these three countries
for labour migration purposes is also apparent considering that they established “expression of
interest” (EOI) systems to better manage migration flows. These systems allow migrants
willing to obtain a work permit to be registered in the respective national platform if they meet
certain criteria (e.g. education, age and and work experience). Registered candidates are ranked
41
To support the engagements subscribed under the 2015 Paris Treaty Agreement, the global green economy is
expected to create up to 2030 18 million additional jobs worldwide, mainly as a result of the joint efforts in fighting
climate change. ILO, Greening with jobs, World Employment and Social Outlook 2018; IOM, Migration in the 2030
Agenda, 2017.
42
e.g. welfare and health care system, level of wages and job opportunities.
43
OECD, Index of Attractiveness, 2023 Talent Attractiveness 2023 – OECD.
44
Some large and well-known Member States such as Germany, Spain, France and Italy are seen as relatively
attractive However, despite the single EU Member State efforts to attract and retain Third Country Nationals for
work-related purposes, they are relatively disadvantaged.
45
Gallup, World Poll Nearly 900 Million Worldwide Wanted to Migrate in 2021 (gallup.com). The OECD Indicators
of Talent Attractiveness 2023 scoreboard, reports a handful of smaller Member States in the top spots with regard to
their attractiveness for highly educated workers including Sweden, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark and
Ireland.
46
The 2019 Legal Migration Fitness Check highlighted a number of reasons contributing to the decrease in EU
attractiveness and linked to the overall fragmentation and complexity of the migration framework (e.g. in particular,
perceived higher costs, lack of transparent information on admission procedures and recognition of skills and
qualifications).
47
Of all non-EU migrants coming to OECD countries, 48 % of low-educated migrants choose an EU destination and
68 % of the high-educated ones a non-European OECD destination. See: Senne, J.-N. and David, A., General
Context and Contribution of Labour Migration in Europe, OECD 2016. According to the OECD study, the EU is
underachieving in the global competition for talent. Such a long-term trend assessment has been recently confirmed
in relation to on-line search for jobs and vacancies (according to click data from Indeed Platform,Indeed Platform,
Europe is struggling to establish itself as a top destination of jobseekers looking at opportunities away from their
country of birth). https://www.hiringlab.org/uk/blog/2023/08/22/foreign-workers-eu-shortage/
48
Canada and Australia, recently, broadened the notion of talent that they want to attract and retain, in view of this
exarcebated competition.
49
OECD, Indicators of Talent Attractiveness, Talent Attractiveness 2023 - OECD.
10
using a point-based system and, on the basis of this ranking, they are selected and invited to
apply for a permanent residence permit. However, EOI systems are not necessarily compatible
with the EU and its Member States legal constraints and current regulations as these systems
are used to select migrants as a migration management tool50
.
1.2.3. Challenges related to migration management
A well-managed and sustainable migration framework in the EU can only be achieved with
a comprehensive approach, bringing together policy efforts in different areas of migration, as
outlined in the New Pact on Migration and Asylum51
.
Irregular migration, approximated by irregular entries in the EU, constitutes only a small part
of the overall migration towards the EU52
. Still, in 2022, around 330 000 illegal border
crossings were detected at the EU’s external border. This is the highest number since 2016 and
an increase of 64% from the previous year53
. As stated by Frontex, faced with stringent
requirements for legal migration to Europe, migrants are often left with the only choice to
come to the EU irregularly54
. In the medium term,demographic factors are likely to determine
an increase of migratory pressure from Africa. However, what is not known, at this stage, is if
this migratory pressure will develop mainly on the African continent or whether it will interest
Europe due to geographical proximity and existing economic and migration ties55
.
There is some agreement among policy makers both at global56
and EU level57
that there is a
link between enhancing legal pathways and reducing irregular migration, although
influenced also by other factors58
. Research conducted by the United Nations demonstrates that
in the absence of appropriate avenues for safe and regular migration pathways, irregular
migration will increase, and the smuggling of migrants will continue to provide the most viable
means to arrive to their intended countries of destination59
. Conversely, providing migrants
with safe and secure access to entry and/or residence through regulated channels reduces their
need to move in unsafe and irregular circumstances, involving engagement with smuggling
50
OECD, Building an EU Talent Pool, 2019,pp. 94-100 Additionally, the stricter the criteria the more limited the pool
under consideration, as exemplified by Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
51
COM(2020)609.
52
The ratio between the irregular arrivals to the EU to the legal ones was approximately 1: 10 in 2022. According to
Frontex, there were approximately 330 000 detected illegal border crossings in 2022. During the same period there
were 3.7 million first legal permits issue (data on first residence permits published by Eurostat on 4 August 2023,
see: Database - Migration and asylum - Eurostat (europa.eu).
53
After the pandemic-induced low in 2020, this was the second year in a row with a steep increase in the number of
detected irregular entries. EU’s external borders in 2022: Number of irregular border crossings highest since 2016
(europa.eu).
54
The Annual Risk Analysis 2022/23 of Frontex. Risk Analysis for 2022/2023 (europa.eu)
55
JRC Report, Many more to come. Migration from and within Africa, 2018.
56
Analysis of the impact that the availability of regular channels of migration has on reducing demand for the
smuggling of migrants’, Working Group on the Smuggling of Migrants, Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
57
The European Parliament in its resolution adopted in May 2021 found that “Enhancing proper legal migration
channels would help to reduce irregular migration, undermine the business model of criminal smugglers, reduce
trafficking in human beings and labour exploitation, enhance equal opportunities for all workers and offer a legal
path for those considering migrating to the Union”. See also the New Pact on Migration and Asylum.
58
According to the Joint Research Centre, these factors include the broader political, socio-economic and demographic
trends in countries of origin and destination, as well as migration policies and broader state policies such labour
market regulations. See: Joint Research Centre, What relationship is there between irregular and irregular
migration?, 2019.
59
Analysis of the impact that the availability of regular channels of migration has on reducing demand for the
smuggling of migrants’, Working Group on the Smuggling of Migrants, Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
11
networks and risks of human trafficking and labour exploitation60
. Additionally, the Joint
Research Centre also points out61
to this indirect relationship between legal and irregular
migration: fostering legal migration channels may have a signalling effect for migrants who
could be considering undertaking irregular migration journeys62
. Providing legal channels for
migration could also facilitate cooperation with third countries in curbing irregular
migration and stepping up border management63
. Opening legal channels can also contribute
to developing human capital in countries of origin and provide some relief in sectoral niches
of the destination countries’ economies.
Consequently, it is key to create safe and effective pathways to reduce the incentives for
irregular migration and to engage with third countries strategically on migration management,
notably by establishing comprehensive, balanced and tailor-made partnerships64
. At the same
time, in order to reduce irregular migration, studies suggest65
that a series of additional
accompanying measures should be considered, for instance tackling opportunities for
employment in the informal economy, border enforcement measures, and resettlement
opportunities for those in need of international protection.
2. PROBLEM DEFINITION
2.1 What is the problem?
Problem: Insufficient recruitment of third-country nationals through legal migration pathways
to address EU labour and skills shortages
The EU Talent Pool initiative aims to tackle insufficient recruitment of third-country
nationals (TCNs) through legal migration pathways to address labour and skills
shortages in the European Union.
As explained in Section 1.2.1, the overarching challenge in the EU is the increasing shortage
of workforce and skills. Some differences exist in the Member States in terms of scale of the
problem and sectors facing the most persistent shortages. However, overall all Member States
experience labour and skills shortages at all skills levels and, therefore, labour and skills
shortages represent a common challenge requiring a European response.
The EU’s approach to addressing these shortages relies firstly on activating resident inactive
populations as well as, re-skilling and up-skilling the existing workforce, improving
working conditions, addressing gender segregation, and fostering labour market transitions
across sectors and occupations (see Section 4.3 for more details). However, it takes time for
such measures to have an actual effect on the labour market and on productivity. In addition,
these initiatives may not be sufficient alone to fully address existing and future labour
shortages. At national level, Member States are also implementing initiatives to this purpose.
However, as acknowledged in the Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a
60
Policy Brief "Mapping the Landscape of the Smuggling of Migrants" by the UN Network on Migration. Exploring
the Links Between Enhancing Regular Pathways and Discouraging Irregular Migration, IOM, p.6.
61
Joint Research Centre, What relationship is there between irregular and irregular migration?, 2019, on the basis of
JRC Publications Repository - Datasets on Irregular Migration and Irregular Migrants in the EU (europa.eu).
62
If the probability of legal migration becomes more realistic, migrants may decide to invest in increasing their
chances to migrate through legal migration channels e.g. by acquiring new skills and learning new languages.
63
A good example of this phenomenon could be also the German Western Balkans Regulation, which aimed to
increase legal pathways during the so-called 2015 migration crisis. Under this new Regulation, more than 117,000
work contracts were submitted and approved, and 44,093 applicants received work visas between 2015 and 2017.
64
Joint Research Centre, What relationship is there between irregular and irregular migration?, 2019.
65
Joint Research Centre, What relationship is there between irregular and irregular migration?, 2019.
12
European Year of Skills, Member States’ public and private investments in reskilling and
upskilling are still insufficient.66
In addition, current intra-EU mobility67
is stable and EU mobile workers across Europe are
concentrated in a few occupations requiring low and medium skills, such as logistics and low-
skilled jobs68
. Thus, its potential to fully address structural labour shortages is limited,
especially considering that shortages are reported across all Member States, in a diverse range
of sectors and at all skills levels.
Therefore, attracting talent from outside of the EU is key to address existing and future
skills shortages which might not be sufficiently addressed by other initiatives, while reducing
irregular migration pressure. Certain Member States already recognise the importance of
labour migration as part of the policy solution and are developing talent attraction policies to
this purpose. For instance, Germany has recently reformed its legislation and policies to attract
workers from third countries69
. These initiatives include the implementation of specific
migration schemes and fast-track immigration procedures to make the obtention of a work
permit easier and faster70
. In addition, certain Member States introduce exclusions from the
labour market test for occupations suffering the most persistent shortages71
. However, these
facilitated migration schemes mainly focus on highly-skilled workers72
while labour shortages
are faced at all skills levels. In addition, only few Member States put in place dedicated job
matching platforms to facilitate international recruitment of TCNs residing abroad73
(for a
more detailed explanation of existing initiatives in the Member States see also sub-driver 1.1).
Notwithstanding, these initiatives are aimed at making labour migration more effective,in
2022, 1.6 million of TCNs received first residence permits linked to employment74
. While this
constitutes a significant number, it only represents 42% of the first overall residence permits75
(which suggests that the potential for labour migration to the EU is underutilised). In addition,
this is still insufficient to meet the gaps of labour shortages in the EU considering that, for
instance, companies reported in the first quarter of 2023 around 3.7 million job
vacancies (excluding data from Denmark, France, and Italy) of which 2.8% remained
unfilled76
. Extrapolating to the full EU27, the number of reported vacancies may be around 6.3
million with corresponding 175.000 unfilled positions.
66
Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Year of Skills 2023,
COM/2022/526 final.
67
Indicating labour mobility of the EU citizens and other legal residents across Member States.
68
According to 2022 annual report on intra-EU labour mobility, in 2020, irrespective of the COVID pandemic, the
number of EU mobile workers remained stable at 10.2 million which corresponds to 3.3 % of the overall EU
working population . In 2021, there are just over 1.7 million cross-border workers. Annual report on intra-EU labour
mobility 2022 published - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu).
69
In order to address labour shortages in Germany, the Skilled Immigration Act is in the process of being reformed.
The new legislation will gradually come into force by June 2024 and aims to facilitate the entry and residence of
qualified skilled workers from third countries.
70
For instance, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Malta, Ireland.
71
For instance, Ireland, Croatia, Slovakia.
72
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, and Greece.
73
For example, the BfA job portal (Germany).
74
Preliminary data on first residence permits published by Eurostat: Nearly 3.7 million first residence permits issued in
2022 - Products Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu). This does not cover persons fleeing Ukraine due to Russia’s
invasion (out of approximately 4 million who received temporary protection status, more than 1.5 million entered the
labour market either as employed or as jobseekers in February 2023).
75
Nearly 3.7 million first residence permits issued in 2022: Products Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu)
76
Eurostat (jvs_q_nace2).
13
2.2. What are the problem drivers
2.2.1 Drivers outside of the scope of the EU Talent Pool initiative
Several different drivers underly the identified problem. One of them lies outside of the scope
of migration policy and could not be addressed by the EU Talent Pool initiative: the overall
EU attractiveness, which is influenced by factors outside the migration and recruitment
framework77
. This driver will not be analysed in this Report.
Some other drivers/sub-drivers fall within the migration and employment policies, but are
addressed in full or in part by certain inter-related ongoing or envisaged EU initiatives78
.
The analysis of drivers/sub-drivers in sections below covers all their aspects but focuses on
those that are addressed by the EU Talent Pool. The drivers and sub-drivers that the EU
Talent Pool seeks to address could be divided into two groups: 1) drivers related to the
employment aspects and 2) drivers related to the migration aspects.79
Figure 2: Main problem and underlying drivers
* Sub-drivers that will be only partially addressed by the EU Talent Pool are coloured with a diagonal stripes pattern.
2.2.2 Drivers related to the employment aspects
In order to apply for a visa or work permit to come to the EU to work, a TCN first needs to
receive a job offer from an interested EU employer. However, there are several barriers in
international job matching and understanding skills and qualifications of TCNs that make
hiring from abroad more challenging compared to recruitment within the EU.
Problem driver 1: Cumbersome and ineffective international job matching
77
E.g. the living standards, the welfare and tax systems, the language spoken, the wage level, etc.
78
Sub-driver 2.1: Complex and ineffective recognition and validation procedures in the Member States, sub- driver
3.1.Complex migration framework within the EU with cumbersome procedures often leading to irregular pathways;
Driver 4: Inconsistent and fragmented cooperation with third countries on legal migration/migration management
79
This duality results from the fact that, in general, the process leading to a TCN from outside the EU to undertake a
job in a Member State consists of two stages: i) An employer and an TCN find each other and a TCN needs to
receive a job offer (recruitment procedure); ii) once the TCN has been recruited, he/she applies for an employment-
related residence permit (immigration procedure).
14
Sub-driver 1.1.: Insufficient channels for and information on international recruitment
As confirmed by the desk research80
, as well as by the survey of TCNs carried out in the
context of a study supporting this Report (‘the Study’)81
and the feedback gathered within the
Expert Group on the Views of Migrants82
, TCNs encounter difficulties in accessing and
understanding information relevant for international recruitment. This includes information
about job opportunities83
, minimum wages84
as well as information on administrative
procedures and living and working conditions in the Member States. Potential migrants need to
navigate through fragmented information on different hiring processes, labour laws and
profession-specific requirements in different Member States. This may prevent TCNs from
looking for a job in the EU. Based on the survey of employers, one of the key barriers for
international recruitment is understanding the complex rules and procedures for recruiting
workers from outside the EU. This impacts SMEs more severely than bigger companies85
. As
confirmed by the survey in the context of the Study, EU employers face challenges as the
existing channels are not effective to attract a suitable pool of TCNs and do not facilitate their
successful recruitment, and lack the necessary information and support tools geared towards
employers’ needs86
.
There is no single European job platform with vacancies and information specifically
directed at TCNs living outside the EU that aggregates opportunities from across the EU.
There are nevertheless several targeted external channels or platforms that TCNs may use87
.
However, all have different shortcomings in terms of the job opportunities and requirements
presented, and the support they provide:
• National job boards: Mainly in the local language and tailored to domestic job seekers,
they do not provide explicit information on requirements relevant to international
applicants (such as language proficiency or administrative procedures for TCNs).
• International job search portals: While aggregating job postings from Europe, they
may lack sufficient listings from smaller Member States. Moreover, they often lack
country-specific information and support tools on requirements and regulations.
• Social media and online job matching services: Platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, and
Freelancer are popular among highly skilled professionals, but they are not widespread
among low to medium skilled workers. They neither offer specific information or
assistance tailored to TCNs.
• Recruitment agencies: While they are often used by skilled workers, their services may
be too costly for those with lower earning potential. In addition, availability of private
recruitment agencies’ services for medium and low skills recruitment is rarer. Also,
80
Building the EU Talent Pool. A new approach to migration management for Europe, OECD, 2019.
81
The Study reported that finding suitable job opportunities was a barrier for 43% of respondents, while 44% struggle
to understand how to align with job requirements.
82
The experts in this Group highlighted that TCNs often face a lack of support when seeking employment in the EU, in
particular due to the absence of information on visa procedures, job opportunities, and even qualification
recognition.
83
In the survey carried out in the context of the Study, finding suitable job opportunities was a barrier for 43% of
respondents, while 44% struggle to understand how to align with job requirements.
84
Building the EU Talent Pool. A new approach to migration management for Europe, OECD, 2019.
85
Large companies often have an in-house department responsible for international recruitment (in-house expertise) or
resources to request private recruitment agencies support.
86
According to the majority of employers participating in the survey in the context of the Study (61%), applications
received via existing recruitment channels are often unsuitable for the job requirements and 39% of them have
difficulties in finding enough candidates from abroad.
87
For further information on these channels and their specific limitations, see Annex 8.
15
employers for whom international recruitment is a novelty or one-off experience
(which may be a case for many SMEs) may struggle to access such channels.
• Job fairs: International job fairs allowing employers and job-seekers to meet in person
are costly and may be administratively burdensome when they involve authorization for
foreign workers to travel to the event venue. As consequence, they are rare, and involve
a limited number of participants.
As mentioned above, some Member States are developing talent attraction policies to facilitate
the recruitment of TCNs from abroad with a view to address labour and skills shortages.
However, Member States’ approaches vary significantly and information on existing migration
schemes is not always easily accessible and understandable for TCNs residing abroad. Several
Member States do not have in place official portals or web pages specifically designed to
support TCNs in the recruitment process.88
For instance, the official websites in Croatia and
Slovakia provide basic information on available work permits while no specific information is
available on employment rules or recognition of qualifications and skills. However, no
additional relevant information for the purposes of international recruitment is provided. In
absence of an official source of information, TCNs may rely on websites operated by
commercial entities or non-governmental organisations offering guidance for free. However,
the accuracy of the information may not be guaranteed nor regular updates on existing rules
and procedure are ensured.
Only some Member States have dedicated information portals in place providing
comprehensive guidance specifically targeting TCNs looking for job opportunities in the
Member State.89
These portals offer information in the national languages and in English90
. In
some cases, translations in additional languages are provided91
. A limited number of Member
States have developed dedicated job matching portals to facilitate international recruitment92
.
These portals provide additional functionalities to the simple information provision, including
the possibility for jobseekers to create a profile and search for job vacancies. For instance, the
German platform ‘Make it in Germany’93
provides extensive information on the labour market
situation and professions in demand, immigration procedures and living and working
conditions in the Member States. In addition, it offers to employers the possibility to upload
job vacancies.94
Where job portals dedicated to TCNs already exist in the Member States, the available
functionalities vary significantly and certain components aimed at facilitating the recruitment
such as an automated matching tool are not always available95
. In addition, in some Member
88
Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Ltihuania, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia.
89
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden.
90
The majority of the websites provide information both in the national language and in English while onlyDenmark
and Finland provide information only in English.
91
For example, Germany (Make it in Germany job portal) provides information in German, English, Spanish and
French.
92
Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain (under
development).
93
The platform ‘Make it in Germany’ is dedicated to the recruitment of skilled workers who live abroad. Germany has
established a second platform to facilitate the recruitment of international workers, the BfA job portal, which targets
workers and skilled workers who live abroad.
94
However, jobseekers profiles are not available on the platform. Interested jobseekers can directly send their
application to the employers on the basis of the published job vacancies.
95
Germany is the only Member State with a job portal dedicated to third-country nationals, the BfA job portal, with an
automated matching tool. In terms of search functionalities, the job portals implemented by Austria, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland and the Netherlands only have a minimal number of such filters, usually the location and job
category. While jobseekers can create their profile on the job portals created by Czechia and Germany (BfA job
16
States these platforms are specifically targeting only highly-skilled workers. In addition, the
majority of these platforms have a limited uptake in terms of job vacancies posted or the job
vacancies available are not exclusively for TCNs96
. Overall, the lack of a harmonised approach
in terms of services available to international recruitment together with the reduced visibility of
existing national platforms at global level reduce the Member States ability to achieve
economies of scale when developing talent attraction policies individually.
The majority of the Member States consulted in the context of this initiative confirmed that
difficulties in accessing information and identifying relevant channels for recruitment
constitute a barrier to international recruitment. The majority of the Member States also
confirmed the absence of dedicated job matching platforms for international recruitment at
national level and acknowledged the potential added value of the EU Talent Pool which would
ensure clearer provision of information on recruitment rules and migration schemes.97
Member States already having in place similar tools also recognised the potential positive
impact of this initiative in complementing existing national systems.
Sub-driver 1.2: High costs of the international recruitment
As reported by the OECD98
and associations representing employers participating in the survey
carried out in the context of the Study99
, employing TCNs involves significantly higher costs
compared to domestic recruitment.
For employers, these costs include: gathering additional information involved in international
job-matching through intermediaries, filing relevant applications, administrative expenses such
as translating their job postings to different languages, advertising international vacancies,
verifying the authenticity of TCNs official documents100
, and travel or accommodation
expenses for interviewing in other countries. These costs can be substantial101
, especially for
hiring the highly-skilled workers102
and may act as a deterrent for employers.
For TCNs, the main cost factors in the job search phase are linked to translations of necessary
documents, administrative fees (e.g. for apostilles)103
, and fees to receive support from an
employment agency or accessing a job search platform104
. Upon being selected, further
administrative fees (related to visa and work permit procedures) will arise, which can be
portal), the creation of jobseeker profiles is impossible on the ones established by Austria, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland and the Netherlands.
96
Austria (1,800), Belgium (70), Czechia (200,000 but not exclusively for TCNs), Denmark (3,200), Finland (400),
etc.
97
Consultations conducted in the context of the EMN Talent Pool Working Group and the European Labour Migration
Platform. See Annex 2 for more details.
98
Building the EU Talent Pool. A new approach to migration management for Europe, OECD, 2019.
99
See Annex 2 on Synopsis report.
100
Costs related to recognition of qualifications and immigration procedures described in further sections of this Report.
101
The average cost to employers of recruiting a TCNs can be between EUR 1 500 and EUR 2 500 per candidate
(including immigration procedures, but excluding relocation costs). This cost can rise to EUR 8 500-10 000 when
adding services of international recruitment agencies. See: Chapter 6 of the ‘Study’.
102
Estonia for instance, has set the level of grant funding it provides to companies to recruit one top specialist in the
field of science and engineering at 3,000 EUR. See EMN, Ad hoc query 2020.2, Talent Attraction and International
Recruitment of Third-Country Nationals.
103
Certified translations may cost up to EUR 20 per page. Apostilles may be free of charge or cost very little in some
places, but the fees can reach €30 or more per document in others.
104
Applications fees vary substantially among Member States: in some Member States the application fees represent
between 25-50% of the monthly earnings, while in others it represents between 10-24%. The average cost for
submitting an application is around EUR 700, and the cost to obtain recognition of qualifications is on average EUR
350. Additional costs for TCNs come from translating diplomas, medical certificates and travel to the diplomatic
missions to submit the application.
17
substantial105
. Such different costs can easily add up to considerable amounts, thus preventing
TCNs from considering international recruitment.106
As the OECD points out107
, even when labour shortages or skills needs are significant, such
financial burden may lead firms to drop plans of international recruitment, especially SMEs
that may lack sufficient resources to engage in such process. Furthermore, TCNs who cannot
afford such costs may resort to alternative routes, including irregular migration.
Sub-driver 1.3: Risk of unfair recruitment
Propensity of TCNs to move abroad for work can be impacted by the risk of unfair recruitment
practices (personal biases). A main factor behind TCNs’ perception of the risk, and behind
actual cases of exploitation is their limited knowledge of the rules and what exactly to expect
from and during the procedures of recruitment, of the red flags to look for.108
During stakeholder consultations, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the
Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) highlighted compelling evidence that the recruitment of
third-country workers in the EU often involves abusive practices109
. The ILO has also
emphasised that, in some cases, job postings lack clear minimum specifications for working
conditions and employment terms. Workers applying for these positions lack transparent
descriptions of the vacancies, both in terms of working standards and wages. This creates
substantial risks in terms of fair recruitment. While the situation may not be better in other
countries around the world, such practices still cause reputational damage to the EU, and may
impact the plans of many qualified TCNs to pursue job opportunities in the EU.
Problem driver 2: Employers and TCNs have difficulties to understand how skills and
qualifications obtained in third countries correspond to those required at national level
The need to undergo recognition procedures and the uncertainty about the accuracy,
quality and comparability of foreign qualifications constitutes one of the main disincentives
for EU employers and TCNs to rely on international recruitment. As part of the Commission’s
package on talent mobility, a Commission recommendation aimed at facilitating recognition
of qualifications obtained in third countries is planned. It will directly address the issue of
complexity and length of the recognition procedures (sub-driver 2.1). The Communication on
skills and talent mobility will also announce operational measures to build trust in
qualifications and skills gained in third countries, and improve information provision on
recognition/validation procedures and decisions. The EU Talent Pool would complement the
above mentioned recommendation and measures by improving information provision and
support in understanding foreign qualifications and access to the procedures (sub-driver 2.2).
Sub-driver 2.1: Complex and ineffective recognition/validation procedures in the Member
States
Recognition procedures allow TCNs holding foreign qualifications to access certain jobs
(recognition of professional qualifications)110
. Formal recognition of foreign professional
105
See section on Sub-driver 3.1.
106
A 2023 survey conducted by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs identified that the third (out
of ten) most significant barrier to TCNs potentially interested in working in Germany was insufficient financial
means to cover all costs. See: OECD (2023) Migration Data Brief No 9, July 2023.
107
Building the EU Talent Pool. A new approach to migration management for Europe, OECD, 2019.
108
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/LaborMigration-Recruitment_0.pdf
109
These practices include the imposition of recruitment fees on workers (rather than employers), absence of contracts
or contract substitution, and other related issues.
110
Recognition procedure also allow access to further learning (academic recognition) in the Member States.
18
qualifications is a pre-requisite to perform a job in regulated professions.111
In non-regulated
professions, formal recognition of foreign professional qualifications is not mandatory, but
often used to increase employers’ trust in TCNs qualifications and prevent mismatches.
However, as demonstrated in the 2019 Legal Migration Fitness check112
, the process to obtain
such recognition is often unpredictable, costly, burdensome and lengthy113
. This complexity
is exacerbated by the fact that this subject is fully regulated by national rules, that can differ
from one Member State to another (there is no EU legislation)114
. Therefore, recognition of
qualifications can be an important barrier to international recruitment for both employers and
TCNs, especially when it is a pre-condition to access the labour market. This was also
confirmed by the Member States’ representatives consulted in the context of the EMN Talent
Pool Working Group which recognised the importance of clearer and more understandable
provision of information and tailored support on recognition of qualifications procedures.
When formal recognition of foreign qualifications is not required, employers and TCNs may
opt for validation procedures to obtain a non-binding statement of equivalence or
comparability of the skills and qualifications.115
Validation of skills and qualifications plays an
important role in building employers’ trust in TCN candidates’ profiles and avoiding
mismatches.116
However, similarly to recognition procedures, validation processes can differ
from one Member State to another both in terms of rules and competent actors. Validation
procedures also imply additional costs and time for employers, especially SMEs, and TCNs117
.
While both recognition and validation procedures are important for guaranteeing the
genuineness and quality of a qualification, lengthy, opaque or burdensome procedures can act
as a disincentive to both employers and TCNs.
Sub-driver 2.2: Lack of transparency on comparability of skills and qualifications
According to Expert Group on the Views of Migrants and the Expert Group on economic
migration and social and economic partners, information and guidance supporting TCNs and
employers to navigate this complex framework is often missing and difficult to access. In
addition, employers and TCNs might opt to compare foreign skills and qualifications by
111
Some professions are regulated at EU level by Directive 2005/36/EC (e.g. doctors, nurses, architects, midwives).
However, Member State may add more professions to the list foreseen by the Directive.
112
Legal Migration Fitness check, SWD(2019) 1056 final: feedback to the call for evidence, consultations with the
European Training Foundation, SkillLab, EMN Talent Pool Working Group.
113
The average fee of recognition procedures is of around EUR 150 per application and the duration of the procedure is
of approximately 50 days. However, employers can incur in additional costs related to the translation or legalisation
of documents. Source: Consultation activities with the national representatives of the NARICs Network,
complemented by desk research.
114
7 Member States have ratified the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning
Higher Education.
115
Validation is a broad concept that involves processes for assessing and confirming the skills, competencies or
knowledge acquired through non-formal or informal learning, work experience, or training. The purpose of
validation is to recognise and give value to the skills and competencies that individuals have gained (also outside
formal education settings). Employers may conduct validation procedures internally (especially when it comes to
multinationals) or request specific certificates or assessment of comparability via national stakeholders (e.g.
universities, relevant ministries). Contrary to validation, recognition refers to the process of formally acknowledging
the validity and equivalence of educational degrees, diplomas, certificates, or qualifications obtained in one country
by a competent authority in another country.
116
While both recognition and validation procedures are important for guaranteeing the genuineness and quality of a
qualification, lengthy, opaque or burdensome procedures can actas a disincentive to both employers and TCNs.
117
The costs associated with those validation procedures amount to an average of EUR 140 per application and an
average time of around 70 days. There are however a number of countries that conduct validation procedures free of
charge (such as the Netherlands and Slovenia). The costs associated with validation procedures were estimated based
on inputs provided by national representatives of the National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC)
network and their websites.
19
themselves instead of undergoing the cumbersome recognition and validation process.
However, this exercise is quite complex as employers face difficulties in understanding
whether candidates from third countries have the right skills and qualifications to successfully
perform a certain job. In addition, the lack of clarity on skills levels and qualifications required
in the job vacancies constitutes a major risk of mismatches often leading to over qualification
and, therefore, discouraging TCN from applying for a job in the EU118
.
Therefore, transparency and comparability of skills and qualifications obtained in third
countries play an important role in the context of international job matching. At EU level, a
number of initiatives have been developed to ensure more transparency and better
comparability of skills and qualifications:
• Europass and the EU Skills Profile Tool for third-country nationals offer support to
TCNs when creating a profile. This support also benefits employers since it make the
candidate profile clearer and more understandable.
• The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and National Qualification Framework
(NQF), as well as the multilingual European Classification of Skills Competences,
Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) offer better understanding of skills and
qualifications.
• The ENIC-NARIC network of national academic recognition centres provide
information, advice and recognition decisions.
• The European Digital Credentials for learning (EDC) allows for the building, issuing in
a digital format, storing, sharing and verification of qualifications and other credentials
awarded by educational and training organisations to be understood and verified in all
Member States.
However, some of these transparency and comparability tools are not specifically conceived to
support employers and TCNs during the recruitment phase but rather to orient national
authorities during the recognition procedures. In addition, some of them are not easily
accessible and understandable for interested individuals.
2.2.3 Drivers related to the migration aspects
Problem driver 3: Non-transparent and cumbersome immigration procedures
The limited use of labour migration pathways to address the EU labour and skills shortages lies
in the overall fragmentation of the migration framework which results in complex and
cumbersome procedures difficult to understand and navigate for both employers and TCNs.
The lack of transparency on applicable rules exacerbates this complexity. Sub-driver 3.1 will
not be tackled by the initiative, as the ongoing revision of the Single Permit Directive will
address challenges related to the complexity of the migration framework by making procedures
easier and faster. By contrast, the EU Talent Pool initiative will directly address the sub-driver
3.2 by improving transparency of migration rules and procedures.
Sub- driver 3.1: Complex migration framework within the EU with cumbersome procedures
The framework regulating legal pathways for work in the EU is complex and fragmented,
consisting of several sectorial EU Directives119
, which coexist with various national rules and
118
Consultations with the European Training Foundation.
119
The Single Permit Directive lays down a single and simplified application procedure combining the authorisation to
work and reside for workers from non-EU countries admitted under Member States’ national schemes. The EU Blue
Card Directive covers highly qualified workers. The Intra-Corporate Transferees Directive sets the conditions to
20
procedures. In this sense, admission criteria, procedures and documents to submit in order
to obtain a visa or permit may vary across Member States120
. In fact, 61% of employers and
52% of TCNs consider difficulties to understand employment and migration procedures as a
very important barrier to international recruitment121
. Additionally, heavily bureaucratic
procedures in some Member States have a disproportionate impact on SMEs122
. Also, as the
OECD points out, the fragmented migration system has limited the potential for employers to
draw on the wider EU Internal Market as a key factor of attractiveness for TCNs123
.
Migration procedures are also often lengthy and cumbersome. The average length of
international recruitment process is 4-6 months, and approximately half of this time is
dedicated to immigration procedures124
. Most Member States apply labour market tests125
,
which creates an additional step in the recruitment of TCNs and further increases the length of
the procedures. 72% of employers and 51% of TCNs believe the entire recruitment and
immigration process to be excessively time-consuming126
. Lastly, as mentioned above (sub-
driver 1.2) international recruitment implies significantly higher costs for TCNs and
employers in comparison with domestic recruitment also due to administrative fees required to
obtain a visa and work permit.127
These findings were widely supported by various stakeholders consulted128
.
Sub-driver 3.2: Lack of transparency of migration rules and procedures
The EU legal migration Directives require Member States to provide public information on
conditions for admission and residence, and to grant TCNs and future employers - upon request -
access to adequate information on the documents required for making a complete
application129
. However, as concluded in the 2019 Legal Migration Fitness check, TCNs face
difficulties in accessing clear information and guidance on migration procedures and
personalised support. Rules on adequate access to information differ per Member State and
enter and in the EU for an intra-corporate transfer (i.e., a posting from a company operating in a non-EU country in a
branch in the EU). The Seasonal Workers Directive covers third-country nationals holding and authorisations for the
purpose of seasonal work.
120
All EU Directives are consistent in requiring the TCNs to submit proof of sufficient resources, sickness insurance in
respect of all risks normally covered for nationals in the Member State concerned, adequate accommodation, and a
valid travel document. Additionally, each Directive may require other mandatory documents. The three main
Directives covering specific categories of TCNs who wish to migrate for the purpose of work require as an
admission condition the presentation of a valid work contract (Blue Card Directive, Seasonal Workers Directive,
Intra-corporate Transferees Directive), a binding job offer (Blue Card Directive, Seasonal Workers Directive) or a
training agreement (intra-corporate trainees and trainees under the Student&Research Directive).
121
See the Study, figure 32, p. 81. Also the 2019 Legal Migration Fitness check demonstrated that the EU legal
migration acquis presents a number substantial differences in Member States’ practices, making difficult for
employers and TCNs to correctly understand the applicable legal framework in the different Member States.
122
Legal Migration Fitness Check, Public and stakeholder consultations, EU Synthesis Report, Annex 3Ai, p. 44.
123
OECD, Building the EU Talent Pool. A new approach to migration management for Europe, 2019.
124
See: Chapter 6 of the Study, p. 222 [to check the final version]
125
The labour market test (LMT) is a mechanism used several Member States to ensure that TCNs are only admitted to
apply for a given position when this position cannot be filled by a domestic or EU/EEA citizen worker (or legally
residing TCNs enjoying freedom of movement). LMT vary significantly across Member States in terms of
complexity, duration and cost.
126
Surveys carried out in the context of the Study.
127
The administrative fee for the application for a short-stay visa in Germany is EUR 80; while the fee for a standard
residence permit is EUR 135, and a long-term residence permit for highly skilled workers is EUR 250.
128
Economic and social partners, EMN Talent Pool working Group, Public Employment Services, Expert Group on
Economic Migration, Focus group European Training Foundation, Cedefop, European Labour Authority
129
Three Directives (Long Term Residence Directive, Family Reunification Directive and Blue Card Directive) lack an
explicit obligation on Member States to provide information, while this is a specific requirement in the four more
recent ones (Single Permit Directive, Seasonal Workers Directive, Intra-corporate transferee directive and Students
and researchers directive).
21
per migration scheme. Websites of some Member States130
providing such information are
difficult to navigate and require a certain level of computer knowledge, and the vast amount
of information provided by authorities online is often too technical, incomplete, outdated or
misleading131
. Member States consulted in the context of this initiative identified the
difficulties in understanding migration procedures, as a relevant barrier to international
recruitment and recognised the need for additional support in that regard.
The EU Immigration Portal helps interested parties by offering information on all aspects
related to migration to the European Union132
. However, jobseekers and employers may not be
aware of this information, nor is the Portal fully customised to individual situations, or offer
guidance to navigate successfully through the recruitment process.
The lack of transparency and of clear and consistent information at EU level about migration
procedures can function as a deterrent factor to potential migrants who consider moving to
the EU for work purposes. This represents an obstacle not only for TCNs but also for
employers and in, particular SMEs, that lack sufficient means to rely on specialised agencies to
provide assistance during the relevant procedures.
Problem driver 4: Inconsistent and fragmented cooperation with third countries on legal
migration/migration management
There is a significant fragmentation of Member States’ cooperation with third countries on
labour migration. As a result, the EU as a whole is neither fully using its potential to attract the
skills needed to address its labour shortages133
, nor fully exploiting cooperation on labour
migration as a way to engage with key partner countries strategically on migration
management, notably by avoiding as much as possible the risk of brain drain. The EU Talent
Pool will address this driver only indirectly and partially (see below sub-driver 4.1). The
direct policy response to this driver is the development of Talent Partnerships at EU level134
(as
well as using the full potential of the EU Delegations and existing migration dialogues). The
EU Talent Pool will support the implementation of the Talent Partnerships.
Sub-driver 4.1: Lack of coordination of Member States’ initiatives and agreements
Due to the increased need for foreign labour force, Member States are multiplying their
negotiations of bilateral agreements and programmes with third countries. 17 Member States
reported having more than 120 bilateral agreements, programmes and projects concerning
labour migration with third countries135
. The scope of these agreements varies136
.
This fragmentation prevents Member States from benefitting from economies of scale as
regards, for instance, training, skills validation and coordination in the countries of origin,
which are costly and time-consuming initiatives137
. The lack of coordination among Member
130
Specific complications have been identified with finding information in Member States like BG, CY, LU, MT, PT,
commission staff working document, Legal Migration Fitness check, SWD(2019) 1056 final, p. 313.
131
Idem, p. 315.
132
EU Immigration Portal (europa.eu).
133
Lucas Rasche "The EU’s race for talent: Common challenge, no shared response." Jéacques Delors Policy Brief,
2023
134
In line with the Skills and Talent Package, the Commission has been so far developing Talent Partnerships with
Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Bangladesh and Pakistan as part of the overall migration management cooperation.
135
AT, BE, BG, DE, EE, ES, FI, FR, IE, IT, LT, LU, NL, PT, PL, SI, SK. Data coming from responses from 20
Member States to a specific EMN Ad-Hoc Query (2023) on existing bilateral agreements and programmes on legal
migration between Member States and third countries.
136
They cover e.g. general cooperation on legal migration, employment and access to job markets, management of
migratory flows, sectoral and seasonal limited labour migration, working holidays, etc.
137
The importance of time and flexibility to build trust between the different stakeholders involved in the design and
implementation of a mobility scheme is a main point from the lessons learnt from the implementation of the first
phase of pilot projects funded by the EU under the Mobility Partnership Facility (‘MPF’). ICMPD - MPF,
22
States’ initiatives can lead to the proliferation of different recruitment activities138
and
duplication of contacts with third countries’ relevant stakeholders. Such fragmentation139
also
prevents the EU from using the full extent of its negotiating potential vis-à-vis third countries
in order to reach more favourable agreements as regards labour migration and other aspects of
migration management140
.
Talent Partnerships, that the EU is currently developing, offer a framework for enhanced
coordination in this field. They combine mobility schemes with investments in skills
development in partner countries as a way to help attract talent to the EU and foster deeper and
mutually beneficial cooperation on migration management with key third countries141
.
Investment in education and training help developping the pool of workers with relevant skills
to the benefit of both destination countries and countries of origin142
.
Experience with past and ongoing pilot projects on legal migration have demonstrated the
challenges in engaging employers in such schemes143
. Matching TCNs taking part to Talent
Partnerships with relevant EU employers is expected to remain one of the most significant
challenges under the Talent Partnerships. The EU Talent Pool will help overcoming this
challenge, therefore indirectly and partially addressing this driver of the problem. For further
information on the interplay between the EU Talent Pool and Talent Partnerships, see Annex 9.
Sub-driver 4.2: Limited capacity of certain Member States to engage in migration cooperation
with third countries
Despite the labour shortages across all EU Member States, several Member States do not
engage in activities on labour migration with third countries. Certain Member States lack the
administrative and resource capacity to launch dialogues with third countries on
comprehensive migration partnerships on legal migration144
. The experience with pilot projects
has also shown that engaging EU employers in structured cooperation with third countries, as
“Partnerships for mobility at the crossroads - Lessons Learnt From 18 Months of Implementation of EU Pilot
Projects on Legal Migration”, D. Stefanescu, Policy Brief, 2020.
138
e.g. different matching platforms being developed to ensure the recruitment in the context of cooperation with a
specific third country, or different events/job fares being organised.
139
For instance, there are examples where several Member States engage on the same or similar issues with third
countries without coordination, thus not using economy of scale (e.g. Greece signed a Memorandum of
Understanding on migration and mobility with Bangladesh in 2022 and Italy is also currently negotiating an MoU
with Bangladesh; France, Spain, Belgium and Portugal signed agreements on labour migration with Morocco;
France, Germany and Austria signed a comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement with India in
2018, 2022 and 2023 respectively, whereas Finland is considering some formal engagements with India on labour
migration).
140
Many third countries are ready to improve their cooperation on readmission and the prevention of irregular migration
against the prospect of more and better legal pathways to the EU. However, the lack of coordination in this regard
prevents the EU to exploit the full potential of this dynamic. See European Court of Auditors, “Special Report EU
readmission cooperation with third countries: relevant actions yielded limited results”, 2021, paras. 63 ss.
141
The EU is working now towards establishing the Taletnt Partnerships with: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Nigeria, Senegal. A list of additional countries for the launch of Talent Partnership negotiations is currently
under consideration.
142
Kate Hooper, “How Can Europe deliver on potential of Talent Partnerships?”, Migration Policy Institute Europe,
December 2021, p.11.
143
ICMPD - MPF, “Partnerships for mobility at the crossroads - Lessons Learnt From 18 Months of Implementation of
EU Pilot Projects on Legal Migration”, D. Stefanescu, Policy Brief, 2020.
144
e.g. Certain Member States do not have a diplomatic mission in each third country. For example, Lithuania does not
have such a mission in Nigeria, although Lithuanian enterprises are involved in projects on labour mobility.
Moreover, the Commission has funded two technical support projects to support Belgium and Denmark capacity in
attracting and retaining skilled workers (“Talent Hub: Supporting Copenhagen Capacity to strengthen retention and
EU-Mobility of skilled migrants through collaborative multi-country coordination on talent retention and circulation
in the EU”, “Improving the economic migration framework to attract and retain qualified talent in Flanders and
Wallonia”).
23
well as developing efficient recruitment mechanisms, requires time and efforts145
. This results
in unstable and inconsistent cooperation based on sporadic contacts and not producing long-
term results. This lack of capacity puts smaller Member States at a natural disadvantage in
attracting foreign workers compared to larger labour markets, which not only offer more
employment opportunities but also give migrants the chance to better match their qualifications
with vacancies, thereby avoid working in less attractive and underqualified professions146
.
Moreover, even Member States with sufficient capacity would be able to engage with more
relevant partner countries if they could rely on the EU capacity to establish such cooperation.
2.2.4 Who is affected by the identified problems and in what ways
EU employers and business are negatively affected as they face limitations and excessive
(administrative) burdens in their possibilities to hire TCNs and address EU skills shortages.
SMEs are particularly affected, as they often have lower attraction potential or insufficient
capacity to engage in international recruitment.
Indirectly, EU citizens are also negatively affected as international recruitment insufficiently
contributes to tackling skills shortages, demographic ageing and the increasing old-age
dependency ratio. This leads to a loss in public revenues and affects financial viability of the
EU’s welfare systems (e.g. pension systems), and hinders the EU green and digital transition,
which has a direct impact on the EU citizens. They are also adversely affected if goods and
services are not available due to the unmet EU labour shortages.
National, regional and local authorities of Member States are negatively affected as they
have to apply complex existing rules and do not benefit from the economies of scale and join
solutions. Additionally, since the potential of legal migration is not fully used in relations with
third-countries within the context of the overall migration management, they may face higher
migratory pressures.
TCNs are negatively affected by the obstacles to job-matching, international recruitment,
complexity of immigration procedures and administrative burden. These obstacles may
effectively discourage TCNs from applying for work in the EU. TCNs also risk being
overqualified in view of mismatches and lack of understanding of their skills and
qualifications.
Third countries are negatively affected, as they are losing out the perspective of higher
remittances and the potential for their citizens to be upskilled in the EU, with possibility to also
contribute to labour markets of countries of origin (brain gain), for example with regard to
circular migration147
.
2.3 How will the problem evolve?
How would the problem evolve, all things being equal?
As highlighted in Section 1.2.1. above, the EU will face increasing labour and skills shortages
linked to the structural drivers of the transformation of the EU labour market further
exacerbated by demographic challenges. The working-age population (20-64) is projected to
shrink progressively, in the absence of off-setting trends. Without positive net migration from
145
ICMPD - MPF, “Partnerships for mobility at the crossroads - Lessons Learnt From 18 Months of Implementation of
EU Pilot Projects on Legal Migration”, D. Stefanescu, Policy Brief, 2020.
146
Rasche "The EU’s race for talent: Common challenge, no shared response." Jéacques Delors Policy Brief, 2023.
147
Circular migration can be defined as a form of migration that is managed in a way allowing some degree of legal
mobility back and forth between two countries. See Communication from the Commission to the European
Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on
circular migration and mobility partnerships between the European Union and third countries, COM/2007/0248
final.
24
outside the EU, this decline would be even stronger and the increase in the old-age dependency
ratio would also be more severe (see Annex 6). Moreover, an important number of regions (82
accounting for approximately 30% of the European resident population) are already
experiencing or are facing the risk of falling into a talent development trap148
. In addition, 69%
of EU municipalities declare that the lack of green skills in their administration is a factor
slowing down their climate-related investments149
.
While there is no reliable overview of how labour migration flows will evolve at the global
level in the future, it is possible to model the evolution of the labour demand and supply at the
EU aggregated level (on the basis of, respectively, Cedefop and Eurostat projections made in
2023)150
. Eurostat projections (EUROPOP2023 published in March 2023 by Eurostat) are, to
this day, the latest Eurostat population projection, including several net-migration scenarios;
they represent the official EU hypothesis on how the population size and structure of European
countries (EU27 + 3 EFTA countries) would change, on the basis of a set of assumptions for
future levels of fertility, mortality and migration. These projections foresee that as of 2035, the
aggregated EU population will start to decline in a significant way, especially in current EU
Member States in the East, also depending on the development of the conflict in Ukraine and
the geopolitical situation151
.
On the side of labour demand, Cedefop’s 2023 Skills forecast projects that the need for
workers in the EU27 in cumulative terms - both new EU27 labour market entrants and TCNs
– will result in approximately 68 million vacancies by 2030152
. This concerns all skill levels
and covers both replacement of workers leaving the labour market due to retirement and
additional jobs needed for the economy, including for the green and digital transition153
. The
breakdown of job openings and the relative level of skills projected by CEDEFOP is available
in Annex 7.
On the side of the future labour supply, young EU workers would not even be able to replace
the retiring workers, leaving a cumulative gap of 5.6-8.8 million vacancies by 2030154.
According to the 2023 Employment and Social Developments (ESDE) report155
, the maximum
148
According to the Communication Harnessing Talent, 46 regions are already in a Talent Development Trap, defined
as decline of their working-age population coupled to a stagnant number of people with tertiary education.
Additionally, 36 regions are at risk of falling into it. European Commission, Harnessing Talent in Europe’s regions,
2023, p. 4.
149
European Commission, Strategic Foresight Report, 2023, p. 10.
150
In cumulative terms, the demand for highly educated workers - both new EU27 labour market entrants and TCNs –
is projected to reach 38.9 million by 2030; while that of workers with medium levels of education 28.1 million, and
1.1 million for workers with low educational attainment.
151
Eurostat: Population projections - Population and demography - Eurostat (europa.eu).
152
An essential aspect of the EUROPOP2023 methodology was that it had to address the likely bias to possible historic
trend analysis techniques, caused by the very high influx of refugees from Ukraine under temporary protection in
2022. The Eurostat projections published in March 2023 are highly impacted by the exceptional year of 2022 with
high share of temporarily displaced children. For this reason, it was assumed that by 2027, Member State migration
patterns will gradually return to their 2013-2021 average (with smaller modification factors considered). From that
point onward, the migration patterns of Member States will converge towards each other, with the share of
immigrants received being fully proportionate to the population share of any given Member State.
153
See section 1.2.1.
154
According to Eurostat projections EUROPOP2023, the size of the young age cohort set to enter the workforce (e.g.
25-year-olds) in the EU (so either within their own countries or as EU mobile workers) will remain below 5 million
in their baseline projection for the foreseeable future each year. This amounts to 40 million cumulatively by 2030.
The amount of 65-year-olds, who could proxy the number of persons leaving the labour force permanently, due to
retirement, is projected to be 5.7-6.1 million each year, up to 2030, thus between 45.6- 48.8 million by 2030
cumulatively. Accordingly, the EU young age cohort, cannot guarantee replacement of the EU old age cohort,
leaving a gap of 5.6-8.8 million vacancies by 2030.
155
The 2023 edition of the review “Employment and Social Developments in Europe” (ESDE) is dedicated to
addressing labour shortages and skills gaps in the EU, linked to the EU Year of Skills.
25
number of the inactive EU population that could be activated and join the EU labour market by
2030 is around 50 million, in the best-case scenario.
Therefore, attracting talent from outside the EU will be necessary to fill at least partially
this gap and address the growing need for workers, in parallel to the initiatives aiming to tap
the unused potential of the EU workforce. The estimated gross inflows of TCNs156
coming
for employment purposes, based on current projections and net migration scenarios provided
by Eurostat, is expected to be about 400,000 per year, adding up to a cumulated 3.8 million
by 2030157
. This number, however, is still insufficient to fill the projected gap between labour
demand and supply at the EU level.
The EU is less effective than non-EU OECD countries in increasing the actual number of
TCNs migrating for work158
. Thus, it has been so far less able to tap the potential of increased
global mobility as labour migration is expected to increase together with mobility resulting
from the climate change. Therefore, without addressing the insufficient recruitment of TCNs,
the EU as a whole will have additional difficulties in attracting workers of all skill levels.
Without EU action the problems and drivers identified above will persist, notably
cumbersome and ineffective job-matching, difficulties to recognise qualifications and skills
obtained in third countries, as well as non-transparent and costly immigration procedures. They
will continue to be factors deterring employers from filling the shortages through international
recruitment of TCNs and preventing the talents the EU needs from applying for a job in the
EU. Moreover, high administrative costs and other barriers related to recruitment will continue
to affect employers. As a result, there will be a high risk of competition between Member
States in attracting workers, resulting in a lack of competitiveness of the EU as a whole. An
inconsistent and fragmented cooperation with third countries will prevent Member States from
fully exploiting the role of labour mobility in the overall migration management, and
benefiting from economies of scale in skills development and validation, as well as in
recruitment.
3. WHY SHOULD THE EU ACT?
3.1 Legal basis
The legal basis for Union action is Article 79(2) (a) TFUE. This provision gives the power to
the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative
procedure to adopt measures in the area of the conditions of entry and residence of third
country nationals.
The EU Talent Pool aims at facilitating international recruitment of TCNs residing abroad and
wishing to work in the EU. As finding a job and obtaining a job offer is a pre-condition for
TCNs to acquire a right of entry and residence in a Member State, the action of the Union
legislator which makes it easier for a TCN to receive a job offer from an employer in a
Member State, as is the case of the EU Talent Pool, allows the TCNs to fulfil this condition.
The envisaged action of the Union legislator therefore falls within the area of the conditions of
entry and residence of TCNs.
3.2. Subsidiarity: Necessity of EU action
The principle of subsidiarity applies since this is an area of shared competence.
156
On the basis of the EUROPOP2023 projected net migration and on the share of first residence permits given for
employment purposes in the period 2017-2021.
157
Talent partnerships (europa.eu).
158
See section 1.2.
26
As demonstrated in this Report, all Member States face skills and labour shortages that are
expected to worsen in view of the demographic challenges and requirements of the twin
transition (green and digital). While Member States are already addressing these shortages by
re-activating the domestic workforce and improving intra-EU mobility, these efforts might be
insufficient to fully address existing and future shortages (See also Sections 2.1 and 5.1). For
this reason, some Member States already recognised the key role of legal migration and
developed talent attraction policies which include specific schemes to streamline migration
processes, the exclusion from the labour market test for certain shortage occupations and, in
few instances, international job matching platforms. However, as explained in Section 2.3, the
expected number of TCNs arriving to the EU for labour migration purposes is expected to be
insufficient in comparison with the expected labour demand.
National initiatives and policies to improve international recruitment of TCNs are widely
fragmented and vary across Member States with regard to their scale of intervention. Although
some digital platforms and talent attraction tools have been set up at national level, they
exist in only a few Member States and are limited in scope (e.g. focusing mainly on highly-
skilled workers), while the EU shortages concern all skill levels, thus not addressing the EU
dimension of the issue (See sub-driver 1.1 and Annex 8).
Overall, the lack of a harmonised approach together with the potentially limited visibility of
existing national platforms at the global level reduce the Member States’ ability to achieve
economies of scale when developing talent attraction policies individually. Therefore, the
insufficient recruitment of TCNs through existing labour migration channels to address EU
labour and skills shortages cannot be addressed sufficiently by individual Member States:
Member States acting alone, especially smaller Member States with less visibility worldwide,
may not be able to compete for TCNs workers. This aspect was also widely confirmed by the
Member States in the context of the targeted consultations conducted during which the
importance of addressing the problem at EU level was acknowledged159
.
A unified EU platform could help connect and bridge the gap between TCN labour supply and
EU demand, thus attracting the foreign talent to a greater extent to what Member States acting
alone would achieve.
3.3. Subsidiarity: Added value of EU action
The EU as a whole is more attractive for TCNs interested in migration than the sum of its
Member States individually. The EU Talent Pool, as one EU-wide job matching platform
offering also transparent information on immigration and recruitment processes as well as
support services would improve the overall efficiency of labour migration management at
EU level and promote the EU as a destination for foreign workers. Thanks to the
economies of scale, the EU would be better equipped to compete on the global stage in
attracting foreign talent. This will ensure that a greater number of potential candidates with
the right skills are encompassed, and the labour needs of employers in each Member State are
better addressed. It would send a clear message to TCNs workers that the EU welcomes them
in it labour market, while providing protection against unfair recruitment. All this will help
addressing labour and skills shortages across all the EU.
This initiative would not replace national initiatives and platforms in the context of
international recruitment nor define Member States’ talent attraction policies. In addition, as
the EU Talent Pool does not constitute a new legal migration pathway, it would not affect the
right of Member States to determine volumes of admission of third country nationals to their
159
Member States input provided during the meetings of the EMN Talent Pool Group and the European Labour
Migration Platform.
27
territory nor their discretion in introducing labour market tests at national level. As a voluntary
tool to facilitate international recruitment, the EU Talent Pool would offer additional support
at EU level. Hence, Member States would be able to maintain their tools in place and
complement them with the new platform.
Hence, this initiative would have the added value of supporting Member States that are
already developing talent attraction policies. Member States that do not have a similar tool
in place would be able to use the EU Talent Pool instead of setting up their own. Overall, the
EU Talent Pool would allow to attract third country nationals’ workers from abroad where
labour and skills shortages in the Member States cannot be sufficiently filled otherwise. In
addition, by providing an EU-wide platform with a wider range of tools and services to
facilitate international recruitment, the EU Talent Pool would ensure more visibility of EU
employers’ job vacancies at global level as well as a making a wider pool of potential
candidates available to EU businesses.
In particular, Member States having in place national initiatives or specific migration
schemes aimed at attracting third country nationals for labour purposes, would benefit from
the EU Talent Pool as the provision of online information and the support of the National
Contact Point would make these initiatives more visible at global level and improve the
understanding by third country nationals of relevant rules, hence facilitating their access to the
procedures and making them more attractive.
Member States applying the labour market test, would remain free to continue applying it
and the principle of preference for Union citizens would be fully respected. Member States
having in place national recruitment platforms or other online tools specifically targeted to
international recruitment would be able to complement them with the EU Talent Pool as
technical interoperability with the national systems would be ensured. Interoperability with the
nationals systems would avoid duplications and proliferation of tools.
The potential added value of the EU Talent Pool in supporting Member States to address
labour and skills shortages was widely acknowledged by the Member States during the
targeted consultations. In particular, Member States having similar platforms already in place
such as Germany and Spain, welcomed the initiative as a way to complement their current
efforts on international recruitment. In that regard, the importance of ensuring interoperability
with the national systems was widely stressed. Overall, Member States considered that the
provision of information on existing rules and procedures at EU level via the EU Talent Pool
would be particularly beneficial to address barriers to international recruitment, including with
regard to procedures for the recognition of qualifications. In addition, smaller Member States
stressed the importance of developing an EU-wide platform enhanching their visibility at
global level. Overall, the possibility for employers to access a wider pool of candidates from
third countries was considered to provide relevant added value which could not be achieved by
the Member States acting individually.
3.4. Proportionality
The Talent Pool would not constitute a new legal migration pathway. It would not affect the
right of Member States to determine volumes of admission of TCNs coming from third
countries to their territory in order to seek work. If the objective of the initiative was to create
an EU platform for the selection and matching of candidates with the EU employers’
vacancies, which includes also processing of personal data, it would have to be set out in a
Regulation. On the contrary, the initiative is limited to those aspects that Member States cannot
achieve satisfactorily on their own, and where the Union is in a better position to act in view of
achieving economies of scale. The EU Talent Pool leaves the scope for national job matching
platform and tools, as it ensures that they are interoperable with it, so that they collectively act
towards increasing international recruitment.
28
4. OBJECTIVES: WHAT IS TO BE ACHIEVED?
4.1 General objective (GO)
Based on the problem analysis and the EU's existing legal framework in the field of legal
migration, the general policy objective of the EU Talent Pool initiative is:
Supporting international recruitment of third-country nationals via legal pathways to address
EU labour and skills shortages
4.2 Specific objectives (SOs)
The specific policy objectives are:
1) Ensuring more effective international job matching. This specific objective aims at making
the TCNs seeking job opportunities in the EU and relevant job vacancies of EU employers
easily identifiable and accessible. It also aims at making recruitment rules more transparent
and at facilitating the matching process between TCNs and employers. All of this would
contribute to the general objective as barriers to international recruitment would be
reduced;
2) Improving comparability of skills and qualifications obtained in third countries with those
required at national level. This specific objective aims at enhancing employers’
understanding of TCNs’ skills and qualifications to better assess their ability to perform the
job identified in the relevant job vacancies. Similarly, TCNs would be able to better
compare their skills and qualifications with the national ones. A better understanding and
improved comparability of skills and qualifications would be achieved by ensuring clearer
information on recognition and validation procedures in the Member States. This would
facilitate access to the relevant procedures, support international recruitment of TCNs and
mitigate the risk of mismatches;
3) Improving understanding and access to the migration procedures. This specific objective
aims at making information on migration procedures in the Member States clearer and
easier to access to TCNs and employers interested in international recruitment. Making the
legal migration framework more understandable would facilitate access to the procedures
and, therefore, support international recruitment of TCNs via legal pathways;
4) Incentivising cooperation on migration with third countries, including in the context of a
Talent Partnership. This specific objective aims at making cooperation on migration
management with third countries more effective by providing a tool to implement mobility
and skills development schemes in mutually beneficial way.
These specific objectives are targeted to what is realistically achievable in the context of this
initiative. While all these specific objectives are measurable over time, the development and
operationalisation of the initiative would require some time and, therefore, it would not be
possible to immediately measure to what extent the EU Talent Pool achieved these objectives.
In addition, given the voluntary nature of the EU Talent Pool, Member States would be able to
decide whether they are interested in participating. This initiative would be designed to attract
the highest number of Member States and it was widely welcomed by the Member States
consulted. Therefore, a high uptake is expected. However, a gradual progress is expected as
only certain Member States might join the initiative at an early stage with other expected to
join in the longer run once the EU Talent Pool is fully operational (for a detailed explanation of
these assumptions see Section 6). Therefore, the achievement of the specific objectives would
also be dependent on the higher or lower uptake of the initiative by the Member States.
29
Figure 3: Links between the problems and their drivers with the objectives
* Sub-drivers that will be only partially addressed by the EU Talent Pool as it complements other initiatives are coloured with
a diagonal stripes pattern.
4.3. Consistency with other EU policies and with the European Charter of
Fundamental Rights
The EU Talent Pool initiative would make existing rules more understandable and easy to
access by facilitating access to information on the existing legal migration framework.
Therefore, this initiative would improve the use of the EU legal migration Directives160
.
Equally, it would help implementing Talent Partnerships by providing a tool for effective
job placements of TCNs participating in these partnerships, thus increasing effectiveness of the
EU cooperation with third countries on legal migration and, as a consequence, of the overall
migration management (a detailed description of the possible links between the two initiatives
is provided in Section 5). While the EU Talent Pool would offer a tool to support job
placements in this context, it would not constitute the only way to implement those
partnerships. While synergies would be built between the two initiatives, they remain separate
and Member States participating in a Talent Partnership would not be required to participate in
the EU Talent Pool or vice versa. The EU Talent Pool would be a voluntary tool aimed at
supporting Member States’ international recruitment without replacing existing national tools
or talent attraction policies just as participation in the Talent Partnerships is also voluntary.
This also applies to Member States participating in a Talent Partnership that will remain free to
decide whether they want to participate in the EU Talent Pool.
160
By providing a job-matching platform it would allow TCNs to find a job offer in the EU- which is a requirement to
be able to use the pathways provided by the EU legal migration directives to come to work in the EU.
30
Being open also to TCNs in need of international protection, the EU Talent Pool would be in
line with the Commission Recommendation on promoting complementary pathwayas for
refugee to work in the EU161
.
Labour and skills shortages have diverse root causes requiring a wider range of different
solutions to sufficiently address them. Thus, the EU Talent Pool is part of a wider policy mix
and it will complement EU policy initiatives which strive to address labour and skills
shortages in the EU (notably the European Skills Agenda), contributing to the achievement of
the green and digital transition in the EU, like the Net Zero Industry Act and the Green Deal
Industrial Plan. As part of a comprenshive policy solution this initiative would contribute to
fill the remaining skills gaps that might not be sufficiently achieved by activating, upskilling
and reskilling the domestic workforce and improving intra-EU mobility.
As an initiative under the European Year of Skills, the EU Talent Pool is one of the key
components of the Commission’s Package on talent mobility which presents a set of mutually
reinforcing actions to make the EU more attractive to talent and to promote mobility inside the
EU. In particular, it would contribute to the effectiveness of the Commission Reccomendation
on the recognition of qualifications of third country nationals which is adopted as part of this
package. By providing clearer information on recognition of qualifications procedures in the
Member States, the EU Talent Pool would contribute to making the access to these procedures
easier and faster.
It is also in line with the EU policies aimed at deepening and upgrading the Single Market:
as stressed in the Commission Communication "Upgrading the Single Market: more
opportunities for people and business", Europe would benefit from attracting more innovators
from the rest of the world.
This initiative is consistent with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and enhances the right
to engage in work and choose an occupation (Article 15), fair and just working conditions
(Article 31), the right to good administration (Article 41)162
and non-discrimination (Article
21). As the EU Talent Pool requires processing of personal data, it would need to take into
consideration the requirements under Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter (as interpreted in the case-
law of the Court of Justice) and the EU data protection legislation, namelythe General Data
Protection Regulation Regulation and the Data Protection Regulation for Union institutions,
bodies, offices and agencies163
.
The proposed policy action is both coherent and compatible with international law, in
particular the UN Global Compact164
. It also contributes to achieving some of the sustainable
development goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (for a more
detail description, see Section 6 and Annex 3).165
161
Commission Recommendation (EU) 2020/1364 of 23 September 2020 on legal pathways to protection in the EU:
promoting resettlement, humanitarian admission and other complementary pathways.
162
It would facilitate access to employment in the EU and limit administrative burden of multiple national procedures.
163
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of
natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing
Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1–88 ; Regulation (EU) 2018/1725
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard
to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement
of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001, OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39–98.
164
Objective 5: Enhance availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration; Objective 6: Facilitate fair and
ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions that ensure decent work; Objective 18: Invest in skills development and
facilitate mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences.
165
It contributes to achieve decent work and economic growth as well as to reduce inequality (SDGs 8 and 10). The
initiative is expected to have a positive impact on EU business and, in particular SMEs (SDG 9) as well as on
developing countries (SDG 1).
31
5. WHAT ARE THE AVAILABLE POLICY OPTIONS?
5.1 What is the baseline from which options are assessed?
Labour and skills shortages have diverse root causes requiring a wide range of different actions
to fully address them. Several initiatives are being developed at EU and national level to
reactivate, upskill and reskill domestic workforce and improve intra-EU mobility.166
Whilst it is clear that additional efforts need to be done through initiatives on activation to get
more people into the labour market (22% of the working-age population remains still inactive),
it is difficult to precisely predict the results of these initiatives and their evolution over time. In
particular, it is complex to quantify to which extent the EU domestic workforce will address
labour and skills shortages. As mentioned in section 2.3, young EU workers would not even be
able to replace the retiring workers and according to the Employment and Social
Developments (ESDE)167
report the maximum inactive population that could be available in
the EU labour market by 2030 is around 50 million, in the best-case scenario. Considering that,
according to Cedefop, the expected number of job vacancies in the EU will reach
approximately 68 million cumulatively by 2030, the EU domestic workforce alone might not
be sufficient to fully address future skills and labour shortages, even taking into account the
impact of work automation in sectors affected by labour shortages, such as manufacturing, or
the possible uses of Artificial Intelligence to increase productivity and to supplement skills.
Although approximate and based on different assumptions and methodologies, the projected
vacancies and the potential activation of domestic EU workforce are pointing a substantial gap
between supply and demand of labour, in the foreseeable future, amounting to significant
labour shortages which cannot be addressed by domestic labour supply only. This was also
confirmed in the Decision on the European Year of Skills and in the Skills and Talent Package
where the key role of legal migration in contributing to address these shortages and filling the
remaining gaps is acknowledged.
Should no EU action be undertaken to solve the identified problem, the baseline scenario is the
current status quo, which means that there is no EU-wide matching platform that facilitates
international recruitment of third-country nationals residing abroad.
Approaches and tools on talent attraction will continue to vary across Member States
depending on their different capacities and mechanisms established at national level. In
addition, smaller Member States will continue to face challenges in attracting TCNs to their
labour market, with fewer job offers. The EU will therefore not benefit from an economy of
scale in attracting talent from abroad to address the current labour shortages and future
demand, which cannot be filled either by upskilling and reskilling the domestic workforce or
by intra-EU mobility.
At EU level, the EU legal migration Directives will continue to provide for harmonised
conditions of entry and residence for certain categories of nationals from non-EU countries,
166
In particular, actions aimed at activating more people in the labour market included the Council Recommendation on
Adequate Minimum Income Ensuring Active Inclusion, the Council Recommendation on A Bridge to Job –
Reinforcing Youth Guarantuee, the Council Reccommendation on long-term unemployment, the Proposal for a
Council Reccommendation on developing social economy framework conditions and the Commission
Recommendation on Effective Active Support to Employment. Other initiatives were developed to specifically
address skills shortages including various Council Recommendations on vocational education and training, digital
skills, individual learning accounts, micro-credentials and the creation of a European Batteries Alliance Academy.
Actions to improve labour working standards are also relevant in this context as poor working conditions are one of
the causes of labour shortages in several occupations (e.g. the Directive on Minimum Wages).
167
The 2023 edition of the review “Employment and Social Developments in Europe” (ESDE) is dedicated to
addressing labour shortages and skills gaps in the EU, linked to the EU Year of Skills.
32
including for labour purposes.168
However, without an EU job-matching platform that would
underpin them, they would be less used than they could be169
.
The EU Immigration Portal will continue providing foreign nationals interested in moving to
the EU with both a general overview of immigration policy in the EU and specific practical
information about national procedures and migration profiles.
In addition, in October 2022 the EU Talent Pool Pilot was launched to support the integration
into the labour market of people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Under this Pilot initiative,
beneficiaries of temporary protection residing in a Member State are now able to register their
CVs on the EURES platform and seek job opportunities in another Member State. While the
EU Talent Pool Pilot is specifically conceived to facilitate integration in the labour market of
beneficiaries of temporary protection already in the EU, the EU Talent Pool proper would be
directed at attracting third-country nationals not already residing in the EU. Therefore, the two
initiatives have a different logic and scope of application and the lessons learnt from the Pilot
can be used for this initiative only to a limited extent. However, the Pilot experience shows the
importance of conducting an extensive awareness campaign in order to reach out to those
TCNs potentially interested in using the tool. In addition, the relevant role of the Public
Employment Services (PES) was equally confirmed. On the limitations linked to the use of the
EURES platform see Section 5.3 on the options discarded at an early stage.
There are also some existing or envisaged policy instruments that would partially mitigate the
identified problem, by addressing some of its drivers:
• The recast Single Permit Directive, once in place will make the application procedure for
the single permit faster and easier, thus addressing partially the issue of fragmented and
cumbersome migration procedures;
• Talent Partnerships are one of the key aspects of the external dimension of the New Pact
on Migration and Asylum. They provide a flexible and strategic framework to strengthen
cooperation between the EU, Member States and key partner countries and to boost
international labour mobility and development of talent in a mutually beneficial way. By
pooling efforts of the EU and its Member States and supporting actions requiring
considerable investments (e.g. skills development), they will achieve economies of scale
and engage key partner countries strategically in all areas of migration management. The
Commission is steering the development of Talent Partnerships with five partner countries
(Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Bangladesh and Pakistan). France, Germany, Italy, Portugal,
Spain and Sweden are participating in at least one Talent Partnership. Following the
launching Roundtables, these Talent Partnerships are now moving towards implementation,
with concrete programmes and roadmaps being defined.
Talent Partnerships will continue to grow in number and in scale, fostering cooperation
with key partner countries on legal migration. It is estimated that by 2030 the EU will have
Talent Partnerships with ten third countries. However, without an implementing tool that
supports the matching of EU employers with TCNs participating in Talent Partnerships,
realising their full potential will be more difficult. Depending on the will of Member
168
The Single Permit Directive lays down a single and simplified application procedure combining the authorisation to
work and reside for workers from non-EU countries admitted under Member States’ national schemes. The EU Blue
Card Directive covers highly qualified workers. The Intra-Corporate Transferees Directive sets the conditions to
enter and reside in the EU for an intra-corporate transfer (i.e., a posting from a company operating in a non-EU
country in a branch in the EU). The Seasonal Workers Directive covers third-country nationals holding and
authorisations for the purpose of seasonal work.
169
There would be less job offers that are necessary elements to apply for residence permits under the EU legal
migration Directives.
33
States, EU Delegations in third countries could play a stronger role in coordinating and
multiplying EU efforts and initiatives on labour migration.
• Some existing profile building tools (e.g. Europass, the EU Skills Profile Tool for third-
country nationals) and other tools enhancing transparency and comparability of
qualifications (e.g. the EQF, the European Digital Credentials for Learning, ESCO, ENIC-
NARIC Network, etc.) will continue to offer support. However, as mentioned above, some
of these transparency and comparability tools are mainly conceived to guide national
authorities during the recognition procedures. Thus, they are not easily accessible and
understandable for interested individuals;
• The EU Talent Pool would be a key component of the Commission’s package on talent
mobility170
which is planned as part of the European Year of Skills. While the package will
include a Commission Recommendation on the recognition of qualifications of third country
nationals and announce operational measures to achieve easier and faster recognition of
professional qualifications acquired in third countries. It will not, however, directly address
other challenges related to international recruitment. In addition, the Council
Recommendation on ‘Europe on the Move’ – learning mobility opportunities for everyone
which is also part of this package will specifically promote mobility of learners as well as
learning mobility from abroad.
5.2 Description of the policy options
As announced in the New Pact on Migration and Asylum as well as the Skills and Talent
Package, the EU Talent Pool would be the first EU-wide platform aimed at facilitating
international recruitment. This defines the remit of the current policy intervention. For
this reason, all the policy options identified aim at establishing an EU Talent Pool, as the first
EU-wide platform aimed at facilitating international recruitment and providing
opportunities for TCNs to work in areas which are of EU and Member States interest, notably
by facilitating the matching between vacancies in the EU and TCNs workers from outside the
EU. Successful matches may result in job offers that serve as prerequisites for obtaining
residence permits within any labour migration pathway to the EU. The Policy Options (POs)
will also analyse how the EU Talent Pool could further simplify the recruitment processes, for
example by improving the provision of information and offering specific support services to
employers and TCNs.
The Policy Options range from non-legislative (PO1) to legislative actions (PO2 and PO3)
either partially based on existing frameworks or envisaging stand-alone legislative solutions.
With regard to the methodology, the POs are designed to cover the full spectrum of possible
EU intervention while ensuring a balance between the need to attract TCNs to address labour
shortages and the expected quality of these matches. For this purpose, the rationale underlying
the elaboration of the POs is based on two criteria:
1) The scale of the intervention ranging from a more targeted approach to an open and
wider/demand-driven action (see scope of application in the POs description below);
2) The intensity of the intervention with regard to functionalities and
supporting/accompanying services available to facilitate the recruitment (PO1 with limited
functionalities, PO2 with higher functionalities but limited in terms of IT solution, PO3
with the same functionalities as in PO2 and sophisticated IT solution; see, for instance,
search and matching tools and personalised support described in the POs below).
170
This Package will include a Communication on skills and talent mobility, a proposal for a Commission
recommendation on the recognition of qualifications of third country nationals, a legislative proposal for an EU
Talent Pool, and a proposal for a Council recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’ – learning mobility opportunities
for everyone.
34
To ensure clarity, each PO is organised in building blocks (e.g. scope of application,
governance, IT platform, and user journey) that cover specific policy measures and
alternatives. Some of the alternatives were not retained for further assessment, as described in
Section 6. The detailed description of the POs and analytical methods used is described in
Annexes 4 and 9.
5.3. Options discarded at an early stage
The following PO was not retained for further in-depth assessment:
Developing an EU Talent Pool by fully extending the existing EURES network for
international recruitment purposes
The EURES network/platform171
aims at supporting the recruitment of jobseekers for intra-EU
mobility, in particular by matching EU mobile workers172
interested in working in another
Member States with job offers of EU employers. Given the similar objectives of the EU Talent
Pool, the possibility to extend the scope of application of EURES network/platform to also
facilitate the recruitment of TCNs residing abroad was considered. The option was discarded
as it was not legally feasible, due to the non-compatibility of the two legal bases (Articles 79
and 46 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) which fall under two
different Titles of the TFEU173
, and cannot be combined.
Developing an EU Talent Pool open to TCNs already residing in the Member States
An EU Talent Pool open to TCNs already residing in the Member States was discarded as it
goes beyond the objective of this initiative (designing an international recruitment tool to
improve legal migration by making the EU more attractive for TCNs from abroad). TCNs
legally residing in the EU can either rely on domestic labour market activation policies with
the support of the Public Employment Services (PES) when looking for a job locally or rely on
EURES, in case they can benefit from intra-EU mobility. Giving them in addition access to the
EU Talent Pool would entail the risk of discrimination with regard to the EU citizens, who
would only have access to the EURES or PES services, as appropriate.
Developing a mandatory EU Talent Pool for all Member States
This option was not retained for further assessment due to political feasibility. The
consultations with relevant stakeholders clearly showed the very low political acceptance of
this alternative as it would impose on Member States the use of the EU Talent Pool platform to
support international recruitment. Member States consulted on the initiative during the
Labour Migration Platform were unanimously and strongly against the development of a
mandatory platform. Social and economic partners also pointed out the need to ensure a
flexible tool available to support international recruitment. Moreover, in its resolution174
the
European Parliament called for establishing an EU Talent Pool, while recommending that
“the EU talent pool would serve as an optional tool that Member States could use to meet the
demands of and shortages in the Member States’ labour markets that cannot be met by the
domestic workforce”. Against this background, it seems that a proposal setting out a
mandatory EU Talent Pool would not be supported.
171
EURES is based on Regulation No. 2016/589, amended by Regulation 2019/1149 setting up the European Labour
Authority (ELA), complemented by six Commission implementing Decisions covering governance and matching
related aspects.
172
EU citizens or TCNs residing in a Member States and enjoying intra-EU mobility rights.
173
Title IV (Freedom of persons, services and capital) and V (Area of Freedom, Security and Justice).
174
European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on legal migration
policy and law (2020/2255(INL)) Texts adopted - Legal migration policy and law - Thursday, 25 November 2021
(europa.eu).
35
5.4. Options retained for further in-depth assessment
5.4.1 Non-legislative options
Option 1: Soft measures aiming at improving information provision and facilitating
identification and matching (non-legislative option)
This option would involve non-legislative actions aimed at creating a repository of CVs of
TCNs that interested employers would be able to consult. It would also provide for further
functionalities to improve transparency of immigration procedures. This option partially builds
on existing EU tools, and it would be open to all employers and TCNs regardless of their
occupations.
Option 1: Soft measures aiming at improving information provision and facilitating
identification and matching
Scope of application
This PO would be open to all TCNs residing abroad and to all EU employers as it would not
be targeting specific occupations of EU and national relevance.
No specific measures incentivising cooperation management with third countries, including in
the context of the Talent Partnerships.
Governance
National Coordinators designated in the Member States would ensure the practical
implementation of the online portalin particular to facilitate the contact between employers and
registered candidates (e.g. no registration of employers, and personalised support).
Key policy measures
1) Improving the EU
Immigration Portal
The EU Immigration Portal would be upgraded and modernised
to provide more accurate, clearer, user-friendly and updated
information on immigration and recognition procedures at EU and
national level.
2) Organising job-
matching events
Job-matching events would be organised by the Commission to
make the matching between EU employers and TCNs easier and
faster.
3) Setting up an online
portal with a catalogue
of profiles
An online catalogue of profiles would be set up via a Commission
Recommendation followed by intensive discussion and cooperation
between Member States for the operational development of the
online catalogue.175
The necessary arrangements, provisions on
protection of personal data, would need to be provided at national
level by interested Member States in compliance with the EU data
protection acquis.
This option would envisage the development of an online portal
where TCNs residing abroad would be able to register their
profiles. Candidates’ profiles would be subject to
pseudonymisation of personal data. Their personal data would only
175
Given the nature of the instrument this Recommendation would have to be limited to defining the main features of
the catalogue, the potential division of tasks and responsibilities, the purposes of processing of personal data and the
user journey.
36
be visible to the National Coordinators which would be established
in the interested Member States to facilitate the connection between
interested employers and candidates.The catalogue of registered
profiles would be available to employers established in the EU. A
search function would enable employers to search for candidates’
profiles via filters.
5.4.2 Legislative options
The legislative options would lead to the creation of an online platform that would match
profiles of TCNs interested in migrating to the EU for work, with vacancies that the EU
employers cannot fill otherwise. This platform would also provide for additional services to
support international recruitment. The EU Talent Pool would be conceived, under both options,
as a one-stop shop for TCNs, employers and national administrations. The criteria for selecting
the candidates would depend on the target of the EU Talent Pool (either occupation-specific,
focused on highly skilled workers or fully demand-driven). The technical IT solutions would
also differ.
Option 2: Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market needs in key
occupations (legislative option)
This legislative option would envisage the adoption of a new legislative act (based on
Article 79(2)(a) TFEU) regulating the scope of application, access criteria, governance,
specific features/components and functioning of the EU Talent Pool.
Option 2: Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market needs in key
occupations
Scope of application
The EU Talent Pool would be a voluntary system. Only interested Member States would
participate. As a voluntary tool to facilitate international recruitment, the EU Talent Pool would
offer additional support at EU level. Hence, Member States would be able to maintain their tools
in place and complement them with the new platform. Similarly, employers and third country
nationals residing abroad remain free to decide whether to use this tool for international
recruitment (using this tool would not be a pre-requisite to obtain a work permit as the EU Talent
Pool does not constitute a new legal pathway). Only employers established in these Member
States would be able to register their job vacancies on the portal and search for candidates.
Registered TCNs would apply for job vacancies only in the participating Member States.
Two alternatives of the targeted EU Talent Pool would be assessed:
1) Alternative 1: The EU Talent Pool would be targeted only to certain occupations identified
as of EU and national relevance suffering from unmet structural and labour skills shortages.
Therefore, it would be open to employers and TCNs whose vacancies or profiles,
respectively, fall within the identified shortage occupations and respective skills needed for
those occupations (which would vary from low, medium and highly skilled). Under this option,
shortages occupations at all skills levels would be targeted by the EU Talent Pool.
The identification of the targeted occupations would be based of a list of occupations of EU and
national relevance prepared by the Commission. In preparing the list labour Member States
needs at national and regional level will be taken into account. In particular, the National
Contact Points will share a list of national shortage occupations with the Commission (including
regional considerations where relevant). The shortage occupations which are widespread in the
37
larger number of Member States will be included in the list consolidated by the Commission.
Reports and data available at EU level on labour shortages in the Member States will be taken
into account when consolidating the list (e.g. the EURES Report on labour shortages and
Eurofound annual report). Once the most relevant shortage occupations in the Member States
have been identified, additional shortages occupations of EU relevance would be integrated in
the consolidated list (for instance, shortage occupations foreseen in the long run and linked to the
green and digital transition which are not already identified by the Member States). These
shortage occupations of EU strategic relevance would be linked to economic growth, innovation,
and sustainability considerations as well as strategic migration management objectives (e.g. the
occupations identified in the context of the Talent Partnerships with third countries would be
taken into account). The list would be constructed in a flexible way to ensure that all Member
States needs are adequately covered. Hence, the final consolidated list might cover a wide range
of shortage occupations. In addition, the list would be subject to periodic revision to reflect
evolving labour market needs. Relevant stakeholders and industry representatives will also be
consulted in the preparation of the consolidated list.
2) Alternative 2: the EU Talent Pool would only target highly skilled jobseekers within the
meaning of the Blue Card Directive and parallel national schemes for the highly skilled.
This PO is conceived as a targeted tool to incentivise cooperation on migration with third
countries, notably by addressing labour market needs in key occupations that have been
identified in the context of Talent Partnerships. Hence, they follow a similar logic as set out in
this PO. In practice, the shortage occupations identified as of relevance in the context of the
Talent Partnerships are highly likely to overlap with the shortage occupations identified in the
list of shortage occupations relevant for the EU Talent Pool. Therefore, the EU Talent Pool
would offer an effective tool to also support the implementation of Talent Partnerships
since they follow a similar approach.
TCNs who participated in a Talent Partnership would be registered on the platform and
channelled to a job placement in the participating Member State. As in the context of a Talent
Partnership third country nationals would receive support for skills development and, possibly,
skills validation in a framework agreed between participating Member States and partner
countries, the skills developed or validated in this framework would be made visible in the EU
Talent Pool in the form of an ‘EU Talent Partnership Pass’. Once registered in the EU Talent
Pool, the profiles holding this Pass would be flagged as certified. For a certain period of time
(e.g. 1 year), these profiles would only be accessible to employers established in a Member State
participating in a Talent Partnership. If third country nationals holding the Talent Partnership
Pass are not recruited in the context of a Talent Partnership after a certain period of time, their
profiles would become available to all employers having a job vacancy in the EU Talent Pool.
The EU Talent Pool would not constitute the only way to implement those partnerships and
Member States participating in a Talent Partnership would not be required to use this tool for job
placements as the existing labour pathways will still be available. (For further details see Annex
9).
Governance
This PO would foresee operational synergies with the existing EURES governance model. An
EU Talent Pool Secretariat responsible for the overall management would be established
within the European Commission. An EU Talent Pool Steering Group composed of Member
States’ representatives from the immigration and employment authorities would define
operational objectives at higher political level. EU Talent Pool National Contact Points
(NCPs) designated by each participating Member State would deal with the practical
implementation of the EU Talent Pool at national level. A greater involvement of the national
38
authorities is expected due to the targeted nature of this PO. In particular, NCPs would be
required to contribute in the identification of the targeted occupations by providing a list of
shortage occupations at national and regional (where applicable) level. National Contact Points
would also be responsible for checking whether the job vacancy falls within the list of relevant
occupations (specific tools would be envisaged to support in this process: see below under
registration). In addition, would provide tailored support to users when online information and
standard guidance are not sufficient. (See below for more information on the role of NCPs).
In addition, Liaison offices may be established in third countries with which the Commission
has launched Talent Partnerships to support the delivery of the ‘EU Talent Partnership Pass’ and
the registration in the EU Talent Pool of TCNs who participated in the Talent Partnership.
IT platform and interoperability
This PO would require the development of an IT platform. The platform would bring together
profiles registered by job seekers from outside the Union and job vacancies of employers
established in the Member States participating in the EU Talent Pool and falling within the
shortage occupations identified in the list of EU and national relevance. The platform would
integrate specific features to facilitate the identification and matching as well as the provision of
online information and personalised support throughout the recruitment process before starting
the immigration procedures. Certain components of the EURES IT solution would be re-used
such as the automatic matching tool and the interoperability (for a more detailed description of
the IT components that would be re-used see Annex 9), while some new elements would need to
be developed.
Member States having in place national recruitment platforms or other online tools specifically
targeted to international recruitment would be able to complement them with the EU Talent Pool
as technical interoperability with the national systems would be ensured via an application
programming interface (API). Therefore, the competent authorities in the Member States (such
as the Public Employment Services) would be able to accessjob vacancies and jobseekers’
profiles registered in the national and EU databases in one go. This would ensure access to a
wider pool of profiles while avoiding duplication and proliferation of platforms. The partial re-
use of the EURES IT solution under this PO would allow to re-use the already existing
interoperability structure and only small adaptations would be required.
User journey
1) Registration TCNs would be able to directly register their profiles on the EU Talent
Pool (via Europass profile builder176
and describing their skills using
ESCO).
Employers’ job vacancies would be registered by the NCPs of the
relevant Member State. The possibility of exporting job vacancies from
176
Which includes the possibility to upload documents certifying skills and qualifications.
39
existing national job portals as well as other IT support tools would be
envisaged to support in this process. Only job vacancies falling within the
targeted occupations and open for the recruitment of third country
nationals following the labour market test would be made available on the
EU Talent Pool platform.
2) Pre-screening
and checks
As this PO would target certain occupations, an automated pre-
screening of TCNs would allow to check whether the skills and
qualifications declared in the profile correspond to those normally
required to work in one of the targeted occupations. An IT automated tool
would be developed for this purpose. These checks would not entail an
assessment of the quality and authenticity of the declared skills and
qualifications.
In case of the alternative option - focusing on highly skilled workers- pre-
screening would be conducted against the corresponding job vacancies
targeting the highly-skilled, and therefore only profiles with high level of
skills, corresponding to the requirements of the EU Blue Card Directive
or national schemes for labour migration of highly-skilled workers, would
feature in the system.
The additional element of including automated ID security checks on
TCN’s profiles prior to the admission into the EU Talent Pool would be
assessed.
3) Safeguards for
fair recruitment
Employers using the EU Talent Pool would be required to comply with
the relevant European legislation and national labour standards applying
to third-country nationals in order to protect them against unfair
recruitment and inadequate working conditions. Employers’ access to the
platform would be suspended and their job vacancies removed by the EU
Talent Pool National Contact Points in case a breach is notified by the
relevant national authorities.
4) Search and
matching
Once admitted in the EU Talent Pool, employers and TCNs would be
able to search for each other via filters and a semi-automatic matching
tool (the already existing EURES tools would be re-used). Employers
would be able to contact candidates they are interested in.
5) Validation of
candidates’ profiles
1) While information and guidance would be provided in the platform on
existing validation procedures in the Member States177
, the individual
skills would not be validated by the EU Talent Pool platform itself.
However, by facilitating third country nationals’ access to information on
the relevant recognition and validation procedures at national level they
would have more clarity on the different requirements, hence making
their access to this process easier and faster. In particular, the targeted
nature this PO 2 would allow to ensure more specific guidance on
177
Validation is a broad concept that involves processes for assessing and confirming the skills, competencies or
knowledge acquired through non-formal or informal learning, work experience, or training. The purpose of
validation is to recognise and give value to the skills and competencies that individuals have gained (also outside
formal education settings). Employers may conduct validation procedures internally (especially when it comes to
multinationals) or request specific certificates or assessment of comparability via national stakeholders (e.g.
universities, relevant ministries). Contrary to validation, recognition refers to the process of formally acknowledging
the validity and equivalence of educational degrees, diplomas, certificates, or qualifications obtained in one country
by a competent authority in another country.
40
validation of skills required in the relevant occupations.
2) The alternative of conducting a mandatory pre-admission validation
of skills and qualifications at EU level of all registered profiles would
also be assessed. Discarded, see below.
Additional components
Online information
Online information on recruitment, immigration procedures and existing
labour pathways as well as recognition of qualifications and validation of
skills obtained in third countries as well as living and working conditions
would be available on the platform. This would facilitate the
understanding of existing rules in the different Member States and
facilitate access to procedures. To avoid excessive burden on the national
authorities, standard guidance and FAQs would be developed. The EU
Talent Pool platform would also provide links with relevant transparency
and comparability tools available at EU level, therefore, improving their
visibility.
Personalised
support
Upon request from TCNs and employers participating in the EU Talent
Pool, the NCPs would provide personalised support and post-selection
assistance in particular with regard to information on family
reunification procedures and family members’ rights; information
available at national level to facilitate third-country nationals’ integration
in the host Member State such as language courses, vocational training
and other integration measures; and where available, the contact details
of organisations which offer post-recruitment assistance for third country
nationals.
In order to ensure that the number of requests for support remain
manageable, standard guidance and FAQs would be developed.
Measures
facilitating the
recruitment
process
Member States would additionally have the option of introducing fast-
track immigration and recognition procedures and/or exclusion from
the labour market test.
Policy measure discarded at an early stage
The mandatory pre-admission validation of skills and qualifications of all TCNs at EU
level by a third-party validator178 was not retained for further assessment due to political and
practical feasibility considerations.
First, validation procedures are currently conducted at national level and widely differ from
one Member State to another (see Section 2.2.2). Currently, it is not practically and
politically feasible to harmonise such processes. In addition, it would require the
identification of a responsible actor at EU level to conduct such validation. Existing EU
agencies could not be tasked with this new responsibility without requiring an extension of
their current mandate. Tasking an EU agency with this responsibility or establishing a new
178
This policy measure implies that a profile of a TCN cannot be visible for employers in the EU Talent Pool, until
his/her skills and qualifications are validated by an EU validator. While the validation of all candidates’ profiles
prior the admission would ensure the development of a highly trusted pool of candidates, hence, improving the
quality of matches.
41
entity in charge of validation of skills and qualifications at EU level would require extensive
resources.
In addition, imposing the validation of all profiles prior the admission into the pool would
appear disproportionate and counterproductive as it would create bottlenecks, high costs
and long waiting times. As validation is not a mandatory requirement to obtain a work permit
and it is not considered necessary by all employers, this solution would run against the need of
ensuring a flexible tool to make international recruitment easier and faster. Also, only a limited
number of candidates who have been successfully validated would be admitted to the platform
entailing a smaller pool of candidates, restricting drastically the chance of successful matches.
Option 3: Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool (legislative
option)
As per PO2, this legislative option would envisage the adoption of a new legislative act (based
on Article 79(2)(a) TFEU) regulating the scope of application, access criteria, governance,
specific features/components and functioning of the EU Talent Pool.
Option 3: Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool
Scope of application
The EU Talent Pool would be a voluntary system. Only interested Member States would
participate. As a voluntary tool to facilitate international recruitment, the EU Talent Pool would
offer additional support at EU level. Similarly, employers and third country nationals residing
abroad remain free to decide whether to use this tool for international recruitment (using this
tool would not be a pre-requisite to obtain a work permit as the EU Talent Pool does not
constitue a new legal pathway). Only employers established in these Member States would be
able to register their job vacancies on the portal and search for candidates. Registered TCNs
would be able to apply for job vacancies only in the participating Member States.
The EU Talent Pool would be open to all TCNs and employers regardless of their skills,
occupations, and available vacancies respectively.
This PO is conceived as a completely open tool to address labour market needs following a
demand-driven approach. It is not built to target specific labour market needs nor strategically
support other existing initiatives aimed at improving cooperation with third countries such as
Talent Partnerships which also have a targeted approach focusing on certain sectors. For this
reason, while TCNs and employers from partner countries and Member States participating in a
Talent Partnership would still be allowed to register in the EU Talent Pool, this PO would not
foresee the platform as a tool to specifically implement the Talent Partnerships. Therefore,
additional facilitations would not be included, and the EU Talent Pool would not act as the
preferred channel for job placements in this context.
Governance
Whilst not necessarily building on the EURES governance model, PO3 would still require the
running of the platform at EU level by the EU Talent Pool Secretariat. The Steering Group
composed by Member State representatives from the immigration and employment authorities
would define the overall strategic and operational objectives of the tool. As per PO2, National
Contact Points (NCPs) would be designated in the Member States. However, while the
involvement of the Member State would be lower due to its open and fully demand-driven
nature (e.g. no list of shortage occupations at national level), a greater involvement of the
National Contact Points would result from the higher number of users potentially requiring their
support. This could also result in increased efforts linked to the monitoring activities.
Lastly, as no specific link with Talent Partnerships would be required, this PO would not
42
envisage the establishment of Liaison offices in partner countries.
IT platform and interoperability
As per PO2, this PO would require the development of an IT platform bringing together profiles
registered by job seekers from outside the Union and job vacancies of employers established in
the Member States.. However, under this PO, a completely new IT solution would be
developed via a job-matching system that is fully based on AI-based algorithms inspired by
existing private sector platforms (e.g. including cutting-edge technologies such as advanced
language programs, AI-driven algorithms, and an enhanced user experience. A detailed
description of these IT solutions, and their functioning is provided in Annex 9). EURES IT
components would not be re-used. A completely new IT solution is envisaged due to the wider
scope of this PO which would cover all range of possible occupations, and therefore would
require cutting-edge technologies allowing to better identify and match job vacancies and
profiles (e.g. such as advanced language programs, and AI driven algorithms) (see Annex 9 for
a more detailed description of the IT solution). Interoperability with EURES, national
platforms and private platforms (e.g. LinkedIn) would be foreseen where possible. As under
this PO a completely new IT solution would be developed, interoperability with the national
platforms would be created from scratch via the development of dedicated application
programming interfaces (APIs). As per PO2, interoperability with national systems would allow
the competent authorities in the Member States (such as the Public Employment Services) to
access job vacancies and jobseekers’ profiles registered in the national and EU databases in one
go.
User journey
1) Registration As per PO2, TCNs would be able to directly register their profiles
on the EU Talent Pool.
However, in contrast with PO2, employers would be allowed to
directly register their vacancies on the platform without any
involvement of the national authorities as it would be open to all
occupations and, hence all type of job vacancies..
2) Pre-screening and
checks
Provided that this PO would be open to all occupations and,
therefore, all skills would be potentially relevant, no pre-screening
of TCNs profiles is envisaged
3) Safeguards for fair
recruitment
Under this PO, three alternatives would be assessed: i) no quality
assurance checks on employers, ii) employers using the EU Talent
Pool would be required to comply with the relevant European
legislation and national labour standards to third-country nationals’
protection against unfair recruitment and inadequate working
conditions (same as PO2); iii) employers profiles undergo automated
quality assurance checks online (without human intervention).
4) Search and
matching
As under PO2, the search via filters functionality and semi-
automatic matching tool would be available. However, instead of
43
re-using the existing EURES components, new tools would be
developed.
Additional components
Online information Same as PO2.
Personalised support Same as PO2.
Measures facilitating
the recruitment
process
Member States have an obligation to introduce fast-track
immigration and recognition procedures and/or exclusion from
the labour market test.
Table below provides an overview of the policy measures under each PO which were retained
for further assessment under Section 5.4. Additional information is provided in Annex 9.
Table 2: Detailed overview of the policy measures under each policy option
POs building
blocks
PO1 PO2 PO3
Legal instrument Non-legislative Regulation Regulation
Scope of
application
Voluntary for MS Voluntary for MS Voluntary for MS
Open to all occupations 1) Targeted to occupations
of EU and national
relevance
2) Targeted to highly
skilled workers
[alternative]
Open to all occupations
Open to Talent
Partnerships without
additional facilitations
Open to Talent Partnership
with additional facilitations
Open to Talent
Partnerships without
additional facilitations
Governance National Contact Points Secretariat within EC;
Steering Group; National
Contact Points
Similar to PO2 (not
necessarily building on
EURES and greater
involvement of NCPs)
IT platform New IT solution for
catalogue of profiles
EURES IT solutions
partially re-used, other IT
components newly
developped
New job-matching system
with AI-based algorithms
(inspired by private sector
platforms)
Interoperability No interoperability Automatically interoperable
with EURES and national
systems (only small
adaptations)
Interoperable with
EURES, national systems
and private platforms
(new)
User-journey
Registration Only TCNs (catalogue
of profiles)
TCNs direct registration.
Employers registered by
NCPs.
TCNs and employers’
direct registration
Automated pre-
screening
N/A Yes No
Safeguards for
fair recruitment
No Suspension access of
employers and removal of
job vacancies if breach with
European legislation and
national labour standards
1) No checks [discarded]
2) Same as PO2 (with
direct registration of
employers)
3) Direct registration of
employers and automated
checks [discarded]
44
Search and
matching
Employers search via
filters (no automatic
matching tool)
TCNs and employers
search via filters and
automatic matching tool
(EURES tools re-used).
Same as PO2 but new
search and automatic
matching tools.
Validation of
candidates’
profiles
No 1) TCNs’ profiles
validation at national level
upon request
2) Mandatory for all at EU
level [discarded]
No
Additional components
Online
information
Yes (EU Immigration
Portal)
Yes Same as PO2
Personalised
support
No Yes Yes
Facilitation
measures
No Optional Mandatory
A detailed description on how each option addresses the specific objectives is provided in the
visual below on the overall intervention logic:
6. WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF THE POLICY OPTIONS?
This section assesses the impact of the POs described in Section 5 and retained for in depth
analysis against a series of assessment criteria covering specifically effectiveness, efficiency
and coherence. The selected impacts are assessed qualitatively and, where possible,
quantitatively.
45
A wide range of impact categories was then screened in order to identify the key impacts for
detailed assessment taking into account the nature of the policy area, the identified problems,
the objectives to be achieved, and the views of stakeholders and experts. The impact categories
retained are economic impacts, social and fundamental right impacts and enviromental
impacts.
For the purpose of assessing the impact, and its intensity, of the POs compared with the status
quo (baseline scenario179
), the following scale is used:
-3 Significant negative impact/cost/loss
-2 Medium negative impact/cost/loss
-1 Small negative impact/cost/loss
0 No impact
+1 Small positive impact/savings/gains
+2 Medium positive impact/savings/gains
+3 Significant positive impact/savings/gains
The assessment of the POs is based on a number of key assumptions:
1. All the POs foresee the development of a voluntary EU Talent Pool giving Member States
the possibility to decide whether they want to participate or not. Certain costs and impacts
vary depending on the number of Member States participating. In order to provide a
clear and realistic assessment, uncertainties linked to the potential uptake of the initiative
should be taken into account. To this purpose it was assumed that a minimum of 11
Member States and a maximum of 20 Member States would participate in the EU
Talent Pool. A range of costs and impacts estimated under each scenario is presented
below in the assessment of each policy option. This assumption was based on a number of
considerations. Whilst the initiative would be designed to be attractive as many Member
States as possible, it is likely that their participation would be a gradual process with only
some Member States joining in the first years of operation and a progressive increase
expected in the long run. The minimalistic scenario (with 11 Member States participating)
was built taking into account that legal migration is an area of shared competence where
Member States tend to be cautious to engage in view of political sensitivity of migration
overall. Consultations also demonstrated that some Member States interested in the
initiative would wait to see the first outcomes of the operation of the EU Talent Pool before
deciding to formally join. Therefore, it was assumed that Member States with a stronger
interest may join from the outset, while others will follow after 2030. In the long run, a
higher uptake of the initiative is foreseen as demonstrated by the fact that the large majority
of Member States consulted welcomed the initiative. In addition, it can be reasonably
assumed that several Member States will join in view of the pressing needs related to the
challenging demographic situation which would require to rely on legal migration to
address future skills and labour shortages that cannot be sufficiently addressed by the EU
domestic workforce.
2. In order to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of each PO, the number of potential
users (TCNs and employers) of the platform and expected successful matches by 2030
was estimated. The number of Member States participating would also imply a different
number of expected successful matches. A higher uptake of the initiative by the Member
States would result in a higher number of TCNs interested in registering their profiles in the
179
Rated "0" for the purposes of comparison, though it could have negative impacts, e.g. entailing losses of efficiency.
46
EU Talent Pool and, hence, in a higher number of successful matches. Therefore, ranges of
expected successful matches with 11 and 20 Member States participating are provided
below.180
Successful matches indicate the number of TCNs selected in the context of the EU Talent
Pool and, therefore receiving and accepting a job offer made by an employer for a specific
job vacancy181
. The success rate of matches indicates the number of job offers received by
TCNs compared to the number of TCNs who registered their profile in the EU Talent
Pool182
. The job vacancies fulfilment rate shows the percentage of job vacancies that
entered the EU Talent Pool and were subsequently filled via this platform as a result of a
successful match.
These estimations show the contribution of this initiative in addressing skills and labour
shortages and form the basis to assess the economic impacts and costs of the initiative.
Other non-quantifiable factors, such as the quality of the profilesare taken into account in
the overall assessment of the POs described below. Thus, the effectiveness of each PO was
analysed ensuring a balance between the quantity of matches and their quality. The table
below provides an overview of the mentioned estimations and the number of expected
successful matches by 2030. As described in the table below, the number of TCNs
interested in registering their profiles in the EU Talent Pool is expected to be lower under
PO1 considering its reduced attractiveness due to the limited functionalities of the catalogue
of TCNs profiles envisaged under this option (e.g. no job vacancies available online). By
contrast, under PO2 and PO3, the number of TCNs interested in registering is expected to
be higher as a fully-fledged EU platform facilitating the identification and matching is
expected to attract more users. However, due to the targeted nature of PO2 focusing only on
certain occupations, a lower number of TCNs interested in registering is foreseen under this
option in comparison with PO3. With regard to the expected success rate of matches, PO1
ranks lower due to the lack of specific features to facilitate the matching. While under PO2
and PO3 more matches are expected due to their specific components, a higher percentage
of success it expected under PO2 as a result of the screening process allowing to limit the
pool to only candidates relevant to the targeted occupations, hence ensuring better quality of
the profiles.
Table 3: Overview of estimated TCNs registering in the EU Talent Pool and the number of
expected successful matches by 2030
POs Expected TCNs in
interested in registering
their profile
[with 11 or 20 Member
States participating]
Expected successful matches
[with 11 or 20 Member States
participating]
Expected Success rate of
matches
(≠ job placement rate)
Expected job
vacancies
fulfillment rate
PO1 3 338 900 – 3 503 400 16 500 – 17 300 0,5% 0,05%
PO2 3 729 000 – 3 893 500 271 000 – 282 500 7% 15%
180
Under the maximalistic scenario envisaging the participation of 20 Member States, it is expected that the information
campaign would result in an higher number of TCNs interested in registering on the EU Talent Pool (5% more than
in case of 11 Member States participating). See Annex 4 for a detailed description of this estimation.
181
After receiving a job offer, TCNs have to apply for a work permit in the Member State. Therefore, the estimated
number of successful matches is not equivalent to the number of TCNs obtaining a work permit as the subsequent
immigration procedure depends on the assessment of the national authorities. However, the discrepancy between the
number of successful matches and the number of work permits issued is not expected to be significant.
182
The success rate of matches is not equivalent to the rate of job placement as TCNs would need to obtain a work
permit in the Member State to be able to start working in a specific position.
47
PO3 4 437 000 – 4 601 500 279 000 – 296 000 6% 7%
The following methodology was used to identify the number of TCNs potentially interested
in registering their profiles:
1) The current number of TCNs profiles available in the EUROPASS database was used as a
basis to identify the level of interest of jobseekers from third countries that are seeking
employment opportunities in the EU183
.
2) As labour migration is projected to grow by 2030184
(and, therefore also the number of
potentially interested TCNs), this number was adjusted in line with the past observed trends
in labour migration over the last 7 years185
.
3) Other factors linked to the attractiveness of this initiative and, therefore, increasing the
number of TCNs potentially interested were also considered (e.g. results of awareness-raising
campaigns specifically promoting the EU Talent Pool). These factors are linked to the specific
features and nature of each option. Hence, the final number of TCNs interested in registering in
the EU Talent Pool vary depending on the policy option.
The number of expected succesfull matches was also based on a number of assumptions. In
particular, a reduction of 1% of TCNs profiles was considered as profiles registered on online
platforms are often incomplete, fake or lacking relevant information. An additional reduction
of registered profiles was applied to PO2 as a result of the automated pre-screening as certain
profiles would be screened out as not relevant for the targeted occupations. On this basis, the
number of successful matches was calculated by taking into account the different selection
rates under each option.186
A detailed explanation of the assumptions is provided in Annex 4.
6.1 Policy Option 1 - Soft measures aiming at improving information provision and
facilitating identification and matching (non-legislative option)
Assessment
Criteria
Rate Assessment
Relevance and effectiveness in achieving the objectives
183
Almost 1 300 000 CVs of TCNs were registered in EUROPASS in mid-2023. It was considered that investing time
and efforts in creating a profile on EUROPASS would indicate genuine interest in pursuing professional
opportunities within the EU job market. In addition, it shows a certain level of IT skills which are equivalent to those
that would be required to create a profile on the EU Talent Pool platform.
184
Number of TCNs from abroad potentially interested in seeking job opportunities in the EU by 2030 was estimated to
be approximately 3 290 000. According to EUROPOP2023 projected net migration and on the share of first
residence permits given for employment purposes in the period 2017-2021, the estimated inflows of TCNs coming
for employment purposes is expected to be about 400.000 per year, adding up to a cumulated 3.8 million by 2030.
185
This number was extrapolated on the basis of the number of legal permits issued for employment purposes in 2015-
2022. The observed increase in labour migration over the last 7 years corresponded to a 2.64 multiplier, applied over
the next 7 years, cumulatively, up to 2030.
186
A different selection rate was identified on the basis the expected quality of the profiles which would imply greater
chances to satisfy employers’ needs (PO1: 0,5%; PO2: 7%; PO3: 6%). These rates were built on the basis of
evidence gathered in the context of the study to inform the Impact Assessment conducted by the external contractor.
The share of jobseekers finding employment thanks to the involvement of Public Employment Services in their job
search averages at around 7% according to inputs from Commission Services. Systematic publicly available data
regarding these rates across industries in the European Union are lacking. However, the limited data sources from
both Europe and other regions suggest that the share of jobseekers which obtain a job offer following the selection
process is to be below 5%.
48
SO 1 (ensuring
more effective
international job
matching)
+1
Estimated additional successful matches (on top of baseline):
16 500 – 17 300 (for 11 to 20 Member States participating).
The organisation of job-matching events and catalogue of
profiles of TCNs’ profiles would facilitate the identification of
potential candidates. However, due to the use of a non-legislative
instrument such as a Commission Recommendation the
catalogue of profiles would have limited functionalities.
Therefore, this PO would achieve SO1 only to a limited extent.
In addition, in view of a limited number of successful matches,
this PO would have only a small positive impact on achieving the
SO1.
SO 2 (improving
comparability of
skills and
qualifications
obtained in third
countries with
those required at
national level)
+1
Against the baseline, PO1 would provide online information on
recognition and validation procedures in the Member States,
facilitating access to procedures. However, in view of a lack of
additional personalised support and skills and profiling and
comparability tools, PO1 positive impact on achieving SO2 is s
limited.
SO 3 (improving
understanding and
access of
immigration
procedures)
+ 2
Compared with the baseline, this PO would better contribute to
making information provision on immigration procedures more
understandable through the improved EU Immigration Portal.
However, additional personalised support by National Contact
Points would not be available.
SO 4 (incentivising
cooperation on
migration with
third countries as
part of a Talent
Partnership)
0
This PO has no impact on achievement of SO4. While being
open to all TCNs notwithstanding their origin country, this PO
would not foresee the platform as a tool to specifically
implement the Talent Partnerships.
Economic impacts
Impact on growth
and
competitiveness
[SGD 8]
+1
Compared with the baseline, a marginal positive economic
impact would stem from the international recruitment of
relatively small number of TCNs residing abroad to address
skills and labour shortages that cannot be filled by domestic
workforce. Thus, TCNs workers would only marginally
counteract the ageing of the EU population. The expected
positive impact on the GDP is of around EUR 235 – 260
million (with 11 to 20 Member States participating) and a
minimal impact on public finances is expected.
Impact on SMEs
[SDG 8 and 9]
+1
Any specific support to international recruitment would be
particularly beneficial for SMEs. This PO would marginally
benefit SMEs by facilitating the identification of potential
candidates and partially supporting their matching (e.g. via job-
matching events and catalogue of profiles) as well as providing
online information on immigration and recognition procedures.
However, this PO would only have a limited impact as no
specific tool would be included to further facilitate the matching
and its quality (e.g. no automatic matching tool, pre-screening),
and no personalised guidance would be ensured. The limited
pool of candidates would also reduce the chances to recruit
49
internationally.
Impact on
innovation and
research
0/+1
The expected, whilst small, increase of TCNs workers would
have a positive impact on companies’ capacity to conduct
research and would benefit the EU’s overall capacity for
innovation and research. However, due to the limited coverage
of this PO the recruitment of TCNs benefitting innovation and
research would be marginal.
Social and fundamental rights impacts
Impact on EU
citizens
+1
Limited increase in the number of TCNs workers is not expected
to entail any costs or disadvantages for EU citizens vis-à-vis
the status quo. Similarly, the potential displacement effect on
EU workers is expected to be limited. This PO would have a
positive impact on social cohesion as it is not expected to
increase social tension or a negative perception of migration.
Impact on business
and employers
+1
This PO would have a positive impact on business and
employers as they will have an easier, quicker, and potentially
wider, access to labour resources from third countries. This PO
would involve processing of personal data. In the absence of
Union legislative act, necessary data protection provisions should
be adopted at national leveltaking into account the requirements
of the EU data protection acquis.
Impact on third
country nationals +1
There would be a small positive impact for TCNs because their
possibilities to find a job in the EU and being recruited would
increase. Overall, this PO would have a positive impact on
social cohesion as it will contribute to TCNs’ labour market
participation and create a sense of interdependence with the local
population. With regard to the fundamental rights impacts, this
PO would enact the right to choose an occupation and engage in
work [Article 15 of the Charter, and SDG 16]. As per impacts on
the protection of personal data of jobseekers would be similar
to those described above (impacts on employers and businesses).
On the other hand, protection against the risk of unfair
recruitment and exploitative working conditions would not be
adequately ensured as no checks on employers would be
conducted.
Impact on third
countries
+1
This PO would have an impact on third countries as facilitating
international recruitment and, therefore, making the EU more
attractive, third countries may face the risk brain drain.
However, the increase of TCNs moving to the EU would be
small in comparison, making this impact limited. At the same
time, this PO is expected to have a marginal positive impact on
remittances.
Environmental impacts
0
As this PO would not target specific sectors linked to the green
transition and the number of successful matches is expected to be
low, this PO would have negligible environmental impact.
Efficiency
50
Administrative
costs and
cost/benefit
effectiveness
Practical or
technical feasibility
+1
Administrative costs187
This PO envisages the improvement of the EU Immigration
Portal, the organisation of job-matching events as well as the
setting up of an online portal with a catalogue of profiles. There
would also be costs related to the governance structure.
An overview of the costs estimated under this PO is provided
below. Where costs vary depending on the number of Member
States participating, a range of costs is provided to cover the two
scenarios with 11 or 20 Member States participating,
respectively. (A detailed description of the assumptions
underlying these calculations is provided in Annex 4 while the
explanation of estimation of costs is provided in Annex 10).
This PO would entail:
1) One-off costs for the IT development (2026-2027):
Under this PO, costs for IT developments are linked to the
improvement of the EU Immigration Portal, the advertising of
the job-matching events, and the development of an online
portal with a catalogue of profiles. The latter would entail
relatively low costs in view of a less sophisticated IT solution
and the absence of additional IT tools such as the automatic
matching function. The development of these IT components
would require two years.
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 4 069 883 – 4 085 644 (with
11 to 20 Member States participating)
- Cost for the Member States: No costs are envisaged for
Member States.
2) Recurrent yearly human resources costs (2026-2030188):
This PO would entail additional staff at EU level to improve the
EU Immigration Portal (coordinating with National Coordinators
in the Member States and reviewing information they provided
on national procedures). Human resources would also be
required to organise the job-matching events and managing the
online portal with a catalogue of profiles.
National Coordinators would be appointed in the Member States.
They would be responsible for providing the relevant
information to be uploaded on the EU Immigration Portal as well
as facilitating the matching between employers and jobseekers in
the context of the online catalogue of profiles.
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 707 000 (11 FTEs)
- Costs for the Member States National Coordinators (to be
covered by AMIF): EUR 1 683 000 – 3 060 000 (11 – 20
187
With regard to Costs after 2027, they are indicative and do not prejudge the available budget for this initiative under
the MFF 2028-2034.
188
Idem.
51
FTEs with 11 to 20 Member States participating).
3) Recurrent yearly costs for other activities and IT
maintenance (after 2027)189:
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 1 362 000 (for the
organisation of the job matching events) and EUR 1 009 633
– 1 017 514 (for IT maintenance with 11 to 20 Member
States participating).
- Costs for the Member States: No other costs are foreseen for
the Member States.
Benefits
• Direct benefits
This PO would entail cost savings which are difficult to quantify
in monetary terms as linked to the time saved by employers and
TCNs throughout the entire recruitment process due to the easier
identification of candidates (via job-matching events and the
online catalogue of profiles) and the provision of information on
immigration procedures the EU Immigration Portal. However,
these costs savings are expected to be relatively small due to the
limited functionalities foreseen under this PO (e.g. no automatic
matching tool, no personalised support by the National
Coordinators). No opportunity costs are expected under this PO.
• Indirect benefits
Indirect benefits are also foreseen under this option. These
benefits include the increased GDP resulting from a higher
number of TCNs working in the EU. This would also result in
additional fiscal contributions as well as in increased remittances
for third countries. (A detailed explanation of the indirect
benefits is provided in Annex 10). Different ranges of indirect
benefits are provided below according on whether 11 or 20
Member States participate in the initiative.
- Additional GDP: EUR 235 – 260 million
- Additional fiscal contributions: EUR 56 – 59 million
- Additional remittances to third countries: EUR 44 – 46
million
Practical and technical feasibility
Developing an online catalogue of profiles under this PO via a
Commission Reccomandation would require a number of
technical, legal and practical efforts for the Commission and the
Member States being excessively cumbersome and
disproportionate in comparison with the benefits and limited
results expected under this PO.
189
Idem.
52
Coherence with other EU policies
In line with other EU policies, the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and, in particular the
Skills and Talent Package. It contributes to the European Year of Skills, and it is a key
component of the Package on talent mobility. It is broadly consistent with EU economic and
social policies, and it contribute to the Skills Agenda and the Pact for Skills, the Net Zero
Industry Act and the Green Deal Industrial Plan.
Overall assessment
The PO will address the general problem only to a very limited extend. It would not inventivise
cooperation with third countries (SO4), while the other SOs would only partially be addressed
due to the limited coverage of this PO in terms of potential users and the relatively low expected
successful matches. The quality of candidates profiles and matches would be limited due to the
lack of specific measures (no personalised support or automated matching tool). Economic and
social impacts will be small and positive, while the costs are expected to be relatively low.
6.2 Policy Option 2 - Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market
needs in key occupations (legislative option)
Assessment
Criteria
Rate Assessment
Relevance and effectiveness in achieving the objectives
SO 1 (ensuring more
effective
international job
matching)
+3
Estimated additional successful matches (on top of
baseline): 271 000 – 282 500 (for 11 to 20 Member States
participating)
PO2 would significantly improve the identification of EU
employers and TCNs. The matching would be facilitated
via the search by filters and an automatic matching tool.
Personalised guidance and support by NCPs as well as
online information would constitute additional support.
These components would not only facilitate the matches but
also ensure a better quality. The screening of candidates’
profiles would further contribute to the quality of
matching.The alternative of targeting only highly skilled
workers would have the advantage of making the screening
process more agile as requirements migrants need to meet to
qualify as highly skilled are clearly defined either in the EU
Blue Card Directive or corresponding national laws.
However, this alternative would not allow to effectively
address labour shortages which also exists for medium and
low skills.
SO 2 (improving
comparability of
skills and
qualifications
obtained in third
countries with those
required at national
level)
+2
PO2 would better facilitate access to procedures thanks to
online information on recognition and validation
procedures in the Member States as well as personalised
guidance by the NCPs. In addition, the integration of
existing skills profiling and comparability tools (e.g.
Europass, ESCO) in the candidates’ profiles creation would
make it easier for employers to understand skills and
qualifications and compare them with those required at
national level. Better understanding of skills and
qualifications would result in a higher success rate and
quality of matches.
53
SO 3 (improving
understanding and
access of
immigration
procedures)
+3
This PO would significantly contribute to facilitating access
to immigration procedures through provision of better
online information and personalised support by NCPs
allowing TCNs and employers to better identify the
procedure applicable to their cases.
SO 4 (incentivising
cooperation on
migration with third
countries as part of a
Talent Partnership)
+2
PO2 would support the implementation of the Talent
Partnerships by providing a tool to facilitate the
recruitment of TCNs who participated in activities organised
in this context with employers established in the
participating Member States. Liaison Offices in the partner
countries would be established to further support the
registration of the candidates’ profiles. Additional
facilitations such as the issuance of a ‘Talent Partnership
pass’ would allow to flag profiles validated in this context,
therefore contributing to facilitate matches and ensure better
quality. All this will have a medium positive impact on
incentivising cooperation with third countries in the context
of Talent Partnerships.
Economic impacts
Impact on growth
and competitiveness
[SGD 8]
+2
A medium positive economic impact would accrue from
the international recruitment of a higher, whilst small,
number of TCNs residing abroad to address skills and labour
shortages at all skills levels that cannot be filled by domestic
workforce. Thus, TCNs workers would marginally
counteracts the ageing of EU population. In addition, this
PO would ensure better quality recruitment to avoid
mismatches and over-qualification (via pre-screening,
matching tool and personalised support). This would
further benefit EU productivity and economic gains. This
PO is expected to have a positive impact on the GDP
through additional wages (around EUR 3.8 – 4.2 billion
with 11 to20 Member States participating) and minimal
impact on public finances.
Impact on SMEs
[SDG 8 and 9]
+2
Specific support to international recruitment would be
particularly beneficial for SMEs as they are likely to bear
a disproportionate burden when hiring TCNs in comparison
to large enterprises due to more limited resources. Increased
possibilities to recruit TCNs would boost SMEs growth
perspectives. This PO would provide medium positive
benefits to SMEs as it would entail a wide pool of
candidates, specific tools facilitating the matching,
personalised guidance by the NCPs as well as online
information provision on recruitment, immigration and
recognition procedures. In addition, by providing a focused
pool of pre-screened candidates better quality recruitment
would be ensured (see Annex on SMEs test). At the same
time, a subset of SMEs that want to fill in job vacancies in
occupations that are not of EU or national relevance would
not be able to use the EU Talent Pool.
Impact on innovation
and research
+2
This PO would result in a moderate increase in the number
of skilled TCNs workers thanks to the higher rate of
54
successful matches and the focused nature of this PO
targeting occupations of EU and national relevance
(including those relevant for R&D, especially in relation to
the green and digital transition), this PO would have a
medium positive impact on companies’ capacity to conduct
R&D.
Social and fundamental rights impacts
Impact on EU
citizens
+2
This PO would result in a moderate increase in the
number of TCNs workers. Therefore, it is not expected to
entail particular costs or disadvantages for EU citizens vis-à-
vis the status quo and the potential displacement effect on
EU workers is expected to be limited. Considering the
limited migration increase, this PO would have a positive
impact on social cohesion as it is not expected to increase
social tension or a negative perception of migration. In
addition, ensuring protection against unfair recruitment is
expected to reduce downward pressure on wages resulting
from exploitation and social dumping practices. The targeted
approach would ensure complementarity of skills (TCNs
would be recruited in occupations where domestic
workforce is insufficient), that may also result in a positive
impact on wages.
Impact on business
and employers
+2
This PO would have a medium positive impact on business
and employers as they would have an easier, quicker, and
wider, access to labour resources from third countries,
provided that they seek workers in occupations of the EU
and national relevance. In addition, better quality of
matches would be ensured via specific tools and
personalised support. This PO would involve processing of
personal data of employers as the as those data of
employers who are natural persons or data of employers’
representatives by interested Member States and the
Commission. The proposed measures must therefore be
based on Union a legislative act in compliance with the EU
data protection acquis.
Impact on third
country nationals +2
This PO has a medium positive impact on TCNs, as it
increases their chances to find a job and offers higher
success rate in job matching. The integration of skills
profiling and matching tools would avoid mismatches and
over-qualification of TCNs. Overall, this PO would have a
positive impact on social cohesion as it will contribute to
TCNs’ labour market participation and create a sense of
interdependence with the local population. With regard to
the fundamental rights impacts, this PO would enact the
right to choose an occupation and engage in work [Article
15 of the Charter, and SDG 16] as well as the right to fair
and just working conditions [Article 31 of the Charter] and
non-discrimination (Articles 21 of the Charter)]. This PO
would have a great positive impact on protection of TCNs
against discrimination, job quality and working
conditions standards [SDG 8 and 10] as it would reduce
55
the risk of unfair recruitment through appropriate
safeguards. The impacts on protection of jobseekers’
personal data would be similar to those described above
(impact on employers and businesses). The option of
conducting also ID security checks during the screening of
the candidates’ profiles would not appear to be a necessary
and proportionate measure considering that security checks
are in any event conducted at a later staged during the
immigration procedure, hence entailing a duplication of
these checks.
Impacts on third
countries +2
In view of facilitating international recruitment to the EU,
third countries may face the risk of brain drain. However,
the increase of TCNs moving to the EU would be moderate
in comparison with the baseline, making this impact limited.
Due to the specificlink with Talent Partnerships, the risk of
brain drain would be mitigated under this PO for matches
conducted in this context, as Talent Partnerships are
developed in a mutual beneficial way and relevant sectors as
selected in common agreement with the partner country. The
targeted nature of this PO, focusing only to specific
occupations would further limit the risk of brain drain. This
PO is expected to have a positive impact on remittances.
Environmental impacts
+2
This PO would target sectors and occupations which are
linked to the green transition. Focused advertising among
TCNs and concentrating the EU Talent Pool resources on
facilitating recruitment of TCNs in those occupations, would
result in increased number of “green” occupations being
filled by TCNs. Thus, this PO would have a medium
positive impact on the EU transition toward a green
economy and therefore, a positive environmental impact.
Efficiency
Administrative costs
and cost/benefit
effectiveness
Practical or technical
feasibility
+3
Administrative costs190
This PO envisages development of an IT platform bringing
together profiles of jobseekers from third countries and job
vacancies of EU employer. The platform would integrate
specific features to facilitate the identification and matching
as well as the provision of information and support relevant
for international recruitment procedures. The development
of a new IT platform would generate important costs that
would nevertheless be decreased by re-using some of the
existing EURES IT components. There would also be costs
related to the governance structure.
An overview of the costs estimated under this PO is
190
With regard to the costs after 2027, they are indicative and do not prejudge the available budget for this initiative
under the MFF 2028-2034.
56
provided below. Where costs vary depending on the number
of Member States participating a range of costs is provided
to cover the two scenarios with 11 or 20 Member States
participating, respectively. (A detailed description of the
assumptions underlying these calculations is provided in
Annex 4 while the explanation of estimation of costs in
Annex 10).
This PO would entail:
1) One-off costs for the IT development (2026-2027):
Under this PO, IT costs are linked to the development of a
new IT platform by partially re-using certain IT components
of EURES. The vast majority of the IT costs is envisaged at
EU level for the development of the relevant infrastructure
which includes, for instance, the core system, the creation of
the pre-screening tool, the creation of a database for TCNs
profiles as well as relevant adaptations of the EURES
components (e.g. automatic matching tool). Some marginal
costs for making the national systems interoperable with the
EU Talent Pool are also foreseen for the Member States.
- Costs for the Commission to develop the EU Talent Pool
IT platform: EUR 6 722 056 – 6 804 539 (with 11 to 20
Member States participating)
- Funding costs for interoperability of the Member States’
national systems with the EU Talent Pool IT Platform:
EUR 2 672 400 – 4 175 625 (with 11 to 20 Member
States participating) (for the Commission)
2) Recurrent yearly human resources costs191:
This PO would entail additional staff at EU level as the EU
Talent Pool Secretariat would be established within the
Commission. The Secretariat would be in charge of the
development and management of the EU Talent Pool IT
platform, the coordination with the National Contact Points,
the preparation of the communication strategy and trainings
as well as the monitoring activities.
National Contact Points would be designated in the Member
States as from 2026 and would be responsible for the
practical implementation of the EU Talent Pool at national
level, including with regard to the identification of shortage
occupations at national level and the registration of relevant
job vacancies in the platform.
Moreover, in view of the link with the Talent Partnerships,
dedicated Liaison Offices could be established by the
Member States in the partner countries to support the
registration of third country nationals’ profiles as well as the
191
Idem.
57
issuance of the Talent Partnership Pass (after 2027).
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 1 903 000 (13 FTEs)
(10 FTEs until 2027, 3 FTEs after 2027).
- Costs for the Member States: EUR 8 000 000 – 14 600
000 for the National Contact Points (33 – 66 FTEs with
11 to 20 Member States participating) and EUR 1 440
000 for the Liaison Officers (20 FTEs for 10 Talent
Partnerships). (to be covered by AMIF)
3) Recurrent yearly costs for other activities and IT
maintenance192:
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 1 906 255 – 1 947 497
(with 11 to 20 Member States participating) for
activities linked to the coordination with the NCPs, the
preparation of trainings, communication activities and
the provision of online information as well as EUR 3
732 5000 – 3 813 299 (with 11 to 20 Member States
participating) for IT maintenance (as from 2028).
- Costs for the Member States (as from 2028): EUR 348
075 – 543 867 for IT maintenance at national level (with
11 to 20 Member States participating).
Benefits
• Direct benefits
This PO would entail cost savings for employers and TCNs
mainly linked to the time and efforts saved throughout the
entire recruitment process (difficult to quantify in monetary
terms).193
The focused nature of this PO (only pre-screening
candidates) and the link with Talent Partnerships will further
contribute to making easier and faster successful matches.
The possibility for Member State to introduce facilitation
measures (e.g. fast track procedures, exclusion labour
market test) for those recruited via the EU Talent Pool,
would make procedure faster.
Overall, putting such a tool at employers’ disposal would
offer them an alternative to costly external support (e.g. via
recruitment agencies, social media and private recruitment
platform). This would be particularly beneficial for SMEs.
In particular, as the new platform would be free of charge,
employers would be able to save costs normally linked to
the recruitment process as they do not need to pay additional
money to publish their vacancies online or request external
support of recruitment agencies. This would result in costs
192
Idem.
193
The wider and easily accessible pool of candidates and job vacancies would streamline the identification phase.
Personalised support and specific tools (e.g. standardised registration format via Europass, automatic matching tools,
filters) would make the matching faster by significantly increasing the chances to find suitable candidates and job
opportunities. Provision of information in the one-stop-shop would also support in this regard.
58
saving for employers amounting to EUR 150-400 per job
vacancy (EUR 74 500 000 – 77 700 000 total savings across
EU employers considering the total number of excpected
successful matches via the EU Talent Pool with 11 to 20
Member States participating).
Apart from the non-quantifiable time-saving mentioned
above, this PO foresees the possibility for Member States to
introduce fast-track immigration and recognition procedures
to streamline the recruitment process. On this basis it is
possible to quantify additional opportunity costs associated
to this PO(additional wages and revenue gain for using the
EU Talent Pool): (EUR 11 500 per employer and EUR 3 750
per TCN using the EU Talent Pool.194
. (A detailed
assessment is provided in Annex 10)
• Indirect benefits
Indirect benefits are also foreseen under this option. These
benefits include the increased GDP resulting from a higher
number of TCNs working in the EU. This would also result
in additional fiscal contributions as well as in increased
remittances for third countries. (A detailed explanation of
the indirect benefits is provided in Annex 10). Different
ranges of indirect benefits are provided below according to
whether 11 or 20 Member States participate in the initiative.
- Additional GDP: EUR 3.855 – 4.255 billion
- Additional fiscal contributions: EUR 918 - 957
million
- Additional remittances to third countries: EUR 712 -
748 million
Practical and technical feasibility
No practical or technical difficulty is to be expected as
certain elements of the EURES IT solution would be re-
used, therefore, simplifying the development of the IT
platform.
Coherence with other EU policies
In line with other EU policies, the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, and, in particular the
Skills and Talent Package. As this PO would become a tool to implement Talent Partnerships it
would be particularly beneficial to improving their effectiveness. It contributes to the European
Year of Skills, and it is a key component of the Package on talent mobility. It is broadly
consistent with EU economic and social policies, and it contributes to the Skills Agenda and the
Pact for Skills, the Net Zero Industry Act and the Green Deal Industrial Plan.
Overall assessment
Overall, this PO will achieve all the SOs to a great extent, contributing positively to the
achievement of the general objective of supporting international recruitment of TCNs to meet
the EU skills and labour shortages. The potential users (employers and TCNs) would be
194
It was assumed that all Member States might introduce these measures.
59
relevant for occupations of EU and national relevance where domestic workforce is insufficient.
Thus, this PO would focus on the actual labour market needs where workers from outside the
EU is required. Concentrating the EU Talent Pool tools and efforts on targeted occupations of
the EU and national relevance would increase number of successful job matches, including in
the areas key for the digital and green transition. This would have a positive environmental
impact, as more “green” occupations are expected to be filled in. Economic and social impacts,
including impact on employers and SMEs, are considerd to be medium positive. Efficiency is
high, in view of a very good costs/benefits ratio, partially in view of the re-use of certain
EURES components. By supporting the implementation of the Talent Partnerships, this PO
would incentivise cooperation with third countries on migration management very well and
positively impact third countries.
6.3 Policy Option 3 - Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool
(legislative option)
Assessment Criteria Rate Assessment
Relevance and effectiveness in achieving the objectives
SO 1 (ensuring more
effective international
job matching)
+3
Estimated additional successful matches (on top of
baseline): 279 000 – 296 000 (for 11 to20 Member States
participating)
PO3 would significantly improve the identification of EU
employers and TCNs workers by providing a pool of job
vacancies and candidates. The matching would be
facilitated via search filters functions and an automatic
matching tool. Personalised guidance and support by
National Contact Points as well as online information on
recruitment rules would constitute additional support in that
regard. These components would not only facilitate the
matching but also ensure better quality. As TCNs would be
reassured about the quality of the job in terms of standards
on working conditions thanks to quality assurance checks,
more TCNs would register in the EU Talent Pool, which
would positively impact the number of matches. However,
the open nature of this PO and the lack of a screening of
candidates’ profiles would entail lower quality of matches in
comparison with PO2.
SO 2 (improving
comparability of skills
and qualifications
obtained in third
countries with those
required at national
level)
+2
Same assessment as per PO2 (see above)
SO 3 (improving
understanding and
access of immigration
procedures)
+3
Same assessment as per PO2 (see above)
60
SO 4 (incentivising
cooperation on
migration with third
countries as part of a
Talent Partnership)
0
This PO has no impact on achievement of SO4. This PO is
conceived as completely open tool to address labour market
needs following a demand-driven approach. Therefore, it is
not built to target specific labour market needs nor
strategically support other existing initiatives such as Talent
Partneships which also have a targeted approach focusing on
certain sectors. While being open to all TCNs
notwithstanding their origin country, this PO would not
foresee the platform as a tool to specifically implement the
Talent Partnerships.
Economic impacts
Impact on growth and
competitiveness
[SGD 8]
+2
A medium positive economic impact would accrue from the
international recruitment of a higher, whilst small, number of
TCNs residing abroad to address skills and labour shortages
at all skills levels that cannot be filled by the domestic
workforce. TCNs workers would marginally counteracts the
ageing of the EU population. This PO would partially ensure
better quality recruitment to avoid mismatches and over-
qualification (matching tools and personalised support). This
would further benefit EU productivity and economic
gains. However, the open nature of this initiative and the lack
of a pre-screening on candidates would entail a lower impact
on the quality of matches. This PO is expected to have a
higher positive impact on GDP through additional wages
(around EUR 3.9 – 4.4 billion with 11 to 22 Member States
participating) and on public finances.
Impact on SMEs
[SDG 8 and 9]
+2
Specific support to international recruitment would be
particularly beneficial for SMEs as they are likely to bear a
disproportionate burden when hiring TCNs in comparison to
large enterprises due to more limited resources. Increased
possibilities to recruit TCNs would boost SMEs growth
perspectives. This PO would largely benefit SMEs as it
would entail a wide pool of easily accessible candidates,
specific tools facilitating the matching (e.g. filters and
automatic matching tool), personalised guidance by the
National Contact Points as well as online information
provision on recruitment, immigration and recognition
procedures. However, the positive impact of the higher
number of candidates would be reduced by the lower rate of
successful and quality matches in view of the lack of pre-
screening. On the other hand, allowing employers to fill job
vacancies from all occupations would entail more flexibility
and a wider coverage of potential candidates for SMEs.
Impact on innovation
and research
+2
Compared with the baseline, the moderately increased
number of skilled TCNs workers would have a limited
positive impact on companies’ capacity to conduct R&D.
The impact on the EU’s overall capacity for innovation and
research would be moderate and largely dependent on the
type of companies making use of the tool.
Social and fundamental rights impacts
61
Impact on EU citizens +2
This PO would result in a moderate increase in the number
of TCNs workers. Therefore, it is not expected to entail
particular costs or disadvantages for EU citizens vis-à-vis the
status quo and the potential displacement effect on EU
workers is expected to be limited. Considering the limited
migration increase, this PO would have a positive impact on
social cohesion as it is not expected to increase social tension
or a negative perception of migration. In addition, ensuring
protection against unfair recruitment is expected to reduce
downward pressure on wages resulting from exploitation and
social dumping practices.
Impact on business and
employers +2
This PO would have a positive impact on business and
employers as facilitated international recruitments will
provide them with easier, quicker, and wider, access to
labour resources from third countries (whilst with a lower
success rate compared with PO2). In addition, better quality
of matches would be ensured via specific tools and
personalised support. This PO would involve processing of
personal data of employers as personal data of employers
who are natural persons or those of employers’
representatives by interested Member States and the
Commission. The proposed measures must therefore be based
on a Union legislative act in compliance with the EU data
protection acquis, including the principles of purpose
limitation, data minimisation, storage limitation and data
security.
Impact on third country
nationals +2
There would be a positive impact for TCNs because their
possibilities to find a job in the EU and be recruited would
increase. The integration of skills profiling and matching
tools as well as quality checks on employers would avoid
mismatches and over-qualification of TCNs. Overall, this PO
would have a positive impact on social cohesion as it will
contribute to TCNs’ labour market participation and create a
sense of interdependence with the local population. With
regard to the fundamental rights impacts, this PO would
enact the right to choose an occupation and engage in work
[Article 15 of the Charter, and SDG 16] as well as the right to
fair and just working conditions [Article 31 of the Charter]
and non-discrimination (Articles 21 of the Charter)]. This PO
would have a great positive impact on protection of TCNs
against discrimination, job quality and working
conditions standards [SDG 8 and 10] as it would reduce the
risk of unfair recruitment via quality assurances checks on
employers. By contrast, the alternative of not conducting
quality assurance checks on employers following their
registration, would have a negative impact on TCNs as it
would not mitigate the risk of the unfair recruitment. The
impacts on the protection of personal data are similar to
those described above (impact on employers and business)
62
Impact on third
countries
0/+1
This PO would have an impact on third countries as
facilitating international recruitment and, therefore, making
the EU more attractive, third countries may face the risk
brain drain. However, the increase of TCNs moving to the
EU would be small in comparison with the baseline, making
this impact limited. As no special link with Talent
Partnerships is envisaged, no specific mitigation to the risk of
brain drain is expected with the relevant partner countries. In
addition, the open nature of this initiative, potentially
attracting TCNs in all occupations, would entail a greater risk
of brain drain in third countries. This PO is expected to have a
positive impact on remittances.
Environmental impacts
+1
As this PO would not be targeted to specific sectors linked to
the green transition it is not expected to have particularly
significant environmental impacts.
Efficiency
Administrative costs
and cost/benefit
effectiveness
Practical or technical
feasibility
Administrative costs195
This PO envisages the development of an IT platform
bringing together profiles of jobseekers from third countries
and job vacancies of EU employers. The platform would
integrate specific features to facilitate the identification and
matching as well as the provision of information and support
relevant for international recruitment procedures. This PO
would involve significant costs in view of the development
of a completely new IT platform without re-using EURES IT
components. The mandatory introduction of facilitation
measures (e.g. fast-track immigration procedures) would also
entail higher costs. There wouldalso be costs related to the
governance structure.
An overview of the costs estimated under this PO is provided
below. Where costs vary depending on the number of
Member States participating, a range of costs is provided to
cover the two scenarios with 11 or 20 Member States
participating, respectively. (A detailed description of the
assumptions underlying these calculations is provided in
Annex 4 while the explanation of estimation of costs in
Annex 10).
1) One-off costs for the IT development (2026-2027):
Under this PO, IT costs are linked to the development of a
new IT platform without re-using EURES IT components.
The new job-matching system would be developed using AI-
based algorithms inspired by existing private sector platforms
195
Costs after 2027 are indicative and do not prejudge the available budget for this initiative under the MFF 2028-2034.
63
(e.g. including cutting-edge technologies such as advanced
language programs, AI-driven algorithms, and an enhanced
user experience). Hence, important costs are envisaged under
this PO with regard to the IT development.
The vast majority of the IT costs is envisaged at EU level for
the development of the relevant infrastructure which includes,
for instance, the core system, the creation of the screening
and matching tool, and the creation of a database for TCNs
profiles. Some marginal costs for making the national systems
interoperable with the EU Talent Pool are also foreseen for
the Member States.
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 10 275 409 – 10 647 243
(with 11 to 20 Member States participating)
- Funding for interoperability of the Member States’
relevant national systems with the EU Talent Pool IT
Platform : EUR 7 748 000 – 12 106 250 (with 11 to 20
Member States participating) (to be covered by AMIF).
2) Recurrent yearly human resources costs196:
As per PO2, this PO would entail additional staff at EU level
as the EU Talent Pool Secretariat would be established within
the Commission. The Secretariat would be in charge of the
development and management of the EU Talent Pool IT
platform, the coordination with the National Contact Points,
the preparation of the communication strategy and trainings
as well as the monitoring activities.
National Contact Points would be designated in the Member
States as from 2026 and would be responsible for the
practical implementation of the EU Talent Pool at national
level. In particular, a great involvement of the National
Contact Points would result from the higher number of users
(employers and TCNs) potentially requiring their support.
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 1 903 000 (13 FTEs)
- Costs for the Member States’ National Contact Points (to
be covered by AMIF): EUR 17 600 000 – 32 000 000 for
the National Contact Points (55 – 100 FTEs with 11 to 20
Member States participating).
3) Recurrent yearly costs for other activities and IT
maintenance197:
- Costs for the Commission: EUR 4 924 600 – 5 797 000
(with 11 to 20 Member States participating) for activities
linked to the coordination with the NCPs, the preparation
of trainings, communication activities and the provision
196
Idem.
197
Idem.
64
of online information as well as EUR 3 562 401 – 3 748
318 (with 11 to 20 Member States participating) for IT
mantainance.
- Costs for the Member States: EUR 1 016 925 – 1 588 945
for IT maintenance at national level (with 11 to 20
Member States participating). Additional costs for
Member States would result from the implementation of
the obligation to set up fast-track immigration and
recognition procedures, amounting to:
Fast-track immigration procedures198
:
EUR 47 430 000 – 50 320 000 (with 11 to 20 Member States
participating)
Fast-track recognition procedures:
EUR 16 740 000 – 17 760 000 (with 11 to 20 Member States
participating).
Benefits
• Direct benefits
As per PO2, this PO would entail cost savings for employers
and TCNs mainly linked to the time and efforts saved
throughout the entire recruitment process (difficult to quantify
in monetary terms).199
The open nature of this PO entails a
larger number of registered candidates which would make
more complex the identification and matching in comparison
with PO2.
As per PO2, putting such a tool at the employers’ disposal
would offer them an alternative to costly external support
(e.g. via recruitment agencies, social media and private
recruitment platform). This would be particularly beneficial
for SMEs. In particular, as the new platform would be free of
charge employers would be able to save costs normally linked
to the recruitment process as they do not need to pay
additional money to publish their vacancies online or request
external support of recruitment agencies. This would result in
costs saving for employers amounting to EUR 150-400 per
job vacancy (EUR 76 725 000 – 81 400 000 total savings
across EU employers with 11 – 20 Member States
participating)
Apart from non-quantifiable time savings mentioned above,
this PO foresees the obligation for Member States to
198
Estimations of fast-track procedures were based on the current practices in Member States that implement them. A
detailed explanation on how thses costs where estimated is provided in Annex 10.
199
A single, wider and easily accessible pool of candidates and job vacancies would streamline the identification phase.
Personalised support and specific tools (e.g. standardised registration format via Europass, automatic matching tools,
filters) would make the matching faster by significantly increasing the chances to find suitable candidates and job
opportunities. Provision of information in one-stop-shop would also support in this regard.
65
introduce fast-track immigration and recognition procedures
to streamline the recruitment process.
On this basis opportunity costs associated to this PO were
quantified (additional wages and revenue gain for using the
EU Talent Pool): EUR 11 500 per employer and EUR 3 750
per TCN using the EU Talent Pool.200
(A detailed assessment
is provided in Annex 10).
• Indirect benefits
Indirect benefits are also foreseen under this option. These
benefits include the increased GDP resulting from a higher
number of TCNs working in the EU. This would also result in
additional fiscal contributions as well as in increased
remittances for third countries. (A detailed explanation of the
indirect benefits is provided in Annex 10). Different ranges of
indirect benefits are provided below according to whether 11
or 20 Member States participate in the initiative.
Additional GDP: EUR 3.968 – 4.458 billion
Additional fiscal contributions: EUR 945 million – 1 billion
Additional remittances to third countries: EUR 739 - 784
million
Practical and technical feasibility
With regard to the practical or technical feasibility, the
alternative envisaging automated quality assurance checks on
employers via new IT solutions would entail a high degree of
complexity going beyond what is considered proportional. As
employers should be screened against national legislation
standards, this solution would require the development of
several different screening formats considering that each
Member State has different rules on standard working
conditions which also vary depending on the specific
occupations.
Coherence with other EU policies
In line with other EU policies, the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and the Skills and Talent
Package. It contributes to the European Year of Skills and it is a key component of the Package
on talent mobility. It is broadly consistent with EU economic and social policies, and it
contributes to the Skills Agenda and the Pact for Skills, the Net Zero Industry Act and the Green
Deal Industrial Plan.
Overall assessment
200
Considering that 279 000 – 296 000 successful matches are expected under this PO, the maximum total gain in
wages would reach around EUR 1 074 886 000 – 1 140 380 000 for TCNs and EUR 3 224 658 000 – 3 421 143 000
revenue gain for employers.
66
Overall, this PO will achieve the general objective to an important extent, while not addressing
the issue of incentivising cooperation with third countries. The coverage of potential users
registering on the platform and expected successful matches would be relatively high in view of
the open nature of this PO. However, while this PO would potentially address labour and skills
shortages to a greater extent, the open approach is expected to provide with lower quality of
candidates’ profiles (resources would not be focused on assessing and targeting specific profiles).
Economic and social impacts, including impact on employers and SMEs is medium positive.
Efficiency is low as the costs/benefits ratio between developing a costly and totally new IT
system compared to the estimated number of additional job-matches, is not very positive.
7. HOW DO THE OPTIONS COMPARE?
The table below provides an overview of the ratings of the impacts of each Policy Options, on
a score from -3 to +3 (-3 indicating the most negative impact, +3 indicating the most positive
impact). While these ratings allow for a comparison between options, the various ratings for a
particular option cannot be cumulated since there is no objective basis to weigh one assessment
criterion over another.
Table 4: How do the options compare?
Baseline PO1 PO2 PO3
Effectiveness
Relevance and effectiveness in achieving the objectives
SO1 0 +1 +3 +3
SO2 0/+1 +1 +2 +2
SO3 0/+1 +2 +3 +3
SO4 0 0 +2 0
Economic impacts
Impact on growth and competitiveness 0 +1 +2 +2
Impact on SMEs 0 +1 +2 +2
Impact on innovation and research 0 0/+1 +2 +2
Social and fundamental rights impacts
- Impact on EU citizens 0 +1 +2 +2
- Impact on business and employers 0 +1 +2 +2
- Impact on third country nationals 0/+1 +1 +2 +2
- Impact on third countries 0 +1 +2 +1
Environmental impacts
0 0 +2 +1
Efficiency
- Administrative costs and cost/benefit
effectiveness
- Practical of technical feasibility
0 +1 +3 +1
EFFECTIVENESS
In terms of effectiveness in achieving the objectives, PO2 and PO3 are equally effective with
regard to the achievement of SOs 1, 2 and 3, having either a significantly or moderately
positive impact on facilitating different aspects of international recruitment. Although PO3,
covering all occupations, is expected to result slightly more matches than PO2, the open nature
of this PO would have a moderate adverse effect on the overall quality of the matches in
comparison to PO2. Concentrating tools and personalised support on occupations of the EU
67
and national relevance under PO2 would guarantee the highest concentration of matches in the
key areas for the EU twin transition and future prosperity as well as the strategic labour market
needs relevant for the Member States. At the same time a subset of employers whose job
vacancies are not of the EU and national relevance would not be able to use the Talent Pool
under PO2. Lastly, PO2 is the only PO that would incentivise cooperation on migration with
third countries (SO3), by providing a platform supporting effective implementation of the
Talent Partnerships that, in turn, would better engage key partner countries on migration
management. PO1 is the least effective in view of its limited scale and functionalities that can
be developed by using a non-legislative instrument.
In terms of economic impacts, PO1 is estimated to have a small positive impact, in view of its
limited coverage. PO2 and PO3 would both have a comparable medium positive impact but for
different reasons. Both POs would guarantee to employers, in particular SMEs, access to a
wider pool of candidates, tools facilitating recruitment, information and personalised support
that would result in an increased number of recruitments. However, in comparison to PO2,
PO3 would have a slightly higher number of matches which would result in additional wages.
As a result, PO3 is estimated to have an higher contributibution to GDP than PO2. PO3. On the
other hand, PO2, in view of its targeted nature, would guarantee better quality of candidates
whose profile is more aligned with priorities of Member States labour migration system and
the EU strategic interests like the twin transition and future prospeirty.
As regards social and fundamental rights impacts, PO1 would have small positive social
impacts. Both PO2 and PO3 would have medium positive impact on employers, EU citizens
and TCNs. They would increase moderately the number of TCNs that could fill in the EU
skills and shortages that employers are facing, while not increasing substantially the risk of
displacement of the EU citizens and positively impacting social cohesion. Both PO2 and PO3
are also equal in terms of reducing the risk of unfair recruitment. PO 2 has nevertheless the
highest positive impact on third countries given its link with Talent Partnerships.
With regard to environmental impacts, PO2 scores the highest among the assessed POs as it
focuses on sectors and occupations of the EU and national relevance, hence also those linked
to the green transition. Targeted advertising and concentrating the EU Talent Pool resources on
facilitating recruitment of TCNs in those occupations, would increase number of “green”
occupations being filled by TCNs. Despite the fact that PO3 would result in higher number of
matches in absolute terms, its lack of focus would not necessarily increase the number of
“green” occupations filled by TCNs.
EFFICIENCY
In terms of efficiency, PO2 guarantees the best cost/benefits ratio. In terms of governance costs
at the EU level, PO2 and PO3 are comparable. By contrast, the costs for national
administrations are higher under PO3 as more staff would be needed in the NCPs in view of
the EU Talent Pool open to all sectors and for the migration authorities to implement
mandatory fast-track migration procedures. In terms of IT costs, PO3 generates more costs as it
entails establishing a completely new IT system. As for PO1, it generates the lowest costs in
view of its limited scale and non-availability of advanced functionalities foreseen in PO2 and
PO3. At the same time, its also entails relatively small cost savings for employers and TCNs.
In addition, developing an online catalogue of profiles via a non-legislative instrument would
require a number of technical, legal and practical efforts which are disproportionate in
comparison with the limited benefits envisaged under this PO. As for costs savings, EU Talent
Pool under each POs would be free for users. Employers and business would be able to benefit
from time savings linked to the the time and efforts saved throughout the entire recruitment
process (difficult to quantify). Opportunity costs are also associated with both PO2 and PO3
(additional wages and revenue gain for using the Talent Pool). In addition, indirect benefits
68
linked to the additional GDP, fiscal contributions and increased remittances for third countries
are foreseen under each option. As those benefits result from the higher number of TCNs
working in the EU, they vary under each policy option according to the number of expected
successful matches. The table below provides an overview of how the different policy options
compare in terms of costs/benefits analysis.
Table 5: Overview of how the different policy options compare in terms of costs/benefits
analysis
Costs Benefits
Citizens Business Administrations EC Direct Indirect
PO1 n/a n/a Recurrent:
EUR 1 683 000
–
3 060 000
Recurrent:
EUR 3 078
633 – 3
086 514
One-off:
EUR 4 069
883 – 4
085 644
Time savings (non-
quantifiable): the time
and efforts saved
throughout the entire
recruitment process
GDP: EUR 235-260
million
Opportunity costs: n/a Fiscal contribution:
EUR 56-59 million
Cost-savings: n/a Remittances: EUR
44-46 million
PO2 n/a n/a Recurrent:
EUR 9 788 075
– 16 583 867
One-off:
EUR 2 672 400
– 4 175 625
Recurrent:
EUR 7 332
755 – 7
947 497
One-off:
EUR 6 722
056 – 6
804 539
Time savings (non-
quantifiable): the time
and efforts saved
throughout the entire
recruitment process
GDP: EUR 3.855-
4.255 billion
Opportunity costs:
o For employers:
EUR 3 132 195
000 – 3 265 111
000
o For TCNs: EUR 1
044 065 000 – 1
088 370 000
Fiscal contribution:
EUR 918-957 million
Cost-savings: EUR 74
500 000 – 77 700 000
Remittances: EUR
712-748 million
PO3 n/a n/a Recurrent:
EUR 82 786 925
– 101 588 945
One-off:
EUR 7 748 000
– 12 106 250
Recurrent:
EUR 10
390 001 –
11 448 318
One-off:
EUR 10
275 409 –
10 647 243
Time savings (non-
quantifiable) : the time
and efforts saved
throughout the entire
recruitment process
GDP: EUR 3.968-
4.458 billion
Opportunity costs:
o For employers:
EUR 3 224 658
000 – 3 421 143
000
o For TCNs: EUR 1
074 886 000 – 1
140 380 000
Fiscal contribution:
EUR 945 million – 1
billion
Cost-savings: EUR 76
725 000-81 400 000
Remittances: EUR
739-784 million
COHERENCE
69
All three POs would be in line with both EU migration as well as social and economic policies.
They would contribute to the European Year of Skills as a key component of the package on
talent mobility.
8. PREFERRED OPTION
After the assessment of the impacts, effectiveness and efficiency of the POs, as well as
stakeholders’ acceptance the preferred option is PO2. This option is the one that the most
effectively addresses the problem drivers as well as the associated costs and impacts, and
achieves the objectives of the initiative in the best way. This option is the most economically
convenient to reach the objectives of this initiative.
The preferred option notably includes the development of a voluntary tool for interested
Member States with a targeted approach focusing on certain occupations of EU and national
relevance with specific facilitations for Talent Partnerships. The EU Talent Pool platform
would integrate specific tools to facilitate the identification and matching, while benefitting
from re-using of certain EURES IT components. The visual below provides an overview of the
functioning of the preferred PO.
Figure 4: Overview of the functioning of the preferred policy option
* The boxes in grey indicate the governance structure, those in blue the user journey while the orange identify the main
functionalities of the tool.
The targeted nature of this PO would allow to develop a strategic approach to the EU labour
market needs. The identification of occupations of EU and national relevance would enable to
specifically target occupations suffering from structural labour and skills shortages where there
is an actual need to attract TCNs from abroad. This PO would allow to address shortages at all
skills levels. The list of relevant occupations would be identified on the basis of the national
shortages occupations lists hence taking into account Member States’ national, and regional
specific needs. Therefore, the preferred policy option would have a particularly positive impact
70
on strategic sectors suffering from structural shortages such as the healthcare sector and
sectors linked to the green and digital transition.
The voluntary approach would provide a tool facilitating international recruitment at disposal
of interested Member States. This initiative does not aim at imposing any obligation on
Member States nor orienting their talent attraction policies but rather offering additional
support at EU level as this would not be achieved effectively by the Member States
individually.201
Hence, Member States would be able to maintain their tools in place and
complement them with the new platform. The preferred option would be particularly
beneficial for Member States suffering from the greatest labour and skills shortages and
having a declining working age population.
In addition, the targeted nature of this initiative requiring a pre-screening of the candidates’
profiles, would allow to achieve the general objective to a greater extent. In particular, while
contributing to addressing labour and skills shortages the preferred option would provide for
quality profiles, therefore favouring quality of profiles over quantity.202
Making the EU Talent Pool the tool for job placements in the context of the Talent
Partnerships would facilitate the implementation of this initiative and, hence, indirectly
contribute to the overall migration management by incentivising cooperation with third
countries on migration.
Overall the preferred PO would benefit employers and TCNs as it would make international
recruitment faster, easier and more effective. Those benefits are mainly linked to time-savings
across the various steps of the recruitment process. In addition, as cost savings for employers
would result from the fact that the new platform would be free to use for business. A detailed
description of the benefits for employers and TCNs is provided in Annexes 3 and 10.
While this PO would imply costs linked to the development and management of the platform
both at EU and national level, re-using certain IT elements of EURES would allow higher
saving in terms of resources. In addition, synergies with EURES would allow to build on the
well- established expertise of this network on recruitment procedures.
The use of a legislative option would allow to include appropriate safeguards and ensure
transparency and accountability on fundamental rights protection, in particular with
regard to protection of personal data and the risk of exploitative working conditions. This is
particularly important considering the specific risk of vulnerability when TCNs are concerned.
8.1 REFIT (simplification and improved efficiency)
The preferred option is not expected to result in any simplification of a regulatory burden.
8.2 One in, one out approach
The ‘one in, one out’ approach refers to the principle whereby each legislative proposal
creating new burdens should relieve people and businesses of an equivalent existing burden at
EU level in the same policy area. The preferred option is not expected have any new or
removed administrative burden on businesses and citizens.
201
Member States acting alone, may not be able to compete internationally for third-country workers. This is even more
apparent for smaller Member States facing greater difficulties in attracting TCNs from abroad due to their limited
visibility, and resource limitations.
202
The use of profile building (e.g. Europass) and automatic matching tools coupled with the personalised assistance by
the NCPs would further go in this direction. Similarly, the preferred option would mitigate the risk of unfair
recruitment and avoid mismatches and overqualification. While these tools are also included under PO3, the
targeted nature of PO2 would allow to better focus resources and expertise to ensure better quality of matches
therefore building employers and TCNs trust on the tool and making it more effective (e.g. better support NCPs and
more precise automatic matching tool).
71
9. HOW WILL ACTUAL IMPACTS BE MONITORED AND EVALUATED?
The actual impacts of the preferred option will be monitored and evaluated against the specific
objectives. Indicators will be defined in the legislative act foreseen according to the preferred
option. Data will be collected using a wide range of sources including already existing ones
(e.g. Eurostat, Cedefop). Existing sources and databases would allow to monitor current trends
in relation to the labour market situation and migration flows. A clear understanding of the
actual labour market needs and TCNs workers would enable to efficiently adapt the EU Talent
Pool over time (e.g. modifying the list of occupations of EU and national relevance). New data
will be collected via the new IT platform as well as information provided by the National
Contact Points (e.g. number of registered CVs and job vacancies, successful matches, etc).
This would allow to monitor the effectiveness and success of the initiative in achieving the
specific objectives.
The following table presents a series of headline indicators that could be used to measure the
achievement of each of the objectives under the preferred option.
Table 6: Indicators to measure the achievement of the specific objectives
Objective Indicators Data sources
GO 1. No. of unfilled vacancies by occupation in each MS 1. EURES Report, Cedefop Skills
forecast, Eurofound Report
2. No. of visa and work permits issues for employment purposes 2. Eurostat and Europop
3. No. of TCNs registered to the EU Talent Pool 3. Data extracted from the platform
4. Percentage of TCNs registered successfully pre-screened 4. Data extracted from the platform
SO 1 1. Length of the recruitment procedure via the EU Talent Pool 1. Survey to users
2. Facilitation measures in place in the Member States 2. Information from NCPs
3. Percentage of successful matches 1. Survey to users and NCPs
SO 2 1. Usefulness of online information provision on recognition procedures 1. Data on usage online information
extracted the platform
2. No jobseekers and employers that obtained personalised support by
NCPs on recognition procedures
2. Survey to users
SO 3 1. Usefulness of online information provision on immigration procedures 1. Data on usage online information
extracted from the platform
2. No jobseekers and employers that obtained personalised support by
NCPs on immigration procedures
2. Survey to users
SO 4 1. No. of MS and third countries involved in Talent Partnerships 1. National authorities
2. No of TCNs participating in the Talent Partnerships 2. National authorities
3. No. of registered TCNs in the context of a Talent Partnership 3. Liaison officers
4. No of successful matches in the context of a Talent Partnership 4. Survey to TCNs registered in the
context of a Talent Partnerships
72
ANNEX 1
PROCEDURAL INFORMATION
1. Identification of the lead DG:
DG Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) is the lead DG with DG for Employment,
Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) associated to the initiative.
2. Organisation and timing
The New Pact on Migration and Asylum of 23 September 2020203
committed to ‘further
explore an EU Talent Pool for third-country skilled workers which could operate as an EU-
wide platform for international recruitment’.
The Skills and Talent Package204
launched in April 2022, sets out a new approach to legal
migration aimed at attracting and retaining talent to foster growth and innovation. The Package
includes a number of proposals to develop an ambitious and sustainable EU legal migration
policy. As part of these proposals, the Commission announced the development of an EU
Talent Pool.
The Commission launched the EU Talent Pool Pilot205
in October 2022 to help integrate
people fleeing Ukraine into the EU labour market. The EU Talent Pool will take into account
the lessons learned from this Pilot.
The need to attract the right skills to the EU was also mentioned by President von der Leyen in
her 2022 State of the Union206
where the European Year of Skills207
was announced as an
opportunity to make Europe more attractive for skilled workers.
The EU Talent Pool will contribute to the European Year of Skills and will be a key
component of the initiative included in the European Commission’s Package on talent
mobility (Commission’s work programme for 2023208
).
The Call for evidence209 providing an overview of the initiative and envisaged policy options
was published on 16 of February 2023 and remained open for feedback until 16 March 2023 (a
detailed assessment of the feedback received is provided in Annex 2).
The Impact Assessment report (IA report) is based on a number of studies and existing
literature, reports and background research. A study from an external contractor was launched
in March 2023 to inform the IA report.
In addition, extensive targeted consultations were conducted in the context of this initiative
between March and June 2023.
Previous consultations were also taken into account in the preparation of the IA report.
In particular, the input collected during the Public consultation on legal migration carried out
in 2020 was considered210
. In addition, extensive consultations were conducted with relevant
203
COM(2020)609 final.
204
COM/2022/657 final.
205
https://eures.ec.europa.eu/eu-talent-pool-pilot_en.
206
https://state-of-the-union.ec.europa.eu/state-union-2022_en.
207
Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Year of Skills 2023,
COM/2022/526 final https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0526.
208
COM(2022)548 final.
209
EU Talent Pool (europa.eu).
73
stakeholders in the context of the OECD feasibility study on the Talent Pool211
, finalised in
June 2022, and the preparatory work to the Skills and Talent Package.
The EU Talent Pool was also recently assessed in the European Economic and Social
Committee (EESC) and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR)’s opinions on the
Skills and Talent Package.212
In addition, recommendations on the EU Talent Pool were
included in the two resolutions on legal migration of the European Parliament213
.
Inter-Service Steering Group
The Inter-service Steering Group (ISG) was set up by the Secretariat-General to assist in the
preparation of the initiative as part of the wider Package on talent mobility. A specific
subgroup on the EU Talent Pool was created. The representatives of the following
Directorates-General participated in the ISG work: BUDG, CNECT, COMM, EAC, ECFIN,
EEAS, EMPL, ESTAT, GROW, JUST, JRC, INTPA, MOVE, NEAR, REFORM, REGIO,
RTD, SANTE, TRADE, SG and the Legal Service. The ISG met two times, on 18 January
2023 and 15 June 2023. Written consultations within the ISG were conducted three times (on
the Inception and Final report of the external contractor as well as on the IA report).
The first ISG meeting of 18 January 2023214
introduced the policy initiative and the expected
timeline. A presentation of the Call for Evidence, Consultation Strategy and Terms of
Reference was provided. The presentation highlighted the main problems and challenges
identified as well as the corresponding objectives that the initiative aims to achieve.
The second ISG on 15 June 2023215
meeting reported on the progress of the preparation of the
abovementioned package, to be adopted in the context of the European Year of Skills. The
interim report of the study feeding into the Impact Assessment was presented, followed by a
tour de table to discuss the main comments. Participants were given the possibility to share
written comments in a later stage.
In addition, the ISG participants were consulted five times:
210
The public consultation was launched in the framework of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum on 23 September
2020, and was open until 30 December. This public consultation aimed to identify areas where the EU framework on
legal migration could be further improved, including through possible new legislation. It also covered the EU Talent
Pool. In particular, questions relevant for the establishment of an EU Talent Pool were included (4 out of 13
questions). Questions concerned the identification of occupations in which the EU will mostly need to recruit third-
country nationals in the coming years, the main objectives the EU Talent Pool should achieve and possible
admission criteria to the EU Talent Pool, with a final open question on how to improve the EU legal migration
policy. The consultation also allowed participants to submit a position paper.
211
An EU Talent Pool - OECD. The consultations conducted in the framework of the OECD feasibility study included
relevant public and private sector actors, at the European, national and regional level, as well as academics and
experts. Public sector actors included relevant ministries, regional entities, national talent attraction initiatives, and
employment services. Private sector actors included employer representatives, multinational enterprises, unions,
recruitment agencies. European Commission services, competent EU agencies and entities managing or contributing
to European existing pools were also consulted.
212
EESC Opinion on Legal Migration –Skills and Talent Package, SOC/733, 26 October 2022 and CoRs Opinion on
Legal Migration – Attracting Skills and Talent to the EU, CIVEX-VII/0171 December 2022.
213
European Parliament resolution of 20 May 2021 on new avenues for legal labour migration and European Parliament
resolution of 25 November 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on legal migration policy and law
(2020/2255(INL)).
214
Participants: SG, HOME, EMPL, GROW, RTD, SANTE, MOVE, INTPA, BUDG, SJ, REFORM, NEAR, TRADE,
ECFIN, ESTAT, EAC.
215
Participants: SG, HOME, EMPL, GROW, RTD, SANTE, MOVE, INTPA, BUDG, SJ, REFORM, NEAR, TRADE,
ECFIN, ESTAT, CNECT, EAC, EEAS, JRC, JUST.
74
- Following the ISG meeting of 18 January 2023, ISG representatives were invited to
provide written comments on the Call for Evidence and Consultation Strategy, and the
Terms of Reference for the study supporting the Impact Assessment;
- On 27 March 2023, the Inception Report submitted by the contractor was shared with
the ISG representatives and they were invited to provide comments;
- On 5 June 2023, the Interim Report submitted by the external contractor was shared
with ISG representatives and they were invited to provide written comments;
- On 4 August 2023, the ISG representatives were consulted in writing on the Final
Report submitted by the external contractor;
- On 28 August 2023, the finalised IA report was shared to the ISG for written
contributions prior submission to the RSB.
Bilateral meetings with other Commission services
Furthermore, DG HOME has held a number of bilateral meetings with several Commission
services including with DG EMPL, LS, GROW, SG and SJ. As DG EMPL is associated to the
initiative, recurrent bilateral meetings between DG HOME and DG EMPL were organised to
ensure close cooperation in the preparation of the initiative.
On 5 May 2023, a joint meeting with HOME, SG, LS, EMPL, GROW, EAC and BUDG, was
organised to discuss key aspects for the design of the initiative.
External meetings and consultations
The initiative touches upon different policy areas including, migration, employment and
recognition of qualifications related aspects. Therefore, extensive consultations were
conducted with a wide range of stakeholders and experts from different backgrounds. Meetings
and ad-hoc consultations with EU institutions and agencies, international organisation,
Member States, expert groups, high-level groups, think tanks, and civil society were organised.
A full overview of the consultations conducted is available in Annex 2.
3. Consultation of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board
On 8 September 2023, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs submitted the draft
Impact Assessment to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, which examined the draft Impact
Assessment on 27 September 2023 The Board issued a positive opinion with reservations on
28 September 2023. The Board pointed to a number of elements of the impact assessment that
should be addressed. The table below summarises the main recommendations for
improvement, and how they have been addressed in this Impact Assessment report.
Main
recommendations
for improvement
Modifications in the IA report
1. Better describe
the expected
practical
functioning of the
EU Talent Pool
platform, in
particular with
regard to its links
• The description of the policy options has been improved by
providing further details and clarifications on the practical
functioning of the EU Talent Pool platform, in particular with regard
to the voluntary nature of the tool, the identification of the targeted
occupations, the role of the national authorities, the platform’s IT
components and its interoperability with the national systems, the
registration, the screening and the validation of jobseekers profiles
as well as the personalised support provided by the National Contact
75
with the Talent
Partnerships.
Points.
• The interlinks between the EU Talent Pool and the Talent
Partnerships has been clarified in the report. To this purpose,
additional background information on the current state of play of the
Talent Partnerships has been included. In addition, it was further
explained how the EU Talent Pool would articulate with the Talent
Partnerships and which specific features are foreseen to this end. It
was clarified that the EU Talent Pool would not constitute the only
way to implement the Talent Partnerships and Member States
participating in a Talent Partnership would not be required to use
this tool for job placements.
2. Clarify the
assumptions
behind the gradual
participation of the
interested Member
States.
• A detailed explanation of the expected uptake of the initiative by
the Member States has been included in the report. In particular, it
was clarify that while the initiative would be designed to be
attractive as many Member States as possible, it is likely that their
participation would be a gradual process with only some Member
States joining in the first years of operation and a progressive
increase expected in the long run. The assumptions behind this
consideration have been clarified in the report further information
on the consultations with Member States was included.
• In order to provide a clear and realistic assessment of costs and
impacts which are dependent on the uptake of the initiative it was
assumed that a minimum of 11 Member States and a maximum of
20 Member States would participate in the EU Talent Pool. A
range of costs and impacts estimated under each scenario has been
included in the assessment of each policy option.
3. Better highlight
the EU added
value of the EU
Talent Pool
platform and how
it would provide
support to Member
States, including
with regard to
interoperability of
the EU Talent Pool
with the national
systems.
• The added value of the EU Talent Pool vis à vis existing initiatives
national and EU level aimed at addressing labour shortages has been
clarified and explained in more detailed in the report. To this
purpose a better overview of the similar initiatives at national level
was provided. It was clarified that the EU Talent Pool would address
remaining gaps where domestic workforce is insufficient to fully
address labour and skills shortages.
• In addition, it has been clarified the EU Talent Pool would
complement existing initiatives at national level by offering
additional support at EU level. Hence, Member States would be able
to maintain their tools in place and complement them with the new
platform. The interlinks between the EU Talent Pool and national
initiatives has been clarified also with regard to their
interoperability.
• Further information on the consultations conducted with the
Member States has been included as the added value of the EU
Talent Pool in supporting Member States to address labour and
skills shortages was widely acknowledged by the Member States.
4. Clarify how the
list of occupations
targeted by the EU
Talent Pool is
• A more detailed explanation on the identification of the list of
shortage occupations of Union relevance targeted by the EU Talent
Pool has been included in the report. In particular, the role of the
Member States and the relevant of shortage occupations identified at
76
established. national level was clarified.
5. Describe the
specific objectives
in SMARTer
terms.
• A clearer description of the specific objectives according to the
SMART terms has been included in the report. In particular, the
objectives have been further specified in more concrete terms, the
links with the general objective has been clarified and additional
explanations have been incorporated on how the fact that they are
realistically achievable, and time bound.
6. Better present
the costs and
benefits of all
options in the main
report and provide
further explanation
and evidence for
the estimates and
the assumptions
and their potential
evolution,
including as
regards to Member
States
participation.
• A detailed overview of the costs and direct and indirect benefits
under each policy option has been incorporated in the main report as
well as in the Annex.
• Additional explanation of the basis for these calculations and the
validation by the consulted stakeholders has been included together
with more detailed breakdown of costs.
• As mentioned above, ranges of costs and benefits have been
introduced to better clarify their variations depending on the number
of Member States participating in the initiatives and provide a
clearer overview of the expected evolution.
7. Provide a clearer
overview of all
impacts, costs and
benefits of all
options.
• A clearer comparison of all impacts, costs and benefits under each
option has been included in the main report to provide a better
assessment of each policy option’s effectiveness. Such an overview
of how the different policy options compared in terms of
costs/benefits analysis has been included in form of a table in the
main report. A more detailed assessment has been incorporated in
the Annex.
4. External consultant
An external contractor (RAMBOLL) has assisted DG HOME by conducting a study to support
the work on the Impact Assessment report. The call for proposals/tenders (?) for the study was
launched on 26 January 2023, two substantive bids were evaluated in February, leading to the
award decision in March 2023. Due to the tight timeframe the contractor and DG HOME have
worked on the same substance in parallel. The kick-off meeting for the study took place on 16
March 2023, an inception report was delivered on 24 March 2023 and a draft interim report on
4 April 2023. The final report for the first reviews cycles was submitted on 4 August 2023.
The table below provides a clear overview progress of the study to support the impact
assessment:
Meeting/Deliverable Proposed date/deadline
Call for proposal 26 January 2023
First meeting of the
Evaluation Committee on the
bids for the study
22 February 2023
77
Second meeting of the
Evaluation Committee on the
bids for the study
28 February 2023
Award decision and contract
signature
8 March 2023
Kick-off meeting 16 March 2023
Inception report 24 March 2023
Inception report meeting 4 April 2023
Inception report for
acceptance
7 April 2023
Interim report for review 2 June
Interim report meeting 15 June 2023
Interim report for
acceptance
28 June 2023
Final report for the first
review cycle
4 August 2023
Final report for the review
for the second review cycle
5 September 2023
Final report for acceptance 18 October 2023
Contract end date 8 November 2023
Evidence and Sources
The impact assessment was supported by a wide variety of sources and evidence collected
through desk research, a comprehensive literature review, inter-service cooperation, expert
consultations and focused group discussions. The Impact Assessment Report draws on
numerical estimates and calculations, as well as qualitative material such as expert opinions.
The following list represents an indicative selection, but by no means an exhaustive list of the
wide range of internal and publicly available sources used216
:
• European Migration Network (EMN), Report - The application of quotas in EU Member
States as a measure for managing labour migration from third countries EMN Inform - The
application of quotas in EU Member States as a measure for managing labour migration
from third countries, (2013), http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-
do/networks/european_migration_network/reports/docs/emn-studies/emn-
informs/emn_inform_application_of_quotas_en_version_final.pdf
216
Where explicitly used, this material is referenced in the Impact Assessment report. In other cases it served as
background material.
78
• European Migration Network (EMN), Study - Admitting Third-country National for
Business Purposes, (2015) https://ec.europa.eu/home-
affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/whatwe-
do/networks/european_migration_network/reports/docs/emnstudies/emn_study_admitting_
third_country_nationals_for_business_purposes_synthesi s_report_04may2015.pdf
• European Migration Network (EMN), Synthesis Report for the EMN Focused Study, Determining
Labour Shortages and the Need for Labour Migration from Third Countries in the EU, (2015),
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-
wedo/networks/european_migration_network/reports/docs/emnstudies/emn_labour_shortages_synt
hesis__final.pdf
• European Migration Network (EMN), Ad Hoc Query on Labour Market Test, (2021),
202117_ad-hoc_query_on_labour_market_test.pdf (europa.eu)
EU
• European Commission, Legal Migration Fitness Check Legal migration fitness check
(europa.eu).
• European Commission, A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age
Communication: A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age | European
Commission (europa.eu)
• European Commission, Harnessing Talent in Europe’s Regions, harnessing-talents-
regions_en.pdf (europa.eu)
• European Parliamentary Research Service, European added value of EU legal migration
policy and law, European Union, Brussels, (2021), https://www.ceps.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2021/09/EPRS_STUD_European-added-value-of-EU-legal-migration-
policyand- law.pdf;
UN/IMO
• UNDESA, Policy Brief on international migration, undesa_pd_2022_pb_146.pdf
• UNDESA, International Migrant Stock 2020, Dataset International Migrant Stock |
Population Division (un.org)
• IMO, Facts and Figures, Global Data and Research Migration Data and Research | IOM,
UN Migration
OECD
• OECD/EU, Recruiting Immigrant workers – Europe (2016), https://www.oecd-
ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/recruiting-immigrant-workers-europe-
2016_9789264257290-en
• OECD, The Community Preference Principle in Labour Migration Policy in the European
Union, (2016), https://doi.org/10.1787/5jlwxbzcfsq6-en.
• OECD, Making Integration Work: Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications,
(2017), https://www.oecd.org/publications/making-integration-work-assessment-and-
recognition-of-foreign-qualifications-9789264278271-en.htm
• OECD, Assessing the role of migration in European labour force growth by 2030, (2018),
https://doi.org/10.1787/6953a8ba-en
79
• OECD/EU, Building an EU Talent Pool, (2019), https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-
issues-migration-health/building-an-eu-talent-pool_6ea982a0-en
• OECD, The Expression of Interest Model: What Lessons for Migration Management in the
EU and elsewhere, (2019), https://www.oecd.org/migration/mig/migration-policy-debates-
18.pdf
• OECD, How do OECD countries compare in their attractiveness for talented migrants,
(2019), migration-policy-debates-19.pdf (oecd.org)
• OECD, Measuring and assessing talent attractiveness in OECD countries, (2019),
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/measuring-and-assessing-
talent-attractiveness-in-oecd-countries_b4e677ca-en
• OECD policy brief, How to make Labour Migration Management Future-Ready?, (2020)
https://www.oecd.org/migration/mig/migration-policy-debates-21.pdf
• OECD/EU, Feasibility Study on the Development of an EU Talent Pool, (2022),
https://www.oecd.org/migration/mig/Report-Feasibility-Study-on-the-Development-of-an-
EU-Talent-Pool-2022.pdf
• OECD, Talent Attractiveness in OECD countries: policy brief (2023), Talent
Attractiveness 2023 - OECD – Policy Brief: What is the best country for global talents in
the OECD?: [Title] (oecd.org)
Academic articles
• Abbritti, M. Consolo, A. Labour market skills, endogenous productivity and business
cycles (2022) ECB working paper 2651 Labour market skills, endogenous productivity and
business cycles (europa.eu)
• Botelho, V. Foroni, C. Renzetti, A. Labour at Risk (2023) ECB working paper 2840
Labour at risk (europa.eu)
• Gallup, World Poll on migration intentions and aspirations (2023) Nearly 900 Million
Worldwide Wanted to Migrate in 2021 (gallup.com)
• Gürtzgen, N. et al., Does online search improve the match quality of new hires?, (2021)
https://ftp.iza.org/dp14031.pdf.
• Judes, A. The EU is not as attractive to foreign jobseekers as other large markets, as
interest in working abroad recovers, Indeed Hiring Lab (2023) Despite the EU’s Efforts at
Attracting Foreign Workers, They’d Still Rather Go Elsewhere - Indeed Hiring Lab UK I
Ireland
• Navarra, C. and M. Fernandes, Legal migration policy and law: European added value
assessment, (2021),
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/694211/EPRS_STU(2021)69
421 1_EN.pdf
• Rasche, L., The EU Talent Pool An Opportunity for Skills-based Pathways to Protection,
(2021), Hertie School, Jacques Delors Centre, (2021), https://hertieschoolf4e6
Studies – Labour and skills shortages
• CEDEFOP, The green employment and skills transformation. Insights from a European
Green Deal skills forecast scenario, Luxembourg: Publications Office, 2021
80
• Eurofound, Changing labour markets - How to prevent a mismatch between skills and jobs
in times of transition - Background paper, Eurofound, Dublin, 2023
• European Commission, European Semester Spring Package (2023)
• CEDEFOP, The Green Employment and Skills Transformation (2021)
• ESDE, Employment and Social Developments in Europe (2023)
• LMWD, Labour Market and Wage Developments (2022)
• EUROFOUND, Business not as usual: How EU companies adapted to the COVID-19
pandemic (2021)
• EUROFOUND, Tackling Labour Shortage in EU Member States (2021)
• EUROFOUND, Measures to Tackle Labour Shortages: Lessons for future policy (2023)
• EIB, 2022/2023 Investment Report (2023) based on latest available data
• ECFIN, Monthly and Quarterly Business and Consumer Surveys (July 2023)
• ELA, 2022 EURES report on Labour shortages and surpluses (2023)
• ELA, 2022 Annual report on intra-EU labour mobility (2023) based on latest available data
(2021/2020)
Studies - Labour migration and labour market inclusion
• Ecotec Research and Consulting Limited, Admission of Third-country Nationals for Paid
Employment or Self-employed Activity, Study commissioned by the European
Commission DG Justice and Home Affairs, (2001), Luxembourg: Publications Office of
the European Union, ISBN 92-894-1689-0. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-
/publication/dac11f6b-e978-4502-8156-0b9e52911a23
• International Organization for Migration (IOM), Labour Market Inclusion of the Less
Skilled Migrants in the European Union, Platonova., A. and Urso, G., (Eds.), International
Organization for Migration: Brussels, (2012),
https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/labour_market_inclusion_in_eu.pdf
• European Commission, Study on Obstacles to Recognition of Skills and Qualifications,
Study for DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, (2017), Luxembourg:
Publications Office of the European Union, doi: 10.2767/351242.
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/156689fd-e922-11e6-ad7c-
01aa75ed71a1
• European Commission, Study on the movement of skilled labour: final report, (2018),
https://doi.org/10.2767/378144.
• European Commission, John McGrath, European Network of Public Employment Services,
PES Strategies and Activities on Skill Shortages, (2019),
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=89&furtherNews=yes&newsId=9458&langId=e
n
• JRC, Foreign Degrees, Region of Birth and Under-utilisation of Tertiary Education in the
EU, (2020),
81
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/foreign-degrees-region-birth-and-under-utilisation-
tertiary-education-eu
• European Commission, Molnár, T., J. Krekó and Á. Scharle, The role of PES in talent
recruitment from third countries - Publications Office of the EU, (2020), European
Commission, Brussels, https://doi.org/10.2767/972207.
• European Commission, European Network of Public Employment Services, Future skills,
career guidance and lifelong learning in PES, (2022), https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-
detail/-/publication/fa6af00f-eb86-11ec-a534-01aa75ed71a1/language-e.
• BusinessEurope, Analytical Note, Understanding shortage occupations and the potential of
third country migration in helping to address employers’ needs, (2022),
https://www.businesseurope.eu/publications/understanding-shortage-occupations-and-
potential-third-country-migration-helping
• Vandeplas, A., Vanyolos, I., Vigani, M., Vogel, L., The Possible Implications of the Green
Transition for the EU Labour Market, European Economy Discussion Paper 176, (2022),
https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/possible-implications-green-transition-
eu-labour-market_en.
• Kiss, A., Morandini, M.C., Turrini, A., Vandeplas, A.: Slack & Tightness: Making Sense
of Post COVID-19 Labour Market Developments in the EU, European Economy
Discussion Paper 178, (2022), https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-
12/dp178_en.pdf.
• European Commission, Strategic Foresight Report, 2023, pp. 8-9 2023, 2023 Strategic
Foresight Report (europa.eu)
Position Papers
• BusinessEurope, Recommendations for an EU Talent Pool, (2021),
https://www.businesseurope.eu/publications/businesseurope-recommendations-eu-talent-
pool-0;
• ETUC, Position on the European Commission ‘Skills and Talent Package’, (2022),
https://www.etuc.org/en/document/adopted-position-etuc-position-european-commission-
skills-and-talent-package;
• Hotrec, Legal migration package: one step to fight labour shortages, (2022),
Legal_migration_package-One-step-to-fight-labour-shortages.pdf (hotrec.eu)
82
ANNEX 2
STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
1. Consultation strategy
The objective of the Member States’ and stakeholders’ consultation was to collect their views
on the establishment of an EU Talent Pool. In particular, targeted consultations offered them
the opportunity to inform the Impact Assessment and, including with regard to the
development of policy options addressing the problems identified. Consultations covered a
number of elements relevant to the initiative, in particular issues related to international
recruitment and labour and skills shortages including the recognition of professional
qualifications of third country nationals, as well as the scope of application, governance and
possible functionalities of the future EU Talent Pool.
The consultations sought to collect inputs pertaining to:
(1) objective data, information, and evidence to feed into the Impact Assessment;
(2) views on the issues at stake and suggested EU involvement, as well as opinions, ideas and
concerns about possible solutions and impacts.
In preparing the initiative, Commission services carried out an initial mapping of primary
stakeholders, which include: (i) EU institutions and agencies; (ii) relevant authorities in the EU
Member States; (iii) networks of NGOs working at the EU level; (iv) subject-matter experts;
(v) economic and social partners; (vi) trade unions; (vii) international organisations and (vii)
employers’ associations.
Over the course of the consultation process, Commission services used a variety of methods
and forms of consultation, which included:
• Targeted consultations with stakeholders both independently and as part of the study
that supported the development of this Impact Assessment (e.g. specific dedicated
meetings with target groups, based on discussion papers/questionnaires and bilateral
meetings with interested parties);
• An opportunity for all interested parties to provide feedback on the Call for Evidence
via the Commission’s ‘Have your say’ platform.
A study to inform the Impact Assessment was commissioned to an external contractor by the
Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME). Additional
consultations and targeted surveys were conducted in this context. Detailed information on the
study is provided in Annex 1.
In addition, previous consultations were also taken into account in the preparation of the
Impact Assessment:
• A Public consultation on the future of legal migration was launched in the
framework of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum on 23 September 2020, and was
open until 30 December. This public consultation aimed to identify areas where the EU
framework on legal migration could be further improved, including through possible
83
new legislation. It also covered the EU Talent Pool. In particular, questions relevant for
the establishment of an EU Talent Pool were included (4 out of 13 questions).217
• Extensive consultations were conducted with relevant stakeholders in the context of the
OECD feasibility study on the Talent Pool218
, finalised in June 2022. The
consultations conducted in the framework of the OECD feasibility study included
relevant public and private sector actors, at the European, national, and regional level,
as well as academics and experts. Public sector actors included relevant ministries,
regional entities, national talent attraction initiatives, and employment services. Private
sector actors included employer representatives, multinational enterprises, unions,
recruitment agencies. European Commission services, competent EU agencies and
entities managing or contributing to European existing pools were also consulted.
• In the framework of the preparation of the Skills and Talent Package, targeted
consultations, including on the Talent Pool, were organised with Member States,
including Public Employment Services, and expert groups working migration related
aspects.
In light of the consultations already conducted, no dedicated public consultation took place in
the framework of this impact assessment.
To ensure a comprehensive assessment of this initiative targeted consultations were organised
in the first half of 2023. These consultations covered more technical questions compared to the
ones included in the public consultation and the OECD feasibility study.
This synopsis report presents a succinct overview and the conclusions of the consultations
undertaken in relation to the Impact Assessment on the EU Talent Pool. The main results are
summarised below and, where appropriate, referenced and taken into account in the Impact
Assessment report.
2. Overview of the consultations
2.1 Call for Evidence
The Call for Evidence providing a detailed explanation of the planned initiative was published
on 16 February 2023 (in all EU languages) on the website ‘Have Your Say’. It remained open
for feedback until 16 March 2023. A total of 45 stakeholders, including networks, umbrella
organisations, economic and social partners, local and regional authorities in the Member
States as well as EU citizens contributed evidence.
217
Questions concerned the identification of occupations in which the EU will mostly need to recruit third-country
nationals in the coming years, the main objectives the EU Talent Pool should achieve and possible admission criteria
to the EU Talent Pool, with a final open question on how to improve the EU legal migration policy. Respondents
considered that health professionals were the top shortage occupation (77% of responses) ; followed by personal care
workers (68% of responses), agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers (58%) and information and communications
technology professionals (51%). To the question on the main objectives, of the four measures proposed, respondents
rated highly the following objectives: "Helping retain highly skilled third-country nationals already legally residing
in the EU" (76% favourability), "Addressing the existing barriers to international recruitment" and "Involving
employers in labour migration schemes" (both with 75% favourability). Regarding the question on possible
admission criteria, a majority of respondents agreed that the EU should introduce rules allowing the admission of
third-country workers without a concrete job offer, permitting them to search for a job subject to certain conditions
(60% of responses). Concerning the question related to the improvement of the EU legal migration policy,
respondents suggested to enhance the information on legal pathways, systems to recognise professional
qualifications and validate professional skills acquired, and the support in the exchange of good practices.
218
The OECD feasibility study covered the assessment of three possible scenarios for the development of the EU Talent
Pool as well as the cost-benefit analysis for each version. The study assessed in detail the possible legal framework,
governance, scope of application as well as functionalities of the future EU Talent Pool.
84
Overall, 21 stakeholders, including non-profit organizations, trade unions, regional
governments, and EU citizens, expressed their support for the development and
implementation of the EU Talent Pool. The potential added value of the initiative in
addressing labour and skills shortages by facilitating international recruitment was
acknowledged. Among those supporting the initiative, the majority of the stakeholders
favoured the two legislative options and in particular the development of a voluntary tool
targeted to certain occupations of EU and national relevance. Several stakeholders
stressed the need of ensure appropriate protection of third country nationals against the risk
of unfair recruitment and exploitative working conditions. The need of ensuring protection of
personal data in developing such tool was also mentioned. The importance of building on
existing recruitment tools at EU and national level was highlighted, in particular with
regard to the need of ensuring interoperability. The involvement of economic and social
partners, especially trade unions and national and local authorities in the design and
implementation of the initiative was recommended. Conversely, 24 stakeholders (all EU
citizens) did not endorse adopting the EU Talent Pool.
A detailed summary of the feedbacks received is provided below in Section 3.1. An extensive
overview of the position of the economic and social partners is provided in Section 3.3.
2.2 Targeted consultations conducted by the Commission
Between March and June 2023, the Commission organised extensive targeted consultations to
inform the Impact Assessment on the EU Talent Pool. These consultations were conducted by
organising bilateral meetings and focus groups. A discussion document with a questionnaire
was shared with the participants of each consultation activity in order to allow them to provide
written contribution if deemed necessary. Additional stakeholders were consulted in writing.
The table below provides an overview of the consultation’s activities organised (both meetings
and written consultations).
The outcome of the consultations is summarised in Section 3.3.
Consultation
activity
Short description
Meetings
European Qualifications
Framework Advisory
Group
This meeting took place on 1 March 2023. The Commission
presented the EU Talent Pool initiative, and participants were
invited to express their views with regard to the scope and main
features of the Talent Pool.
Group of Coordinators
on Recognition of
Qualifications
This meeting was held on 8 March 2023. The Commission
presented the EU Talent Pool to the Member States
representatives and invited them to express their views on key
aspects of the initiative, in particular those related to recognition
of qualifications obtained in third countries.
Advisers for European
Public Employment
Services (AFEPAs)
This meeting took place on 10 March 2023. During the meeting,
the Commission consulted the Public Employment Services
representatives from the Member States on the key elements for
the design of the EU Talent Pool, including international
recruitment and labour shortages related aspects.
EMN Talent Pool This meeting was held on 21 March 2023. The group was
85
Working Group established in April 2022 within the EMN framework to support
the development of the EU Talent Pool and the pilot initiative. It
brings together Member States representatives from the
immigration and employment authorities as well as economic
and social partners. In its first phase, the group mainly focused
on the development of the EU Talent Pool Pilot. Following the
launch of the Pilot in October 2022, the Commission has
resumed its discussions on the development of the EU Talent
Pool proper. In view of the new initiative, an ad hoc meeting on
the EU Talent Pool proper development was already held in
November 2022 to provide participants with preliminary
information on the envisaged proposal. The roundtable of 21
March 2023 focused on number of key aspects for the design of
the EU Talent Pool (scope of application, pre-screening and
validation process, components and functionalities, and
governance structure). Economic and social partners were also
consulted in this context.
Resettlement Network -
Roundtable on
Complementary
Pathways
The meeting was held on 23 March 2023. DG HOME presented
the EU Talent Pool and potential synergies that could be
explored with complementary pathways. Participants (Member
States representatives, international organisations (IOM and
UNHCR) and NGOs) shared their experience with recruitment
of people in need of international protection and displaced in
third-countries.
Meeting with SkillLab The meeting was held on 31 March 2023. SkillLab is a software
company based in Amsterdam, established in 2018, with a focus
on supporting marginalized job seekers in entering the job
market and creating social impact. They address market
challenges such as recognizing skills for migrants and refugees,
limited labour market information, and the lack of
interconnected platforms for skilled mobility. SkillLab shared
valuable insights on the market challenges and provided a
comprehensive overview of their company and the
functionalities of their tool, information relevant for the
development of an EU Talent Pool.
Focus group with the
European Training
Foundation (ETF),
Cedefop, and European
Labour Authority (ELA)
This focus group was held on 21 April 2023. The meeting aimed
at consulting ETF, Cedefop, and ELA on the development of an
EU Talent Pool on the basis of their expertise on several aspects
including, recruitment processes, labour and skill shortages,
transparency and comparability of qualifications obtained in
third countries.
European Council of
Refugees and Exiles
(ECRE)
The meeting was held on 24 April 2023. The Commission
presented the EU Talent Pool initiative and participants were
consulted on the main components of the EU Talent Pool as
well as its potential contribution to complementary pathways.
Expert Group on the
Views of Migrants
The meeting was held on 27 April 2023. The Expert Group on
the views of migrants is composed of 24 experts, most of whom
have a migrant background, and selected on the basis of their
86
experience in the field of migration, integration and asylum or
as representatives of organisations representing the interest of
migrants at local, national or EU level. The experts were
consulted on the amin aspects of the initiative, in particular with
regard to the added value for third country nationals’ interest in
working in the EU.
Consultations with the
European Labour
authority (ELA)
Several meetings were organised with ELA given its experience
in managing the EURES network facilitating intra-EU
recruitment. In view of ELA’s expertise on the recruitment
processes, the matching platform and national level
implementation, the authority was extensively consulted to
design the governance and main functionalities of the initiatives,
as well as to estimate potential costs.
Expert Group on
Economic Migration
(EGEM)
This meeting took place on 4 May 2023. The Commission
presented the EU Talent Pool, and participants were invited to
share their perspectives on several issues related to international
recruitment and labour shortages as well as immigration
procedures in the Member States. Economic and social partners
were also consulted in this context.
IOM Private Sector
Consultation on the EU
Talent Pool
This meeting was held on 15 May 2023, and it aimed at
discussing the current labour and skills shortages in the EU and
the EU Talent Pool initiative together with actors from the
private sector.
Meeting with the
International Labour
Organisation (ILO)
The Commission consulted with the ILO on 25 May 2023, on
key aspects for the design of the EU Talent Pool, including
labour shortages, fair recruitment, and recognition of
qualifications and skills.
NARICs Network
Meeting
This meeting took place on 25 May 2023. The Commission
presented the initiative of the EU Talent Pool, consulting the
ENIC-NARICs Network on their role and responsibilities on
recognition and validations of skills and qualifications in the
Member States as well as best practices. The NARIC Network
was also consulted in the context of a targeted survey conducted
by the external contractor.
Strategic Dialogue with
Civil Society
Organisations
The meeting was held on 30 May 2023. Civil society
organisations were consulted on the initiative and provided their
views on relevant aspects including the provision of information
and support to third country nationals in the recruitment process.
EU Legal migration
Practitioners’ Network
This meeting was held on 31 May 2023. This expert group is an
EU-level network of practitioners in the field of legal migration
composed of associations of legal practitioners and individual
experts from EU Member States applying the legal migration
acquis. The European Commission presented the proposal for an
EU Talent Pool and participants provided feedback to the
initiative. The study team joined the meeting and collected
information on the views of participants.
87
European Labour
Migration Platform
The European Labour Migration Platform meeting was held on
21-22 June 2023 to specifically consult Member States
representatives from employment and migration authorities on
the EU Talent Pool initiative. The two-day meeting covered
several aspects ranging from the governance structure, the scope
of application of the initiatives, the role of the national
authorities and immigration procedures as well as the links of
the EU Talent Pool with Talent Partnerships and complementary
pathways.
Dedicated hearing with
Social Partners
The meeting was held on 29 June 2023. Given their key role in
the policies covered by the initiative, social partners were
extensively consulted on the main components of the EU Talent
Pool.
Written consultations
Council Employment
Committee (EMCO)
The Committee was consulted in writing on the key elements of
the initiative and its added value in addressing labour shortages.
European Union Agency
for Fundamental Rights
(FRA)
The FRA was invited to share its views on key elements of the
initiative, in particular with regard to third country nationals’
fundamental rights protection as well as protection of personal
data processed by the EU Talent Pool.
2.3. Consultations conducted by the external contractor in the context of the study
2.3.1 Surveys to employers and third country nationals
1. Survey to employers
The external contractor conducting the study to inform the Impact Assessment conducted a
survey to employers. The purpose of the survey with EU employers was to assess the main
challenges faced by employers in international recruitment. It also allowed to assess their
potential interest to participate in the EU Talent Pool. Employers provided their views on the
main elements to design the policy options.
The survey targeted companies or company branches based in 10 Member States. Small and
medium enterprises, as well as large enterprises were covered. The table below presents an
overview of the respondents to the survey.
Country No. of
respondents
% Size of the
company
(n. of
employees)
No. of
respondents
%
Estonia 4 4% Less than 10 7 7%
Finland 7 7% 10-49 22 21%
France 15 14% 50-249 35 34%
Germany 15 14% 250 or more 40 38%
88
Greece 1 1% Total 104 100%
Italy 13 13%
Lithuania 3 3%
Netherlands 15 14%
Poland 10 10%
Spain 12 12%
Total 104 100%
2. Survey to third country nationals
The external contractor conducting the study to inform the Impact Assessment conducted a
survey to third country nationals. The purpose of the survey to third-country nationals (TCNs)
was two-fold: (1) to assess the barriers faced by TCNs in international recruitment, thus
feeding in the problem definition; and (2) to assess the specific features of the EU Talent Pool
to design the policy options. TCNs residing outside the EU as well as TCNs already residing in
the Member States were consulted.
The questionnaire was structured around the following topics: attitude to move (only for TCNs
residing in third countries), barriers to employment in the EU, and relevance of the EU
initiative.
The external contractor selected certain third countries for the survey to TCNs based on the
size of the skilled migrant population (also considering Blue Card holders’ origin) and the
specific relationship with the EU (i.e., the country is a candidate country for joining the EU,
the country participates to a Talent Partnership, or is an EU Neighbourhood country). For the
survey to TCNs already located in the EU, four Member States were covered: Belgium (2),
Denmark (1), Estonia (7) and Sweden (11).
TCN in source country TCN in the EU
National
ity
No. of
responde
nts
% National
ity
No. of
responde
nts
%
United
Kingdom 91 11%
United
Kingdom 6 29%
Albania 102 13% Russia 4 19%
Morocco 99 12% Pakistan 1 5%
Banglade
sh 97 12% Turkey 1
5%
Pakistan 101 13%
Argentin
a 1
5%
Turkey 99 12% China 1 5%
Canada 83 10%
Colombi
a 1
5%
89
Other
<2% 36 4% India 1
5%
Total 808
100
% Nigeria 1
5%
Philippin
es 1
5%
United
States 1
5%
Uganda 1 5%
North
Macedon
ia 1
5%
Total 21
100
%
2.3.2 Ad-hoc data surveys
The external contractor conducting the study to inform the Impact Assessment also ran two ad-
hoc surveys. The purpose of ad-hoc surveys was to gather targeted inputs from selected
relevant stakeholders.
The first one targeted EURES National Coordination Offices (NCOs) and aimed at
gathering more information on the staff and budget allocation across NCOs activities. This was
necessary to provide a baseline for estimations on the potential costs associated with the
creation of National Contact Points under the EU Talent Pool framework.
The second survey targeted national representatives of the NARIC network. The aim of this
mini survey was to gather inputs and information on validation and recognition procedures
across Member States and associated costs and length.
Stakeholder category Stakeholder type No. of respondents
Representatives in the
Member States
EURES NCOs 20
NARIC national
representatives
14219
2.3.3 Broad stakeholder survey
The purpose of the broad stakeholder survey was to gather insights on the views of
stakeholders on the problem and its drivers, and to collect cost data and stakeholder views on
the impact of the policy measures and options and the potential magnitude for the assessment
of impacts. The survey was disseminated to all stakeholders by the study team. The survey was
distributed to 166 stakeholders, out of which 20 stakeholders (mainly associations) were also
asked to distribute the survey to other relevant stakeholders and colleagues (snowballing
219
Including three NARICs for Belgium.
90
technique). The table below provides an overview of the types of stakeholders who responded
to the survey past the profiling section of the questionnaire.
Stakeholder
category
Stakeholder type No. of respondents
Public bodies:
International level
International level public body 2
Public bodies:
National level
National level network 2
National level public body 23
Local level public body 1
Private sector Private sector organisation 5
Civil society /
representative
organisations
Non-governmental organisation /
civil society network or
organisation
14
Business association 2
EU level network 1
Trade union 2
Other Academia / research institution 3
Other220
2
Total 57
A detailed summary is provided in Section 3.3.
3. Summary results of the consultations
3.1 Feedbacks to the Call for Evidence
Organisation Short description
EPSU (European Public
Service Union)
The federation did not fully support the EU Talent Pool in its
current form due to a number of elements and advocates for: i)
the involvement of social partners and trade union in the
governances structure and their consultation in the design of
the initiative; ii) an enhanced role of the trade unions due to
the particular risk of labour exploitation and discriminations
faced by migrant workers; iii) a broader approach on the causes
and solutions to labour shortages as they are not necessarily
related to the lack of skilled workers (e.g labour shortages in
healthcare are mainly due to poor pay and working conditions
and years of underinvestment, as was revealed by the Covid-19
pandemic).
220
One lawyer and one judge in the area of migration and asylum.
91
Ceemet The organisation supports the initiative of adopting an EU
Talent Pool via legislative action as this will facilitate the
recruitment of skilled workers from abroad in a targeted
manner, to address labour shortages and support the EU’s
transition towards a green and digital economy. Ceemet agrees
with the Commission´s analysis on the challenges to
international recruitment. Ceemet is in favour of the two
legislative alternatives. Targeting the EU Talent Pool to
certain occupations and having a voluntary system is
considered the best option in the short term. While an open
Talent Pool would be the optimal solution in the long run.
Ceemet also welcomes the possibility of upgrading and
modernizing the EU immigration portal and organising job
matching events. Interoperability with existing systems
should be ensured.
DGB (German Trade
Union Confederation)
The DGB advocates for a holistic and differentiated approach
to the problem of skills shortages. For this reason, skills and
labour shortages should be addressed in the first place through
qualification and improvement of working conditions. In
addition, considering existing national platform and EURES,
the Commission should assess the added value of the initiative.
The confederation supports the adoption of an EU Talent Pool
targeted to certain occupations and having a voluntary
nature. However, protection of third country nationals and
quality of job should be ensured (national contact points play a
central role in monitoring employers and job vacancies). In
addition, interoperability with existing systems and platforms
at EU and national level should be granted.
EDF (European Disability
Forum)
The organisation supports the adoption of a fully self-
standing and mandatory EU Talent Pool for all labour
migration purposes. This is seen as a valuable chance for the
EU to enhance its employment rates among individuals with
disabilities while simultaneously improving the accessibility
and inclusivity of the EU international recruitment procedures,
legal migration processes, and the overall labour market for all
workers. The platform should include the following measures:
1. Ensure equal treatment of persons with disabilities and apply
EU standards; 2. Ensure the recognition of the disability status
and eligibility for support of skilled workers with disabilities
when being recruited via the EU Talent Pool. 3. Promote
gender equality and diversity when recruiting skilled workers
from outside the EU (e.g. skilled workers with disabilities that
are particularly prone to exclusion from the labour market,
including women with disabilities, people with disabilities of
ethnic minorities, such as Roma, etc).
Region Västerbotten Region Västerbotten supports the adoption of the EU Talent
Pool, which is expected to streamline international recruitment,
addressing critical challenges such as demographic shifts and
skill scarcities in Northern Sweden. With some of Europe’s
92
lowest unemployment rates, local hiring to meet labour
demands is limited due to the existing employment of the local
populace. Therefore, an EU Talent Pool would help in
collaboratively retaining and attracting skilled workers,
meeting the diverse skill demands in Northern Sweden.
FH (Danish Trade Union
Confederation)
The confederation supports the adoption of the EU Talent
Pool, and the need to facilitate international recruitment as long
as it happens in areas where labour shortages exist and national
rules on third country nationals’ recruitment are complied with.
Equal treatment with regard to working conditions should be
ensured.
Region Jämtland
Härjedalen
Region Jämtland Härjedalen supports the adoption of an EU
Talent Pool, as companies and organisations operating in the
region have identified the lack of relevant skills as one of the
key barriers to growth.
ETUC (European Trade
Union Confederation)
The ETUC remains highly critical on the development of the
EU Talent Pool as it is considered as based on labour
migration models designed for employers. However, the ETUC
welcomes the call for evidence for further assessment. ETUC
highlighted the importance of ensuring appropriate governance
and accountability, including the involvement of trade
unions. The importance of ensuring migrant workers’ access
to decent and good quality jobs based on the principle of
equal treatment was mentioned. The Talent Pool may
support the implementation of the Talent Partnerships.
However, it needs to be carefully designed. In addition, the
Talent Pool could play a relevant role in ensuring
transparency and access to information to employers and
third country nationals. Appropriate support and measures to
avoid the risk of unfair recruitment should be in place. The
Talent Pool should consider the validation and recognition of
skills and qualifications, which is a practical barrier that
migrant workers experience. Workers’ skills and qualifications
should be valued, assessed and swiftly recognised, as
necessary, whether or not documentation is available. The
ETUC is on the view that the Talent Pool should be open to all
workers, across sectors and skills levels, and in a non-
discriminatory manner. Data protection considerations should
be taken into consideration.
HIAS Europe HIAS Europe supports the establishment of an EU Talent Pool
as a constructive approach to collaborating with partner
countries on migration management. It is essential that the
Talent Pool initiative provides effective legal migration
pathways for asylum seekers and refugees via
complementary labour pathways. The initiative should also
encompass information dissemination and outreach to refugee
and asylum seeking communities, efforts to develop their soft
and technical skills, and suitable preparation for the interview
93
and recruitment process. On the EU side, employers must be
well-informed about existing complementary pathways. The
initiative could improve recognition of qualifications in the
Member States. The Talent Pool initiative should be a tool for
mutually beneficial cooperation with partner countries.
PICUM (Platform for
International Cooperation
on Undocumented
Migrants)
The stakeholder supports the establishment of an EU Talent
Pool, underlining that regardless of the chosen policy approach
for its implementation, it is crucial for the Talent Pool to
minimise administrative burden for prospective workers,
foster ethical recruitment practices, and involve a wide array of
stakeholders, including civil society organisations, in its
formulation. The Talent Pool should become a reliable and up
to date source access to information for migrant workers. It
should not only promote ethical recruitment but also ensure
access to decent and dignified working conditions. The
initiative should be open to all candidates, across sectors and
skills levels, and in a non-discriminatory manner. Protection
of personal data should be ensured.
NSPA (Northern Sparsely
Populated Areas)
The organisation supports the adoption of the EU Talent Pool;
however, it recommends that the initiative is open to unskilled
jobs as well, recognising the necessity for a comprehensive
workforce solution. Additionally, it emphasises the importance
of respecting the specificities of each EU Member State,
aligning with other EU initiatives, and minimising
administrative complexities. The aim is to ensure that the
process of connecting TCNs with vacancies in EU Member
States remains as transparent as possible.
Municipality of Luleå The Municipality supports the creation of the EU Talent Pool,
as it holds the potential to address the prevalent skills shortage
in the Nordic regions. The Municipality also emphasises the
urgency of finding a solution and underscores the importance
of making the Talent Pool accessible to various skill levels.
Additionally, it highlights the significance of integrating the
expertise and initiatives of European local and regional
authorities into the execution of the Talent Pool.
Unión Profesional The organisation supports the establishment of the EU Talent
Pool; however, it underlines the need for active engagement
with professional organisations and the establishment of
effective procedures for recognition of qualifications of
TCNs.
Eurocities The organisation supports the creation of an EU Talent Pool
aimed at establishing a digital platform connecting proficient
TCNs with EU employers. They advocate for the participation
of cities and emphasise the importance of aligning the Talent
Pool with local labour market needs. Cities therefore need to
be involved as key stakeholders in the implementation of the
EU Talent Pool. Lastly, the initiative should be open to all
94
skills levels.
Hotrec The association supports the adoption of the EU Talent Pool,
particularly through the legislative options. In particular, it
supports the voluntary nature of the system They also call for
inclusion of low and medium-skilled individuals, considering
diverse needs in sectors like hospitality. The EU Talent Pool
should be user friendly and non-bureaucratic. It should be
business oriented, as the end users will be both employers and
potential workers. Hotrec considers positive that the EU Talent
Pool would be linked with Talent Partnerships. Hotrec,
welcomes the development of a new IT solution rather than re-
using EURES. The EU Talent Pool should include
administrative processes to pre-screening candidates; the
validation of candidates’ skills and qualifications and
interoperability with other international recruitment tools and
national platforms.
Fundación para la
Innovación, Investigación,
Formación y el Desarrollo
Comunitario
The organisation supports the adoption of the EU Talent Pool,
however it emphasises the importance of addressing existing
challenges and inequalities within the talent pool concept, such
as regularisation of migrants already present in the EU,
streamlining title recognition processes, and fighting against
wage gaps and discrimination.
The Swedish Trade Union
Confederation
The confederation supports the establishment of the EU Talent
Pool, contingent upon labour immigration from third countries
being in response to existing labour shortages. Additionally,
the host Member State should ensure that migrant workers are
adequately protected in the labour markets against exploitative
working conditions. The success of the EU Talent Pool hinges
on forging strong partnerships with trade unions, verifying
qualifications, and effectively addressing labour shortages, all
while preventing exploitation, unauthorised labour migration,
and minimizing negative impacts on sending countries due to
brain drain.
WKÖ (Austrian Chamber
of Commerce)
WKÖ (Austrian Chamber of Commerce) supports the EU
Talent Pool, as it is urgently needed to address increasing
labour shortages in Austria and Europe, promoting a robust
European workforce and attracting international specialists.
WKÖ envisions the Talent Pool as a seamless platform
connecting employers, jobseekers, and public entities,
streamlining access to skilled workers. Restricting the EU
Talent Pool to shortage occupations should only be limited
to the initial phase while remaining open in a later stage.
WKO supports the non-legislative option as the legislative
alternatives would take too long. WKO is in favour of ensuring
a link with Talent Partnerships as well as facilitations of
recognition of skills and qualifications. .
95
Autonomous Region of
Friuli Venezia Giulia
The Region supports the development of an EU Talent Pool,
favouring the option of a targeted approach having a
voluntary nature. This mechanism is seen as supportive,
integrating established practices such as the EURES network to
address shortages at national, regional, and specific interest
levels. It enhances coordination among regional and local
authorities. The stakeholder believes this regulated but non-
mandatory mechanism offers a coordinated approach to
effectively address shortages, improve job placement, and
enhance replicability and sustainability. The stakeholders
favour links with the Talent Partnerships.
Government of Canary
Islands
This stakeholder emphasizes the need to consider regional
contexts in the development of an EU Talent Pool, and tailor its
implementation accordingly. While the Talent Pool offers
strategic benefits, it must align with each area's specific socio-
economic and cultural factors. The focus should be on
sectors like green and digital transition, while ensuring
opportunities for the local population and transparent
monitoring. Incorporating successful models, clear definitions,
and assessing local workforce potential are vital for its
effectiveness.
EU citizen This EU citizen supports the EU Talent Pool, which facilitates
the search and recruitment of skilled workers from non-EEA
countries. The individual emphasises the significance of
addressing the shortage of skilled workers across EU Member
States through a centralised pool, making the process of finding
workers more efficient and less bureaucratic. The EU citizen
finds the Talent Pool valuable for quickly and seamlessly
sourcing skilled workers.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of developing an EU Talent
Pool, asserting that it would potentially lead to attracting cheap
labour to the EU, resulting in low wages and potentially
contributing to wage dumping
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of developing an EU Talent
Pool, as she believes that there are sufficient skilled workers
within the EU who could be relocated to regions where their
skills are most needed.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of developing an EU Talent
Pool.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of developing an EU Talent
Pool because they believe that the EU already has a sufficient
number of educated individuals for the available jobs, and
these opportunities should be prioritised for EU citizens. They
express concerns about administrative costs, potential
exploitation of non-EU workers, and the need to uphold EU
principles of equality for all residents. The citizen suggests that
the initiative should focus on improving the quality of life for
96
EU citizens and consider labour and talent imports only as a
last resort when qualified EU candidates cannot be found. They
also propose the idea of introducing quotas for labour imports
and promoting training programs for EU citizens to fill deficit
jobs.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of developing an EU Talent
Pool, holding that as long as the rate of unemployed people in
Europe does not reach 0%, there will be no valid reasons to
bring workers from abroad.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool, as they hold that each EU Member State has different
needs and may find tailored solutions for their own country.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool, as they believe that there are already sufficient skilled
individuals within the EU.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool, as they believe that third countries should not benefit
from solutions provided by the EU.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of developing an EU Talent
Pool, as they believe that national governments should be
addressing labour shortages by themselves without intervention
from the EU.
EU citizen This EU citizen is concerned that an EU Talent Pool could
potentially lead to the erosion of EU borders with third
countries.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool, as they believe that there are already sufficient skilled
individuals within the EU.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool, as they deem that it would overburden Member States
and increase costs.
EU citizen This EU citizen does not support the adoption of an EU
Talent Pool, as they hold that efforts should be concentrated
first and foremost on satisfying the basic needs of the nationals
from EU Member States.
EU citizen This EU citizen does not support the adoption of an EU
97
Talent Pool as they do not support any form of immigration.
EU citizen This EU citizen does not support the adoption of an EU
Talent Pool as they believe that the skill assessment is biased.
Eu citizen This EU citizen is in favour of an EU Talent Pool to the extent
that immigration laws are fully complied with.
EU citizen This EU citizen is not in favour of adopting an EU Talent
Pool, as they believe that there are already sufficient skilled
individuals within the EU.
3.2. Outcome of the targeted consultations
European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group
During this meeting, the Commission put forward the EU Talent Pool to Member States
representatives. The discussion covered a range of topics from difficulties in ensuring
labour matching, the barriers for EU employers in identifying the right candidates, to
complex comparability and lack of transparency and information on skills and
qualifications. Participants acknowledged the value of creating an EU Talent Pool to
facilitate international recruitment, particularly for SMEs lacking the means to attract
skilled.
Group of Coordinators on Recognition of Qualifications
During this meeting, Member States representatives provided their views on the EU Talent
Pool initiative, in particular with regard to the initiative potential in facilitating recognition
of qualifications obtained in third countries. SE, RO noted the lack of legislation on third
country qualifications in some countries as a particular barrier. SE, RO highlighted the
important role of ENIC-NARIC in providing information on recognition and assisting
competent authorities. SE also asked how the future platform would be managed and what
would be expected from Member States. RO mentioned that the EQF and ECTS credit
systems can play a potential role in enabling recognition. CY described that the pilot Talent
Pool had led to a number of placements, but that further consultation would be necessary to
extend it further. LT asked for clarification on how DG GROW would be involved in the
initiative, asked how SMEs would be supported and questioned if the proposal can be
agreed within the current political cycle before elections next year. COM assured attendees
of a co-ordinated approach by all relevant DGs in the initiative. Management of the Talent
Pool is still under consideration and may be modelled on governance of EURES and will
avoid creating additional burdens for Member States.
Advisers for European Public Employment Services (AFEPAs)
In the context of the AFEPAs meeting, Public Employment Services in the Member States
were also invited to share their views on the EU Talent Pool initiative. The intervening
representatives welcomed the initiative overall as an important tool to address existing
labour shortages (e.g. DE, HR, NL, ES). According to certain PES, the EU Talent Pool
should be limited to specific sectors and occupations (e.g. NL). The majority of the
participants stressed the importance of involving PES in the governance of the EU Talent
98
Pool giving their well-established expertise on recruitment, in particular on the matching.
On the other hand, PES also flagged that EURES is a different tool and directed to intra-EU
mobility. However, the potential added value of ensuring synergies among the two
instruments and, if feasible merge them, was acknowledged. The need of trying first to
address labour shortages via domestic workforce was also mentioned (PL). The role of
recognition of qualifications to obtain work permits in certain Member States was stressed.
PES could also play a role in that regard (SE). Following the meeting, several Public
Employment Services provided additional details on their views through written
contributions.
EMN Talent Pool Working Group
As part of the targeted consultations envisaged for the preparation of the EU Talent Pool
legislative proposal, the 7th EMN Talent Pool Group meeting was held on 21 March
2023. The group brings together Member States’ representatives from the immigration
and employment authorities as well as economic and social partners.
The roundtable focused on number of key aspects for the design of the EU Talent Pool
(scope of application, pre-screening and validation process, components and functionalities,
and governance structure). Participants actively engaged in the discussion and the meeting
represented a fruitful opportunity to collect Member States’ views on the ongoing
initiative.
Overall, Member States and economic and social partners welcomed the proposal and
its objective to attract talent from abroad.
All Member States intervening agreed on the EU Talent Pool potential added value in
addressing the main challenges linked to international recruitment (e.g. language barriers,
lack of guidance and information, lengthy and complicated procedures, etc.). Member
States identified as major challenges linked to international recruitment the language
barriers, lack of guidance and information provision on recruitment and immigration
procedures, lengthy and complicated procedures, employers’ lack of experience in
international recruitment, the risk of unethical recruitment as well as difficulties in
identifying the right candidate and validating and recognising skills and qualifications.
For smaller Member States it was highlighted, in particular, their limited visibility in the
global labour market and the lack of resources to invest on international recruitment (LT).
All Member States intervening agreed on the EU Talent Pool potential added value in
addressing these challenges.
The establishment of an EU Talent Pool based on the voluntary participation of the
Member States was considered as the preferred option for all participants intervening.
Several Member States highlighted the need of developing a flexible instrument able to
adapt to the national specificities with regard to international recruitment and immigration
procedures (AT, BE, EL, HR, IT). This flexibility should also be reflected in the
governance structure. The need to involve the Public Employment Services at national
level was repeatedly stressed (AT, BE, HR, SE). The importance of ensuring
interoperability with national systems was reiterated by several participants.
All Member States intervening supported the idea of targeting the EU Talent Pool to
specific sectors and occupations and building on existing EURES components. The
possibility to link the EU Talent Pool with Talent Partnerships was also supported. The
possibility to further extend the scope of application in a later stage was also mentioned
99
(EL, HR, PL). Some participants stressed the particular relevance of the EU Talent Pool
would have in facilitating recruitment of low and medium skilled workers (in comparison
with high skilled workers that are normally recruited by other channels (AT, HR).
Similarly, the specific added value for SMEs which often lack of adequate expertise and
channels for international recruitment was also mentioned (BE, Eurochambres).
It was widely agreed that the validation process of candidates’ skills and qualifications
would constitute an important added value for the EU Talent Pool.
The possibility to link the EU Talent Pool with Talent Partnerships was welcomed (FI,
PL). However, it was clarified that the EU Talent Pool scope of application should not be
limited to Talent Partnerships.
Economic and social partners also welcomed the initiative and the Commission multi-
stakeholders’ approach. It was pointed out the importance of involving them both in the
design and in the governance of the EU Talent Pool due to their expertise at national level
on labour shortages and existing recruitment practices. The need of ensuring ethical
recruitment was stressed by ETUC and FI agreed it would represent a relevant added
value for the EU Talent Pool (FI).
Resettlement Network
During the Resettlement Network meeting with the European Union Agency for Asylum
(EUAA), the EU Talent Pool initiative was presented. The consultations focused in
particular on its possible synergies with labour complementary pathways. All
participants welcomed the possibility to open the EU Talent Pool to displaced people in
need of international protection and having the right skills.
Talent Beyond Boundaries noted that the limited awareness that employers have about
international recruitment as an option for people in need of international protection
constitute a barrier together with the mistrust that refugees have on labour mobility.
Processing times and difficulties refugees might face in accessing the request documents
create additional difficulties. Therefore, it was recommended to invest into awareness and
education and incentives for employers and refugees to consider labour complementary
pathways. It was also suggested to ensure stronger cooperation with businesses. The EU
Talent Pool could offer an added value in this regard by facilitating the identification and
providing personalised assistance to people in need of international protection by taking
into account their specific situation.
UNHCR emphasised that, while an initiative like the EU Talent Pool holds promise, its
success hinges on its ability to address the unique challenges faced by refugees. It was
flagged that several refugees may need pre-departure preparation. Refugees often lack
access to vital documentation and encounter obstacles when verifying language skills,
especially within a platform tailored to Western standards. To truly be effective, the
UNHCR advised that the EU Talent Pool should not rely solely on conventional proof of
qualifications, as alternatives like the European Refugee Qualification passports or
Duolingo English tests could be more inclusive. Additionally, in view of the financial
realities that refugees face, including difficulties in opening bank accounts and meeting visa
requirements due to limited funds, should be factored into the initiative's design. Seamless
integration with existing systems, where feasible, were deemed to be essential to provide a
holistic solution. Furthermore, the UNHCR suggested that the EU Talent Pool should be
forward-thinking and consider remote working opportunities, ensuring that necessary
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resources and conditions are in place for these arrangements to truly benefit refugees
seeking employment integration.
IOM noted that the EU Talent Pool added value could stem from having a central pool with
several layers of quality assurance and validation of employers and candidates with the
benefit of facilitating the matching. Capacity building options would be
necessary. Additional information is provided in the written contribution.
Meeting with SkillLab
During the meeting with the software company SkillLab, the European Commission,
together with the study team, discussed the EU Talent Pool initiative. SkillLab, established
in 2018, is a technology-driven company focusing on aiding marginalised job seekers,
using artificial intelligence and simulation for interviews. They acknowledged market
challenges including skills mapping, recognition difficulties, lack of labour market
information, and coordination issues among stakeholders. The meeting addressed key
discussion points, such as the development of an IT platform for the EU Talent Pool,
utilising the ESCO taxonomy for skill matching, and collaborating with existing platforms
like EURES. The pricing model and stakeholders' involvement in system design were also
discussed. SkillLab's involvement in a comprehensive career guidance platform for Saudi
Arabia was mentioned, which may be similar to the development of a platform for the EU
Talent Pool.
Focus group with the European Training Foundation (ETF), Cedefop, and European
Labour Authority (ELA)
During this focus group, range of stakeholders shared their insights on the potential
establishment of an EU Talent Pool. The ELA acknowledged current inadequacies of intra-
EU mobility in fully addressing labour shortages and underscored the importance of
defining "talents." They raised concerns about variations in immigration procedures across
countries and emphasized the value of the EURES network in this context. The ETF
expressed favourable views on the Talent Pool concept while also suggesting a
consideration of how existing solutions could complement it. They highlighted brain drain
and brain waste as crucial aspects to be factored in. Cedefop also showed support for the
Talent Pool initiative, focusing on the inclusion of third-country nationals in need of
protection. They stressed the significance of going beyond mere platform creation and
incorporating dynamic training, language support, and skill recognition. They also noted
that formal qualification recognition might not be as critical as trust-building and pre-
screening/validation processes. The European Commission offered insights into studies on
international recruitment challenges and addressed the scope of the initiative, matching
platform functionalities, and governance aspects. Trust and user-friendliness were central in
their considerations. The ETF and Cedefop stressed transparent communication as a key
element in overcoming barriers in international recruitment. Both also highlighted the
importance of involving diverse stakeholders in designing the system, emphasizing a
collaborative approach. Overall, the discussions revolved around ensuring effectiveness,
inclusivity, and user-centricity in the development of the EU Talent Pool. Written
contributions were also shared following the meeting.
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Expert Group on the Views of Migrants
Following the presentation of the initiative, participants expressed their views. Overall, the
participants welcomed the EU Talent Pool initiative and its potential added value in
facilitating international recruitment and making use of third country nationals’ skills and
talent. However, it was also emphasised the need of ensuring access and integration into
the labour marked of third country nationals already residing in the Member States (e.g.
undocumented migrants). This should also cover actions aimed at facilitating recognition
and validation of skills and qualifications as well as up-skilling and re-skilling migrants
in the Member States. With regard to the EU Talent Pool added value, participants stressed,
in particular, the crucial role this tool could play on enhancing migrants’ protection
against unethical recruitment and exploitative working conditions as well as the
recognition and validation of skills obtained in third countries. Several participants
highlighted the importance of allowing third country nationals who participated in the EU
Talent Pool to bring their family members and ensuring adequate support following the
arrival including via access to education, social benefits, health care. The possibility to
open the EU Talent Pool to displaced people in need of international protection was also
welcomed. However, it was stressed the need to ensure adequate support measures tailored
to the specific needs of this group (e.g. specific support in case they lack of travel
documents and qualifications, facilitating the access to the platform, etc.). Specific
measures should also be considered for migrants’ women given their specific situation of
vulnerability. It was also noted that to make the EU Talent Pool a successful tool an
extensive awareness campaign should be conducted both in the Member States (for EU
employers) and in third countries. In addition, support services allowing effective access to
the platform should be provided in third countries where third-country nationals face
difficulties in accessing the internet.
Consultations with the European Labour Authority (ELA)
ELA welcomed the initiative and considered that EU Talent Pool initiative may effectively
address labour shortages and enhance international recruitment. They recognised the
persistent structural shortages across sectors and countries, acknowledging that although
intra-country and intra-EU mobility could help, it might not suffice. ELA emphasised the
need for a tool to attract skilled labour from third countries to mitigate labour market
imbalances. ELA underlined the importance of practical and updated information for
third-country jobseekers regarding living conditions, work, and settling in the EU, as well
as the challenges faced by SMEs in navigating complex recruitment processes. They
emphasised the necessity of avoiding duplication with existing tools and promoting
synergies. ELA showcased readiness to support the identification of relevant sectors and
qualifications, leveraging existing obligations and data sources. Moreover, they highlighted
the role of social partners and called for interoperability with existing systems like
EURES to streamline the EU Talent Pool's implementation.
ELA was also consulted in writing on more specific aspects relevant for the design of the
policy options including, estimated costs for governance of the EURES system, information
on current IT solutions and practical functioning of the EURES platform.
Expert Group on Economic Migration (EGEM)
The EGEM meeting discussed the scope of the EU Talent Pool, emphasising inclusivity for
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various categories such as highly skilled, seasonal workers, foreign students, jobseekers,
and displaced persons. Displaced individuals, a significant global talent pool, face limited
access to formal employment due to barriers. The EU acknowledged their potential through
projects like the Displaced Talent for Europe (DT4E), aiming to integrate them into the
labour market. In terms of implementing an EU Talent Pool, skills recognition was
highlighted, with a recommendation to adopt a flexible approach that acknowledges non-
formal paths. Additionally, a proposal was made to develop an EU Sector Shortage List to
address evolving skills needs, allowing skilled workers from various occupations to register
their interest. A user-friendly registration process, light-touch verification, and a network of
contact points were suggested to provide better integration support within the context of the
EU Talent Pool. The focus extended beyond attracting and migrating talent to also retaining
and integrating it. The recommendation was to build upon existing tools and develop an
open EU Talent Pool.
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries supported the EU Talent Pool development. It
should be employer-led with inclusive parameters designed to attract diverse talent from
around the world, including from within refugee and displaced communities. It was
recommended to establish an inclusive candidate pool, create an “EU Sector Shortage List”
which is business and employer-led. In addition, a light touch verification process for
candidates and employers should be considered. A network of contact points supporting
candidates and employers should be established together with efficient outreach strategies
to promote the EU Talent Pool. It was also recommended to build on existing EU and
national tools to engage as many State actors as possible, regardless of the legislative
vehicle.
IOM Private Sector Consultation on the EU Talent Pool
During the IOM Private Sector consultation on the EU Talent Pool, a variety of
stakeholders shared their perspectives. Eurochambers presented survey results on
recruitment challenges and advocated for integration with EUTP, emphasising the need for
user-friendly tools, interoperability with EURES, and additional screening for employers.
Link2Europe discussed labour shortages and the difficulty of filling vacancies in Belgium,
underscoring the necessity of a broad scope, simplified procedures, expedited language
learning, and the creation of a European list of potential jobs. BusinessEurope stressed
administrative barriers and shortages across sectors, proposing pre-screening based on
skills, interoperability with existing platforms, and collaboration with talent partnerships.
CSREurope underscored the significance of cultural diversity, inclusion, and ethical
recruitment for attractiveness and fairness. Additionally, Responsible Business Alliance
offered insights into existing standards and capacity-building efforts to protect third-
country nationals. International Organisation of Employers highlighted cooperation with
ILO and IOM on fair recruitment practices.
Meeting with the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
During the meeting with ILO on the possible adoption of an EU Talent Pool, the
organisation emphasised the existence of research on labour shortages and underlying
causes, referring to ILO studies and demographic trends. The concept of fair recruitment
based on ILO conventions was highlighted, advocating for the term "fair" due to its
negotiated nature. Examples from Canada's employer registration processes were provided
as operational insights. ILO expressed the importance of transparency, equivalence
statements, and validation of skills and qualifications in the context of the EU Talent Pool,
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while clarifying that it is not a qualifications recognition mechanism. The potential for a
database of matched people with recognition decisions was raised. The significance of
partnerships, initiatives, and mobility partnerships for specific sectors and origin countries
was underlined. The challenges posed by governance, the care economy, and regulated
professions were mentioned.
The ILO was also invited to submit a written contribution further expressing the
organisations’ views on many aspects of the EU Talent Pool. The ILO acknowledged the
potential value of the EU Talent Pool initiative in addressing labour shortages and
facilitating international recruitment. In particular, ILO stressed that greening economies
require new jobs and related new skills. However, it emphasised that successful
implementation depended on collaborative efforts with key stakeholders and adaptation
to specific socio-economic contexts. The involvement of labour ministries, government
agencies, workers' and employers' organisations were deemed crucial for effective labour
migration policy design. Several successful programs were mentioned as a source of best
practices in terms of up-skilling, language training, and strategic skills recognition. ILO
recommended to build protection against unfair recruitment on International Labour
Standards and ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment.
Regarding openness to TCNs, the ILO underscored the need for a balanced approach across
skill levels, cautioning against excessive emphasis on temporariness. The ILO also pointed
out that inadequate skills matching could lead to precarious work arrangements and hinder
overall economic growth. ILO acknowledged the importance of promoting trade unions’
effective participation in policy discussions and monitoring of recruitment processes as
well as in labour migration governance
NARICs Network Meeting
The meeting of the NARIC network, which comprises countries participating in Erasmus+,
involved 31 participants. For the development of an EU Talent Pool, it was highlighted that
the role of pre-screening at the EU level, while contingent on employer verification,
remains to be determined for added value. It was highlighted that challenges often arise in
recognising non-formal education, unlike formal education with established frameworks.
Participants also stressed that regulated professions demand more robust recognition
mechanisms, as seen with mandatory recognition in these cases. Additionally, recognition
serves purposes beyond job placement, such as legal stay (e.g., Norway's regulated
professions). For an EU Talent Pool to work effectively, starting with a small-scale
approach for easier management was suggested for initial implementation.
EU Legal Migration Practitioners’ Network
During the meeting, participants identify as a relevant challenge to international
recruitment the length of immigration procedures and the high costs on employers and
TCNs for obtaining a visa and travel arrangements. In addition, it was notated that labour
market tests are present in some Member States but there are also some exceptions
applying. It was noted that recruitment agencies are increasing their role in this
framework. Recognition of qualifications was also flagged as an important barrier to
international recruitment.
The need of ensuring adequate protection to TCNs to avoid the risk of exploitation and
human trafficking was raises. A right balance between guarantees and facilitation for
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employers should be ensured. Participants welcomed the creation of potential synergies
with Talent Partnerships.
Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society Organisations
During the meeting Civil Society Organisations expressed their views on the initiative and
highlighted in particular the following points. A broad range of stakeholders, including
civil society organisations should be consulted in the design of the initiative. It is important
to provide the correct information to the migrant workers, they should be made aware of
their rights such as social security and protection. Particular attention should be paid in
defining the critical shortages sectors and all labour market needs, including those at
local level should be considered. The long-term care sector could be one of the priority
sectors. It is important to take into account the current workforce and if the shortages can be
covered by national and intra-EU mobility. The EU Talent Pool should be open to all third
country nationals and flexible in defining the admission criteria. It should also provide an
inclusive approach to consider candidates with disabilities. Assistance services to support
third country nationals should be included and particular focus should be ensured on the
standards in terms of working conditions also to deter undeclared work. It is important to
clearly identify who will be allowed to input the vacancies and the role of the national
authorities. Civil society organisations could participate at EU and national level
notably to provide information to migrants on working conditions and rights, as well as
assistance, if needed. They could also assist in defining procedures to ensure ethical
recruitment practices. Recruitment via the EU Talent Pool should be linked to improved
and simplified immigration procedures.
European Labour Migration Platform Meeting
On 21-22 June, the European Commission held the second meeting of the Labour
Migration Platform, an initiative of the Skills and Talent package aimed at better
understanding common issues and strengthening coordination/complementarity in
employment and migration policies. This second meeting of the Platform focused on the
upcoming EU Talent Pool initiative (adoption planned for early autumn) and gathered
representatives of Member States’ migration and employment sectors representatives,
European Social and Economic Partners as well as relevant stakeholders active in
labour migration.
Member States expressed interest in the initiative and recognised its added value.
The meeting confirmed Member State’ unanimous preference for a voluntary
participation to the EU Talent Pool and overall support for the EU Talent Pool focused on
sectors facing labour shortages both at EU and national levels (with a few Member
States referring also to regional shortages) and re-using elements of EURES.
The need for a flexible, responsive, and user-friendly system was highlighted. To do so,
the EU Talent Pool should ensure interoperability with already existing IT solutions for
talent attractiveness at national level.
Governance of the EU Talent Pool should be multi-layered, involving stakeholders at the
EU and national level.
Member States were against the idea of modifying their national procedures by
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introducing obligatory fast-track immigration procedures to candidates admitted to the
EU Talent Pool.
Some Member States acknowledged the added-value of creating synergies between the
Talent Partnerships and the EU Talent Pool but questions were raised about different
objectives between the Talent Pool and Talent Partnerships and whether it was yet
sufficiently clear how the Talent Partnerships will work.
The issue of complementary pathways and potential synergies with the EU Talent Pool
was relatively new for the majority of Member States. Only five Member States took the
floor and presented different views and the expressed views do not allow us to draw any
conclusions. The Commission needs to continue its advocacy to different stakeholders on
the issue of complementary pathways.
ETUC expressed constructive criticism of the EU Talent Pool and interests of migrant
workers. It also stressed the importance of human rights-based labour mobility and
opposed restrictions based on skills or sectors. ETUC advocated for governance,
accountability, and sectorial social dialogue. The EU Talent Pool should focus on fair
recruitment practices, sustainable employment conditions, validation of qualifications,
and access to information and worker protections.
BusinessEurope considered attracting talent from abroad as crucial, with the EU Talent
Pool playing a key role, but there are some challenges that employers face that this
initiative will not be able to address. As such it supports a legislative framework for the
Talent Pool. It could support for starting with specific sectors and having easy entry
criteria as well as a support system for employers and job seekers. Business Europe calls
also for the flexibility, the use of available labour market intelligence, involvement of
employers, trade unions, and dedicated sub-groups within the Labour Migration
Platform for effective governance.
Dedicated hearing social partners
Participants acknowledged the added value of the initiative and welcomed the fact that it is
open to all Member States on a voluntary basis (e.g. BusinessEurope, SMEunited, SGI
Europe, BDA). It also stressed the importance of developing a user friendly and simple
system which is not too cumbersome (e.g. BusinessEurope, SGI Europe). They supported
the sectoral approach focusing on sectors where shortages are most important (e.g.
BusinessEurope, SGI Europe, EFBWW). Cross-industry, sectoral and national level social
partners should be involved. Participants (e.g. ETUC, DGB, EPSU) advocated for ensuring
that adequate working conditions and remuneration are granted to migrants. Protection
of personal data should also be ensured. The importance of ensuring access to the labour
market to third country nationals already in the Member States was also mentioned (e.g.
CGT).
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
In its written contribution, the FRA expressed support for the EU Talent Pool as a
valuable initiative aimed at addressing labour shortages and facilitating international
recruitment. The EU Talent Pool added value would be to decrease irregular migration and
smuggling by introducing new legal pathways for migrating to the EU; improved working
conditions for third-country nationals; quicker and smoother recognition of qualification
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and the possibility to address labour shortages in the EU through legal migration channels.
A number of recommendations were put forward. The EU Talent Pool should be open to all
third-country nationals residing outside as well as inside the EU (regardless of their country
of origin). In FRA’s view, the EU Talent Pool should also cover low and medium-skilled
workers. In addition, the need to facilitate recognition of professional qualifications was
flagged and a number of recommendations to improve it were put forward. It was also
highlighted that many occupations in shortage are often characterised by low pay and poor
working conditions. It is important to make these jobs more attractive by improving pay
and working conditions.
In addition, particular attention should be paid in preventing and addressing labour
exploitation in the context of international recruitment of third-country workers. The EU
Talent Pool should be designed so that procedures and requirements to come to the EU to
work are not overly cumbersome and expensive. The digital interface should be accessible
and easy to understand for third-country nationals. It is crucial to open the talent pool to
people in need of international protection.
Offering a legal pathway through the talent pool would reduce the risk of migrants resorting
to smugglers or illegal networks and go on unseaworthy and dangerous boat journeys.
Concerns have been raised on the risk of ‘brain drain’ affecting countries of origin and
education of applicants from non-EU countries. FRA reported a number of examples to
address this risk in the context of the EU Talent Pool.
From a fundamental rights point of view, FRA suggests integrating specific safeguards in
the EU Talent Platform, such employers vetting procedure and accurate, timely and
accessible information, during the recruitment process and prior to signing an employment
contract. This would entail information provided by a competent authority (national
authorities, employment advisers, etc.) on conditions for obtaining a work permit, labour
right and existing safeguards against exploitation.
Given the sensitivity of the personal data that will be included in the database and the
fundamental rights risks that may result from storing such data in an online accessible
database and analysing the data through an algorithm.
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
In its written contribution, the IOM expressed support for the EU Talent Pool. The
establishment of the EU Talent Pool represents an important step towards the fulfilment of
the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal. The adoption of the EU Talent Pool provides an
opportunity for the EU and its Member States engaged in this initiative to strengthen the
implementation of laws and regulations to promote fair and ethical recruitment in
compliance with international standards.
The EU Talent Pool should promote skills-based migration that relies on genuine
partnerships and contributes to sustainable development for all. Strong partnerships with
third countries are a precondition of effective skills-based migration schemes. Such
partnerships guarantee that both the needs and advantages for all parties are duly
considered, making such schemes truly mutually beneficial. This calls for enhanced
coherence between the internal and external dimensions of migration management and
strengthened development cooperation policies. This consideration seems to be at the core
of the EU Talent Partnerships, to which the EU Talent Pool will connect.
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The EU Talent Pool should be based on multistakeholder collaboration and accurate and
forward-looking evidence on present and future skills needs.
The EU Talent Pool should target all skill levels and be open to different categories of
applicants. The EU Talent Pool should be widely accessible for employers and prospective
migrant workers. Extensive investment in communication efforts will be necessary to build
trust and ensure that the platform is known and accessible to its end users. Pre-screening
processes of candidates’ profiles embedded in the EU Talent Pool must be transparent and
comprehensive to abide by the principle of non-discrimination and equal opportunity.
The EU Talent Pool should foster ethical recruitment and the protection of migrant workers
in line with international standards. This requires screening and vetting of vacancies based
on internationally recognized ethical recruitment principles and standards. The EU Talent
Pool could embed specific eligibility criteria for employers and features allowing for the
screening and vetting of vacancies based on internationally recognized ethical recruitment
principles and standards, such as those outlined in the Montreal Recommendations on
Recruitment and IOM’s International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS) Standard.
Eligibility criteria for the registration of recruiters, employment agencies, employers and
employer associations could introduce a multi-layered but streamlined verification process
including: a) documentation such as licenses13 , b) an "ethical pledge", in the form of terms
that outline a legally binding commitment to uphold ethical recruitment and international
labour standards, consequences in case of non-compliance (e.g. sanctions, fines) and the
relevant monitoring system; and c) a capacity building component consisting, for example,
in the completion of mandatory (online) self-training in order to complete registration.
3.3 Economic and social partners views on the initiative
Economic and social partners were consulted on multiple occasions during the targeted
consultations on the EU Talent Pool. In particular, they participated to several meetings,
including the EMN Talent Pool Working Group, the Expert Group on Economic Migration,
IOM Private Sector Consultation as well as the European Labour Migration Platform.
In addition, a dedicated hearing with social partners was organised on 29 June 2023.
Overall, economic and social partners supported the initiative as a tool facilitating
international recruitment whilst some criticism was voiced by ETUC. All the economic and
social partners favoured the development of a voluntary systems. While the need for a flexible
tool, demand driven (based on actual labour need) and open to all skills levels was
acknowledged, the majority of the economic and social partners suggested to have a more
targeted approach (limiting the tool to certain sectors and occupations) in the first stage with
the aim of expanding the scope over time.
All economic and social partners advocated for their involvement in the design of the
initiative and in its implementation.
Economic and social partners acknowledged the EU Talent Pool potential to partially reduce
existing barriers to international recruitment, including slow and complex recognition and
immigration procedures. In addition, the EU Talent Pool could have an added value in
providing clear information and guidance on these processes. The need to ensure TCNs
protection against unfair recruitment and exploitative working conditions was stressed
(ETUC)
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Position papers on providing a detail assessment of the initiative were submitted. A detailed
overview of economic and social partners views is provided in the table below.
Economic and social partners
BusinessEurope BusinessEurope considers that the EU Talent Pool should be a
voluntary instrument. It recommends to: i) bring forward a
proposal for an EU talent pool that helps member states and
employers to address their skills needs, complementing the
need to increase employment participation of member state
nationals and make good use of intra-EU labour mobility, ii)
build on the relevant existing EU bodies and tools, iii)
Explore a fresh approach to the role of labour market tests by
improving coordination and mutual learning opportunities
among member states, iv) put in place the direct referencing of
third country qualifications, to the European Qualifications
Framework – EQF.
The EU Talent Pool should be demand-driven, ensuring the
appropriate involvement of member states, economic and social
partners, and employers. As a first step, it would be useful to
focus on those groups for whom the EU already has a legal
migration scheme in place, such as the EU Blue Card.
Nevertheless, the ultimate goal will be to connect a future EU
talent pool with EU and national legal migration schemes.
Eurochambers The EU Talent Pool could be particularly beneficial for
SMEs given their limited experience and resources to embark
in international recruitment procedures. With regard to the
screening process it was confirmed that it would be important
at some point to verify the candidates. Eurochambers also
stressed the importance to link the EU Talent Pool with
EURES. In terms of the scope, Eurochambers agrees with the
step-by-step approach and to have a tool that is easily used
and clearly defined. The importance of information
campaigns both in the EU and in third countries was
emphasised and it was noted that the lack of knowledge of
these types of initiatives can be a barrier of the effective use of
it.
SMEUnited SMEUnited is in favour of a voluntary system. The
deployment of the EU Talent Pool should be incremental,
starting with specific sectors facing shortages and then enlarged
to other sectors, with the objective to include all sectors as soon
as possible. The EU Talent Pool should be demand-driven
based on the real needs of the labour market. The governance
of the EU Talent Pool should involve the EU cross-industry
social partners. The initiative should be designed the EU
Talent Pool as a tool able to support SMEs. Labour market
intelligence tools should inform the matching process.
Recognition of skills and qualification systems should be
transparent, trustworthy, and easy to understand by SME
employers. Social partners and SME organisations should
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be involved in the design and in the governance. The key
functions of the EU Talent Pool should be CVs registration,
automatic matching tool, employers vetting procedures, support
services and provision of information. Concerning employers
vetting procedures, they should not be burdensome for SMEs.
Ceemet The organisation supports the initiative of adopting an EU
Talent Pool via legislative action as this will facilitate the
recruitment of skilled workers from abroad in a targeted
manner, to address labour shortages and support the EU’s
transition towards a green and digital economy. Ceemet agrees
with the Commission´s analysis on the challenges to
international recruitment. Ceemet is in favour of the two
legislative alternatives. Targeting the EU Talent Pool to
certain occupations and having a voluntary system is
considered the best option in the short term. While an open
Talent Pool would be the optimal solution in the long run.
Ceemet also welcomes the possibility of upgrading and
modernizing the EU immigration portal and organising job
matching events. Interoperability with existing systems
should be ensured.
ETUC The ETUC remains highly critical on the development of the
EU Talent Pool as it is considered as based on labour
migration models designed for employers. However, the ETUC
welcomes the call for evidence for further assessment. ETUC
highlighted the importance of ensuring appropriate governance
and accountability, including the involvement of trade unions.
The importance of ensuring migrant workers’ access to
decent and good quality jobs based on the principle of equal
treatment was mentioned. The Talent Pool may support the
implementation of the Talent Partnerships. However, it
needs to be carefully designed. In addition, the Talent Pool
could play a relevant role in ensuring transparency and access
to information to employers and third country nationals.
Appropriate support and measures to avoid the risk of unfair
recruitment should be in place. The Talent Pool should
consider the validation and recognition of skills and
qualifications, which is a practical barrier that migrant workers
experience. Workers’ skills and qualifications should be valued,
assessed and swiftly recognised, as necessary, whether or not
documentation is available. The ETUC is on the view that the
Talent Pool should be open to all workers, across sectors and
skills levels, and in a non-discriminatory manner. Data
protection considerations should be taken into consideration.
Hotrec The association supports the adoption of the EU Talent Pool,
particularly through the legislative options. In particular, it
supports the voluntary nature of the system They also call for
inclusion of low and medium-skilled individuals, considering
diverse needs in sectors like hospitality. The EU Talent Pool
should be user friendly and non-bureaucratic. It should be
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business oriented, as the end users will be both employers and
potential workers. Hotrec considers positive that the EU Talent
Pool would be linked with Talent Partnerships. Hotrec,
welcomes the development of a new IT solution rather than re-
using EURES. The EU Talent Pool should include
administrative processes to pre-screening candidates; the
validation of candidates’ skills and qualifications and
interoperability with other international recruitment tools and
national platforms.
DGB (German Trade
Union Confederation)
The DGB advocates for a holistic and differentiated approach
to the problem of skills shortages. For this reason, skills and
labour shortages should be addressed in the first place through
qualification and improvement of working conditions. In
addition, considering existing national platform and EURES,
the Commission should assess the added value of the initiative.
The confederation supports the adoption of an EU Talent Pool
targeted to certain occupations and having a voluntary
nature. However, protection of third country nationals and
quality of job should be ensured (national contact points play a
central role in monitoring employers and job vacancies). In
addition, interoperability with existing systems and platforms
at EU and national level should be granted.
3.4 Results of the surveys to employers and third country nationals
Problem drivers
With regard to problem driver 1, TCNs residing in third countries highlighted the non-
transparency information regarding job opportunities in the EU as well as the rules and
requirements for seizing these opportunities seem to represent the main reasons why some
TCNs have never searched for a job in the EU. Finding suitable job opportunities is a barrier
for 43% of respondents, while 44% struggle to understand how to align with job requirements.
Differently, based on the survey with employers, key barriers for employers are related to the
access to suitable candidates (i.e. too many unsuitable applications) and understanding the
complex rules and procedures for hiring from outside the EU. When it comes to the
recruitment channels / tools, the results of the survey with employers shows that LinkedIn and
other social media are used as the main external channel for recruitment of TCNs, while PES
services seem to have very limited success among employers.
How often do you use the following external channels for recruitment from outside the
European Union?
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When it comes to internal channels used by employers to publish vacancies, most employers
said that they publish vacancies on their website. Similarly, during the interview conducted for
this study, one interviewee representing the interests of SMEs pointed out that SMEs do not
always publish vacancies online and that PES could potentially support more in this.
With regard to Problem driver 2, the survey with employers shows that 61% of respondents
found it difficult to understand the complex rules and procedures for hiring from outside
the EU.
How important are the following barriers to recruiting from outside the European Union?
Half of the respondents to the survey with employers indicated that the immigration process
and its duration takes too long and that this constitutes an important barrier. For the duration
of the full recruitment process, some respondents provided estimations of the duration from the
vacancy notice to signing the contract: 6.4 weeks for candidates from the same country; 9.8
weeks for candidates from within the EU; 14.4 weeks for candidates from outside the EU. In
terms of recruitment costs, a majority of respondents (75%) consider that recruitment of
employees from outside the EU to be more costly than recruitment of foreign EU nationals,
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while this difference is not so striking when comparing the costs between the recruitment of a
co-national and an EU national. For one third of the respondents, typically, costs to recruit
non-EU nationals are 30% higher.
Another dimension of this problem driver is the fragmented and complex migration
framework within the EU. Member States have different procedures for immigration and
often times these are complex for candidates. The figure below presents that nearly half of
TCNs respondents consulted find it difficult to understand complex employment and
immigration procedures. Moreover, TCNs recognised the potential risk of their work permit or
visa application being rejected.
How important are the following barriers to finding a job in the European Union?
In regard to Problem driver 3, the primary concern among employers seems to revolve around
the reliability of candidates' CVs and profiles, which was identified as a substantial hurdle
by 38% of the participants. Around one-third of the sample found it challenging to compare
both professional and educational qualifications with those from their home country.
Moreover, approximately one-third of the respondents harboured doubts regarding the
legitimacy of documents submitted by candidates as evidence of their professional or
educational background. There is a general perception that the recognition procedure can be
unsuccessful when coming to TCNs’ qualifications. This risk is perceived as an important
barrier by 45% of employers and by 40% of TCNs.
Policy measures
In terms of policy measures, some measures were received more positively by different
stakeholders. Results of the survey with TCNs show that 36% of respondents who are TCNs
residing in third countries said that they would register their profile and search for job postings
on the EU Talent Pool. More than half of the respondents who are TCNs residing in third
countries said that they appreciate faster administration procedures (on work permit, visa etc.),
while the same amount of people considered that receiving advice on the rules and process of
living and working in the EU would increase their likelihood of registering on the platform.
Similarly, for TCNs already living in the EU, faster administrative procedures remain the most
appreciated features (64% of respondents), as well as companies having access to their profile
and that employers are subject to quality assurance checks.
In the survey with employers, 17% of respondents considered it very likely that they will
publish jobs through an EU Talent Pool. Rather consistent with the findings from TCNs, the
most useful features of the EU Talent Pool for employers are the fast-track administrative
procedures for selected candidates (70% of respondents), access of immigration authorities to
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candidate profiles (69%), and that only the candidates with the required profiles can apply to
vacancies (68%). Differences between larger employers and SMEs were identified in relation
to some policy measures (Error! Reference source not found.).
To what extent the following features would change the likelihood of registering on the
platform?
3.5 Results of the ad hoc surveys
Ad-hoc survey to EURES NCOs
The ad-hoc questionnaire was shared with EURES NCOs via ELA with the aim to precisely
quantify the current costs of the national EURES governance structure and activities
(excluding those related to IT development and the EURES portal). Those estimates have been
used as a baseline to adjust the estimated costs for the governance of the Talent Pool under the
different options. In total 20 EURES NCOs responded to the survey.
The survey comprised two questions on the total number of EURES staff and budget and on
the disaggregation of resources across the different activities conducted by NCOs. The
outcomes of these questions have been aggregated in the table below.
4.40 4.60 4.80 5.00 5.20 5.40 5.60 5.80 6.00 6.20
Sharing of job postings between the EU Talent Pool and national job portals
Only candidates with required profiles can apply to your job postings (e.g.
qualifications, language proficiency...)
Candidates self-declare that the information they provide in their profiles is
correct and accurate
Candidates are required to submit supporting documents during the profile
creation
Authenticity and correctness of supporting documents submitted by the
candidate is verified by an external validator
A semi-automatic matching tool provides a shortlist of candidates who match job
requirements (structured data)
An automatic matching tool provides a ranked shortlist of candidates, also
processing CVs and documents (unstructured data)
Fast-track administrative procedures for selected candidates
Quality checks of employers when registering (legal compliance, bankruptcy)
Large firms SMEs
Questions Results
Staff and budget
What is the total number of
EURES staff (in FTEs) in your
country for the latest available
year?
On average NCOs have around 27 total staff (in FTEs),
out of which 23 advisers, and 4 NCO staff. Several
NCOs involve also other categories of staff, such as line
managers (4 NCOs) and external experts including IT
experts (5 NCOs). Those other categories of staff
average to around 6 per NCO.
What is the total EURES
budget (in EUR) in your
country for the latest available
On average NCOs have around EUR 1 200 000 of
budget for staff and activities.
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Ad-hoc survey to NARICs national representatives
The ad-hoc questionnaire was shared with national representative of the NARIC network via
Commission Services with the aim to better understand the competencies, responsibilities,
procedures and costs for the recognition and validation of qualifications and skills, as well as
understand the organisation of other linked recognition services at national level. This
information has been used in the calculation of costs and cost-savings when it comes to
validation and recognition procedures. In total 14 NARICs responded to the survey.
The survey comprised four main areas: i) recognition of qualifications for academic purposes,
ii) recognition of qualifications for academic professions, iii) statement of comparability and
iv) statistics on the recognition of diplomas and professional qualifications. Outcomes are
presented in the table below. As the response rate was rather limited, outcomes from the survey
were complemented with desk research on missing Member States. Average costs and time
required for recognition and validation procedures presented in the report come from the final
compilation of information on recognition and validation procedures.
221
The number of NCOs that were able to provide the breakdown is lower than the total number of respondents. In
particular, only 9 NCOs (out of the total 20 respondents) was able to provide the breakdown in terms of time
invested in each activity and only 10 NCOs provided the breakdown in terms of budget invested (4 of which
provided more completed responses).
222
In this case, estimates cannot be triangulated with outcomes of the ex-post EURES evaluation as the latter did not
provide figures on budget disaggregation across activities. European Commission (2021). Study supporting the ex-
post EURES evaluation and the second biennial EURES report, Contract VC/2019/0854.
year?
Disaggregation of resources by activities221
How many resources (in terms
of time) are used for the main
(non-IT-related) activities
your national EURES
undertake?
Around 70% of staff resources are involved in
conducting activities of matching and recruitment and
information provision (with the latter accounting for
slightly more than the former). A smaller share (around
10%) is invested in post-recruitment services. As the
number of NCOs able to provide disaggregated data was
limited (only 9 out of 20 respondents), estimates should
be considered with caution. To substantiate the findings,
we triangulated them with estimates resulting from the
ex-post EURES evaluation; our estimates are in line with
those in the evaluation.
How many resources (in terms
of budget) are used for the
main (non-IT-related)
activities your national
EURES undertake?
The largest share of the budget (more than 30%) is used
for staff costs. A relatively large share (around 5%) is
instead used for activities related to information
provision. As the number of NCOs able to provide
disaggregated data was very limited (10 responses
overall and only 4 more completed), those estimates
should be considered with caution.222
Questions Results
i) Recognition of qualifications for academic purposes
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Does the NARIC in your country
process requests for recognition
of qualifications obtained in
third countries for academic
purposes?
• 33% do with issuance of legally binding decision
• 40% do not, but issue comparability statements
• 20% do not, as NARIC is only information centre
• 7% did not respond
What is the average time (in
calendar days) taken from the
submission of an application
(receipt of all documents) for the
recognition of qualifications for
academic purposes awarded in
third countries to a decision
(excluding any appeals)?
On average it takes around 40 days for the recognition of
qualifications for academic purposes
What is the cost (fee) of an
application for the recognition
of qualifications for academic
purposes obtained in third
countries? (cost in euro or
national currency).
On average it costs around EUR 140 (in fees) per
application for the recognition of qualifications for
academic purposes, while it is free for 57% of respondents
(14% provided no response or the question was not
applicable for them).
ii) Recognition of qualifications for regulated professions
Does the NARIC in your country
process requests for recognition
of professional qualifications
acquired in third countries?
• 25% do with issuance of a legally binding decision
• 10% do not, as they deal only with recognition for
academic purposes
• 40% do not, as requests are processed by relevant
competent authority
• 25% do not but support with information provision.
What is the average time (in
calendar days) taken from the
submission of an application
(receipt of all documents) for the
recognition of professional
qualifications obtained in third
countries to a decision
(excluding any appeals)?
On average it takes around 90 days for the recognition of
professional qualifications.
What is the cost (fee) of an
application for the recognition
of professional qualifications
obtained in third countries?
(cost in euro or national
currency).
On average it costs around EUR 135 (in fees) per
application for the recognition of professional
qualifications, while it is free for 21% of respondents (50%
provided no response or the question was not applicable for
them).
iii) Statement of comparability
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Does the NARIC in your country
issue statements of
comparability for academic and
professional qualifications as
well as non-formal learning
obtained in third countries?
• 8% do, with costs attached
• 15% do, but only for academic purposes
• 8% do, but only for professional purposes
• 23% do, for academic and professional purposes
• 46% do not
What is the average time (in
calendar days) taken from the
submission of an application
(receipt of all documents) for the
validation of professional
qualifications obtained in third
countries to a decision
(excluding any appeals)?
On average it takes around 140 days for the issuance of
comparability statements.
What is the cost (fee) of an
application for the validation of
professional qualifications
obtained in third countries?
(cost in euro or national
currency).
On average it costs around EUR 170 (in fees) for the
issuance of comparability statements, while it is free for 7%
of respondents (78% provided no response or the question
was not applicable for them).
Other aspects • Main types of supporting documents required for the
statement of comparability include ID card (or other
proof of identity), certificate of citizenship, diploma(s),
transcript/diploma supplement, learning outcomes,
curriculum vitae, proof of residency/work permit in the
host country.
• 60% require those documents to be provided in English
and/or the Member States’ official language, while 13%
do not have this requirement (27% provided no response
or the question was not applicable for them).
• 50% require the translation to be carried out by a sworn
and certified translator, while 31% do not have this
requirement (19% provided no response or the question
was not applicable for them).
• 7% require those documents (or some of them) to be
legalised, while 71% do not have this requirement (22%
provided no response or the question was not applicable
for them).
• Checks for authenticity of those documents include
online verification of information (e.g., via databases of
HEIs or Ministries of education; contacting institutions
or awarding bodies), technical checks (e.g., examination
of original documents for signs of tampering;
comparison of documents against known fraudulent
examples), use of databases such as SCAN D and Q-
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3.6 Results of the broad survey
The broad stakeholder survey provided insights into various topics, including the overarching
problem, the underlying problem drivers, and views on the proposed policy options and
measures. The following paragraphs extract the most relevant inputs from the broad
stakeholder survey.
Overarching problem
The impact assessment study identified one problem, as a result of participation in
consultations organised by the European Commission: insufficient recruitment of third-country
nationals via legal migration pathways to address EU labour and skills shortages. The figure
below presents the results from the broad stakeholder survey when respondents were asked to
what extent an EU Talent Pool will address this overarching problem. Four problem drivers
were developed to further explain the underlying causes to this overall problem.
Considering the overall problem mentioned above, to what extent do you believe that an EU
Talent Pool (EUTP) would address this problem in the future?
ENTRY to identify potential fraud or cooperating within
the ENIC-NARIC network to share information and
request support.
iv) Statistics on the recognition of diplomas and professional qualifications
How many applications did you
receive in 2022 for the
recognitions of qualifications for
academic purposes obtained in
third countries?
8 000 on average (57% provided no response or the
question was not applicable for them).
How many applications did you
(or other competent authorities)
receive in 2022 for the
recognition of professional
qualifications acquired in third
countries?
2 700 (57% provided no response or the question was not
applicable for them).
How many statements of
comparability were issues in
2022 for academic and
professionals’ qualifications
obtained in third countries?
How many were issued for non-
formal learning (if applicable).
7 400 (87% provided no response or the question was not
applicable for them).
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Most respondents substantiated their answer to this question. One widespread reason that was
mentioned by the stakeholders who identified that the EU Talent Pool can address the above-
mentioned problem ‘to a certain extent’ or ‘to a small extent’ was primarily due to the
complexity of the problem at stake, stemming from the differences in terms of recognition of
qualifications and skills, immigration regimes, and other areas that make it difficult to use
existing legal migration pathways. One respondent (national public body) detailed that the
possibilities that the initiative to address the overarching problem depend on the way that the
EU Talent Pool will be constructed.
Problem drivers
Based on the overarching problem mentioned above, a series of problem drivers were
developed to explain what are the main factors that contribute to the insufficient recruitment of
TCNs via legal migration pathways to address EU labour and skills shortages. In relation to the
development of the identified problem drivers in the absence of an EU Talent Pool, a majority
of respondents from the broad stakeholder survey believed that without an EU Talent Pool, the
problem drivers may worsen significantly, worsen to a small extent or stay the same, with very
few answers pointing to an improvement of the problem drivers through existing measures.
Problem driver 1 refers to the cumbersome and ineffective international job matching. The
broad stakeholder survey shows that 48 out of 55 respondents believed that an EU Talent Pool
would address the issue of cumbersome and ineffective international job matching to a large
extent or to a certain extent. Respondents to the broad stakeholder survey pointed out that the
costs of international recruitment are high, with associations representing employers stating
that many employers tell them that employing TCNs relates to significantly higher costs than
employing someone from within the country223
. Also, part of the broad stakeholder survey, the
risk of unfair recruitment was brought up by many respondents who are non-governmental
organisations when detailing their answers to different questions, identifying that existing
methods such as PES and private platforms are not effective in terms of avoiding unfair
recruitment.
223
The same respondent mentioned that in the case of employing someone in a occupation facing shortages, the costs
pay off after a short time of the contract duration.
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Problem driver 2 identifies that employers and TCNs have difficulties to understand how skills
and qualifications obtained in third countries correspond to those required at national level.
Results of the broad stakeholder survey show that 42 out of 55 respondents stated that an EU
Talent Pool would address this problem driver to a large extent or to a certain extent. Part of
answers to open-ended questions, several respondents made references to the differences in
approaches to recognition of skills and qualifications differ from country to country.
Problem driver 3 refers to the non-transparent, cumbersome, and costly immigration
procedures. The broad stakeholder survey shows that 42 respondents out of a total of 55 who
responded to the question believe that an EU Talent Pool would address this problem driver to
a large extent or to a certain extent.
Proposed policy options and policy measures
In the broad stakeholder survey, Policy Option 3 (“Developing an open EU Talent Pool for all
occupations with a modernised matching platform inspired by other initiatives in the private
sector (legislative)” ranked as the most effective policy option in the view of respondents,
while Policy Option 2 (“Developing a focused EU Talent Pool building on certain components
of EURES and targeted to specific occupations (legislative)” was ranked lower.
Due to the number of policy measures and the amount of information collected, we will
summarise the views of respondents to the broad stakeholder survey, by each cluster of policy
measures:
An interest in having governance through a combination of national level actors and with a
proper coordination at EU level. Respondents considered that costs could be higher for having
an EU level coordinating body and national level offices because of staff and IT costs
necessary, thus more resources will be needed at both levels and double work should be
avoided, therefore coordination between the different levels is essential.
For the scope of application of an EU Talent Pool, respondents pointed out to political
implications involved in a voluntary or mandatory initiative for Member States to participate,
while targeting specific sectors / occupations was received as both limiting in terms of the
candidates to be accepted, but also as a measure that could lead to a faster and more efficient
process of recruitment.
In relation to the interoperability of the EU Talent Pool with EURES, with national platforms,
and / or private platforms, most respondents considered that these costs would rather increase
for existing platforms due to the need to adapt to the EU Talent Pool, whereas benefits may
come for candidates and employers. The costs of integrating other existing systems into the EU
Talent Pool will largely depend on the types of platforms and the functionalities used by the
EU initiative.
Results on the measures targeting quality assurance checks of employers pointed out that
existing checks are still not the most effective for fair recruitment, therefore other ways to
improve fairness and avoid exploitation of workers are still necessary.
For the registration of job vacancies, if employers have to register the vacancies in the Talent
Pool, this entails higher costs.
When registering candidate profiles, results show that having the necessary tools to
standardise the process of collecting information from candidates would also mean a reduced
burden for employers, but additional need to understand the system might be necessary for
TCNs.
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In relation to the pre-screening of candidates, some respondents considered that it depends on
what pre-screening criteria is used and that there should be no room for bias, but that pre-
screening may generally be useful because it may limit the pool to the candidates who fit
proper qualifications needed in a specific Member State.
For the validation of candidates, some respondents pointed out that employers may
experience higher costs in the case of the self-declared information from candidates, as the
information may not be accurate.
For policy measures targeting searching and matching, several respondents considered that
automation of this process and simplification in this respect is favourable to a manual matching
in order to decrease costs.
In the case of the policy measures addressing transparency and comparability tools,
introducing a correspondence grid for automatic issuance of the equivalence was particularly
seen as costly and difficult to implement for an EU Talent Pool. For the other measures,
respondents found it difficult to estimate costs.
The measures for recruitment facilitation were received with positive feedback, as the costs
could be lower for both employer and candidates, but that national institutions may not agree
on these measures. One respondent pointed out potential inequalities between countries
stemming from the voluntary EU Talent Pool and fast-track procedures, because candidates
may prefer countries where they could benefit from fast-tracking.
In terms of specific support services, participants to the survey indicated that an increase in
costs would affect the stakeholders who will provide the support services, depending on the
type. For proposed measures in the area of user experience, results show that respondents did
not see a large difference between the costs entailed by different measures; however, user-
friendliness was highlighted as important for the development of each measure.
For proposed measures in the area of user experience, results show that respondents did not
see a large difference between the costs entailed by different measures; however, user-
friendliness was highlighted as important for the development of each measure.
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ANNEX 3
WHO IS AFFECTED BY THE INITIATIVE AND HOW?
1. Practical implications of the initiative
The preferred option (PO2) would have positive impacts on most target groups. In particular,
there would be significant positive impacts for EU employers and business as well as third-
country nationals willing to work in the EU. Given the targeted nature of the preferred option,
it would be particularly beneficial for EU business and employers working in strategic sectors
suffering from structural shortages such as the healthcare sector and sectors linked to the
green and digital transition. In addition, the preferred option is not expected to have
particularly negative impacts on EU citizens.
While envisaging certain additional costs for the public administrations, national, regional
and local authorities of Member States would benefit from this initiative as offering an
additional tool to foster talent attraction to address labour shortages, since Member States
acting alone, especially smaller Member States, may not be able to compete internationally
for skilled third-country workers (global race for talent). Therefore, the preferred option would
be particularly beneficial for those Member States suffering from the highest labour and skills
shortages with a declining working age population.
The table below provides an overview of the impacts of this initiative on each target group:
Who is affected by the
initiative
How the target group is affected by the initiative
Business and employers This PO would have a particularly positive impact on EU
business and employers as by facilitating international
recruitment they will have an easier, quicker, and wider,
access to labour resources from third countries. In addition,
better quality of matches would be ensured via specific tools
and personalised support.
The envisaged support to international recruitment would be
particularly beneficial for SMEs as they are likely to bear a
disproportionate burden when hiring TCNs in comparison to
large enterprises due to more limited resources (e.g. limited
understanding of rules on recruitment and immigration
procedures, lack of in-house support, lack for resources to rely
on recruitment agencies, etc.). In particular, this PO would
largely benefit SMEs as it would entail a wide pool of
candidates easily accessible, specific tools facilitating the
matching (e.g. filters and automatic matching tool),
personalised guidance by the National Contact Points as well
as online information on recruitment, immigration and
recognition procedures. In addition, by providing a focused pool
of pre-screening candidates and the integration of skills profiling
and comparability tools (e.g. Europass and ESCO), better
quality recruitment would be ensured (see Annex on SMEs
test).
Overall, the increased numbers of TCNs workers SMEs would
be able to recruit would boost their growth perspectives.
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The due to its targeted nature focusing on addressing specific
shortages in occupations of EU and national relevance, this PO
would be particularly beneficial for EU business and employers
working in strategic sectors suffering from structural shortages
such as the healthcare sector and sectors linked to the green
and digital transition. In addition, the preferred PO would
have a positive impact on companies’ capacity for innovation
and research as it would facilitate international recruitment of
skilled third country nationals in this field.
This PO would involve processing of personal data, which
would be retained and accessed via the IT platform. Thus, this
PO would need to ensure that the proposed measures are based
on a legislative act which is in compliance with the EU data
protection acquis, including the principles of purpose limitation,
data minimisation, storage limitation and data security.
EU citizens The preferred PO would result in a moderate increase in the
number of TCNs workers. In addition, the entry of new TCNs
workers would be subject to the control of Member States via
labour market tests. Therefore, this PO is not expected to entail
particular costs or disadvantages for EU citizens vis-à-vis the
status quo and the potential displacement effect on EU
workers is expected to be limited.
Considering the limited increase in the migration rates (?) , this
PO would have a positive impact on social cohesion as it is not
expected to increase social tensions or negative perceptions of
migration. TCNs will be perceived as contributing to addressing
labour shortages and increasing the overall economic prosperity.
In addition, a well-balanced labour market with workers from
various backgrounds can promote knowledge exchange and
cultural understanding, which are essential elements of building
social cohesion in multicultural societies.
In addition, ensuring protection against unfair recruitment
and working conditions (via quality assurance checks on
employers) is expected to reduce downward pressure on wages
resulting from exploitation and social dumping practices (and as
a result benefitting wider workforces). The positive outcomes
would include fairer salary and employers investing in fair
working conditions, which may increase labour productivity in
the medium to long run. The targeted approach of this PO would
ensure complementarity of skills (TCNs would be recruited in
occupations where domestic workforce is insufficient), that may
also result in a positive impact on wages.
Third-country nationals The preferred PO would have a positive impact for TCNs
because of improved career opportunities, as their possibilities to
find a job in the EU and being recruited would increase. Their
understanding of immigration procedures would also be
improved via the EU Immigration Portal. In particular, this PO
would have a higher positive impact on TCNs as it would ensure
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a high rate of successful matches and their quality. The
integration of skills profiling and matching tools as well as
quality checks on employers would avoid mismatches and over-
qualification of TCNs.
Overall, this PO would have a positive impact on social
cohesion as it will contribute to TCNs’ labour market
participation and create a sense of interdependence with the
local population. In addition, match skilled migrants with
meaningful job opportunities can lead to reduced social
disparities.
With regard to the fundamental rights impacts, this PO would
enact the right to choose an occupation and engage in work
[Article 15 of the Charter, and SDG 16] as well as the right to
fair and just working conditions [Article 31 of the Charter] and
non-discrimination (Articles 21 of the Charter)]. This PO would
have a great positive impact on protection of TCNs against
discrimination, job quality and working conditions
standards [SDG 8 and 10] as it would reduce the risk of unfair
recruitment and exploitative working conditionsas appropriate
safeguards against the unfair recruitment would be enusured. .
This PO would involve processing of personal data as those data
would be retained and accessed via the IT platform. Thus, this
PO would need to ensure that the proposed measures are based
on a legislative act which is in compliance with the EU data
protection acquis, including the principles of purpose limitation,
data minimisation, storage limitation and data security.
National, regional and
local authorities of
Member States
The preferred option would foresee the development of a
voluntary system to which only interested Member States
might decide to participate. Therefore, no disproportionate
burden on the national authorities is expected under this PO as
the EU Talent Pool would rather offer a supporting tool for the
public administrations in the context of international
recruitment. This tool would not replace existing national
platforms or talent attraction policies but rather complement
them. The majority of Member States lacking international
recruitment tools would particularly benefit from this initiative.
This is even more apparent for smaller Member States facing
greater difficulties in attracting TCNs from abroad due to their
limited visibility, and resources. Therefore, the preferred option
would be particularly beneficial for those Member States
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224
For instance, 4.7 % of jobs in Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria were vacant in the first quarter of 2023, the
highest value in the EU, followed by Germany (4.1 %). Eurofound distinguishes between three groups of Member
States in relation to their job vacancy rates: countries with very high levels of labour shortages with strong increases
in the past decade (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands); countries in line with the EU average
(Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia and Sweden); and countries with
lower and only slowly increasing job vacancy rates, typically with high levels of unemployment and informal
employment (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain).
225
Peripheral regions such as Sardinia or Sicily in Italy and Rurall regions such as Lapland in Finland or in the EU are
more affected by a shrinking working-age population than others, losing also young people when they move to study
or employment elsewhere. The share of people in the EU living in a shrinking region will increase from 34% in 2020
to 45% in 2030 and 51% in 2040. (Eurostat EUROPOP2019 disaggregated at NUT3 level). European Commission
Communication, Harnessing Talent in Europe’s regions, p. 5.
suffering from the greatest labour and skills shortages.
By increasing the number of migrants workers coming to
address labour and skills shortages in the EU labour markets this
PO would be particularly beneficial for Member States
suffering from the greatest labour and skills shortages224
with a
declining working age population.
Certain rural and peripherical regions with net emigration and
limited talent attraction are the most negatively affected by the
current situation and therefore, would particularly benefit from
this initiative. They are sending regions with regard to intra-EU
labour mobility, and currently they are not attractive for TCNs
due to relatively low wages, small scale of the relevant local
labour market, language issues, limited knowledge and
information, also because of the lack of existing TCN social
networks.225
When Member States decide to participate in the initiative,
certain while limited administrative adjustments would be
required. In particular, Member States would have to set up a
governance structure at national level by designating National
Contact Points responsible for the practical implementation of
the EU Talent Pool. Therefore, additional while limited new
responsibilities would be attached to the national authorities.
This would imply higher cost (whilst limited) for the public
administrations. However, s certain components of EURES
would be re-used, the preferred option would require only
limited adaptations to the current IT systems at national level to
ensure interoperability with the EU Talent Pool platform
Third countries This PO would have an impact on third countries as facilitating
international recruitment and, therefore, making the EU more
attractive, third countries may face the risk brain drain.
However, the increase of TCNs moving to the EU would be
small in comparison with the baseline, making this impact
limited. Due to the special link with Talent Partnerships, the
risk of brain drain would be mitigated under this PO for matches
conducted in this context given that Talent Partnerships are
developed in a mutual beneficial way and relevant sectors as
selected in common agreement with the partner country. In
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2. Summary of costs and benefits
The tables below present the estimated costs and benefits associated with the preferred option
(PO2). Benefits are mainly in the form cost savings for the users of the platform (TCNs and
employers). However, it is important to note that benefits resulting from the preferred options
are difficult to monetise as they are partially linked to time savings for employers and TCNs
during the recruitment processes. A detailed overview of quantifiable cost-savings (monetary
and in terms of time) associated with the steps of the recruitment process is available in Annex
10.
On the other hand, costs were mainly identified for national authorities and include both one-
off and recurring costs (see Annex 10 for a detailed description).
A detailed explanation of the assumptions and calculations underlying the estimated costs and
benefits is provided in Annexes 4 and 10.
As some costs and benefits vary depending on the number of Member States participating
difference ranges are provided below depending on whether 11 or 20 Member States
participating in the EU Talent Pool.
I. Overview of Benefits (total for all provisions) – Preferred Option
Description Amount Comments
Direct benefits
Simplification of
international
recruitment
procedures for
employers (e.g.
easier and faster
identification and
matching)
EUR 150 – 400 (per employer)
EUR 74 271 000 – 77 687 5000 (for
11 or 20 Member States
participating) (average for all
employers participating in the EU
Talent Pool)
The costs associated with international
recruitment are normally borne by
employers (between EUR 1 500 and
EUR 2 500 per candidate. EUR 8 500-
10 000 is support of recruitment
agencies).
As the new platform would be free to
use for business, and especially SMEs,
cost savings for employers would result
from the fact that they do not need to
pay additional money to publish their
vacancies online or recurring to
external support services.
addition, the targeted nature of this PO, focusing only to specific
occupations would further limit the risk of brain drain in third
countries.
This PO is expected to have a positive impact on remittances.
Protection from unfair recruitment and exploitative working
conditions via checks on employers would also positively affect
remittances.
126
n.a. (not quantifiable savings) Apart from direct costs savings, the
preferred policy option would result in
more effective and quicker
recruitment of TCNs residing
abroad. Benefits related to employers
are mainly linked to time-savings
across the various steps of the
recruitment process (e.g. provision of
information and personalised support,
matching and searching tools and
possibility to include fast-track
procedures). However, these time
savings are not quantifiable (see
Annex 10). Cost savings would be
mainly linked to the time saved
throughout the entire recruitment
process. Overall shorter recruitment
procedures would mean that the third-
country workers would commence their
job sooner, which in turn could lead to
more efficiency on the labour market in
terms of greater job matching and
shortages filled, as well as potential
increases in business productivity. This
will also result in fiscal benefits in
terms of tax contributions. In addition,
the preferred PO would ensure better
quality of matches and profiles, thus
further benefitting businesses
productivity and growth. The preferred
option has also an important added
value in reducing the barrier of entries
for companies that cannot otherwise
allocate financial resources to
international recruitment, especially
among Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs). (See annex on SMEs test).
EUR 11 500 (per employer)
EUR 3 132 195 000 – 3 265 111 000
(for 11 or 20 Member States
participating) (all employers
participating in the EU Talent Pool)
A part from non quantifiable savings,
the preferred option foresees the
possibility for Member States to
introduce fast-track procedures. If those
measures are introduced by all Member
States, the preferred option would
reduce the total time needed for
international recruitment by around 3.5
months while increasing the chances of
successful matches. Thus, this option
has a relatively strong financial impact
in terms of opportunity costs
127
(additional revenue when conducting
international recruitment with the
Talent Pool).
Simplification of
international
recruitment
procedures for
TCNs (e.g. easier
and faster
identification and
matching)
n.a. (not quantifiable) As described above with regard to the
employers, TCNs would benefit from
time-savings across the various steps of
the recruitment process (access to
single platform to find vacancies,
information provision and support etc.).
However, these time savings are not
quantifiable. In addition, protection
against unfair recruitment and working
conditions under the preferred option is
expected result in fairer payment and
working conditions, which may
increase labour productivity in the
medium to long run.
EUR 3 750 (per TCNs)
EUR 1 044 065 000 – 1 088 370 000
(for 11 or 20 Member States
participating) (for all TCNs
recruited via the EU Talent Pool)
A part from non quantifiable savings,
the preferred option foresees the
possibility for Member States to
introduce fast-track procedures. If those
measures are introduced by all Member
States, the preferred option would
reduce the total time needed for
international recruitment by around 3.5
months while increasing the chances of
successful matches. In terms of
opportunity costs this would result in
additional wages stemming from the
use of the EU Talent Pool.
Indirect benefits
Increase in GDP EUR 3.855 – 4.255 billion (for 11 or
20 Member States participating)
Member States would benefit from
additional GDP resulting from the
higher number of TCNs working and
residing in the Member States.
Increase in fiscal
contribution of
TCNs
EUR 918 957 million (for 11 or 20
Member States participating)
Public finances of theMember States
would benefit from net fiscal
contribution of the additional TCNs
working in the Member State as result
128
of this initiative. This covers not only
all types of cash benefits received at the
individual or household level, such as
family benefits, unemployment
benefits, and pensions, but this also
includes the monetary value of in-kind
benefits that individuals receive for
health, social housing and education. In
general, welfare expenditures in favour
of EU nationals are higher; i.e., EU
nationals tend to benefit more from
public expenditures than migrants. The
preferred option will benefit concerned
Member States, accordingly, depending
on their participation to the EU Talent
Pool.
Indirect benefits
Additional
remittances to
third countries
EUR 712 – 748 billion (for 11 or 20
Member States participating)
The economies of third countries will
benefit from additional remittances sent
by TCNs coming to work within the EU
as a result of the successful matches
provided by the EU Talent Pool.
This estimate must be taken with
caution because it is based on a world-
wide sample and the patterns of
remittances may vary remarkably
across continents and type of migrants.
II. Overview of costs – Preferred option
Citizens/Consumers Businesses Administrations EC
One-off Recurrent One-
off
Recurre
nt
One-off Recurrent One-off Recurre
nt
PO 2
Direct
costs
n/a n/a n/a n/a EUR 2
672 400
– EUR 4
175 625
EUR 9 788
075 – 16
583 867
(including
governance
and IT
maintenanc
e)
EUR 6
722 056
– 6 804
539 (IT
platform
develop
ment)
EUR 7
332
755 – 7
947
497
(includi
ng,
staff,
IT
mainte
nance
129
and
other
costs)
Indirect
costs
n/a
A detailed assessment of the costs associated to the preferred option is provided in Annex 10.
With regard to table III below, no new or removed administrative burden on businesses and
citizens is expected under the preferred option.
3. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals
This section describes the expected impacts of the most relevant Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG) identified in the impact assessment.
IV. Overview of relevant Sustainable Development Goals – Preferred Option
130
Relevant SDG Expected progress towards
the Goal
Comments
SDG1 – No poverty A positive impact in
addressing inequalities and
distribution of incomes is
expected as TCNs would
access better quality jobs. In
addition, higher remittances
in third countries are
expected.
To be considered in
conjunction with SDG 10
below.
SDG 8 – Decent work and
economic growth
A positive economic impact
would accrue from the
international recruitment of
TCNs residing abroad to
address skills and labour
shortages. Thus, this
initiative would benefit the
EU productivity and
economic gains.
Specific support to
international recruitment
would be particularly
beneficial for SMEs as they
are likely to bear a
disproportionate burden
when hiring TCNs in
comparison to large
enterprises due to more
limited resources The
increased numbers of TCNs
workers SMEs are able to
recruit would boost their
growth perspectives.
This initiative would entail a
wide pool of candidates
easily accessible, specific
tools facilitating the
matching (e.g. filters and
automatic matching tool),
personalised guidance by the
National Contact Points as
well as online information
provision on recruitment,
immigration and recognition
procedures. In addition, by
providing a focused pool of
pre-screening candidates
better quality recruitment
would be ensured
TCNs workers would be
protected against the risk of
unfair recruitment and
adequate working conditions
in line with EU and
international standards
would be ensured. The
preferred options would
have a positive impact on
employment protection in
terms quality of work.
The development of an EU-
wide matching platform
where employers’ job
vacancies are registered by
the National Contact Points
in the Member States would
ensure that quality assurance
checks on employers and job
vacancies are adequately
conducted (see also SDG
10)
131
SDG 9 – Industry
innovation and
infrastructure
A positive impact EU’s
overall capacity for
innovation and research.
In addition, as mentioned
under SDG 8, a particularly
positive impact is expected
for SMEs.
By facilitating international
recruitment, this initiative
would have a positive
impact on EU companies’
capacity to conduct R&D.
SDG 10 – Reduced
inequalities
Better protection against
discrimination is expected
from this initiative as non-
discriminatory criteria for
the candidates would be
ensured in the matching
process. In addition, quality
checks on job vacancies
would ensure protection
against discriminatory
practices.
See in conjunction with
SDGs 1 and 10.
132
ANNEX 4
ANALYTICAL METHODS
This Annex provides an overview of the key assumptions on the basis of which the assessment
of costs and benefits under each policy option is conducted (see Annex 10). These assumptions
are based on the methodology used by an external contractor in the impact assessment study
commissioned by DG HOME in preparation of this impact assessment.
1. KEY ASSUMTIONS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF THE POLICY OPTIONS
The assessment of the policy options, including their effectiveness and efficiency, is based on
following estimations:
a) Number of Member States participating in the initiative;
b) Number of potential users (TCNs and employers) of the EU Talent Pool by 2030;
c) Number of successful matches via the EU Talent Pool.
The key assumptions and methodological choices underlying these estimations are described
below.
1.1 Number of Member States participating in the initiative
All the POs foresee the development of a voluntary EU Talent Pool leaving Member States
the possibility to decide whether they want to participate. Certain costs and impacts vary
depending on the number of Member States participating. In order to provide a clear and
realistic assessment, uncertainties linked to the potential uptake of the initiative should be
taken into account. To this purpose it was assumed that a minimum of 11 Member States and
a maximum of 20 Member States would participate in the EU Talent Pool. A range of costs
and impacts estimated under each scenario is presented below in the assessment of each
policy option.
This assumption was based on a number of considerations. Whilst the initiative would be
designed to be attractive as many Member States as possible, it is likely that their participation
would be a gradual process with only some Member States joining in the first years of
operation and a progressive increase expected in the long run. The minimalistic scenario (with
11 Member States participating) was built taking into account that legal migration is an area of
share competences where Member States tend to be cautious to engage in view of political
sensitivity of migration overall. Consultations also demonstrated that some Member States
interested in the initiative would wait to see the first outcomes of the operation of the EU
Talent Pool before deciding to formally join. Therefore, it was assumed that Member States
with a stronger interest may join from the outset, while others will follow after 2030. In the
long run, a higher uptake of the initiative is foreseen as demonstrated by the fact that the large
majority of Member States consulted welcomed the initiative. In addition, it can be reasonably
assumed that several Member States will join in view of the pressing needs related to the
challenging demographic situation which would require to rely on legal migration to address
and future skills and labour shortages that cannot be sufficiently addressed by the EU domestic
workforce.
The number of Member States participating would also imply a different number of expected
successful matches stemming from the EU Talent Pool. An higher uptake of the initiative by
the Member States would result in a higher number of TCNs interested in registering their
profiles in the EU Talent Pool and, hence, in a higher number of successful matches.
Therefore, ranges of expected successful matches with 11 and 20 Member States participating
are provided below. Assumptions linked to the higher attractiveness of the EU Talent Pool in
133
case of a higher number of Member States participating are explained below (Section 1.2 point
2)).
1.2 Estimated number of potential TCNs interested in using the EU Talent Pool
The estimation of the number of TCNs from abroad potentially interested in seeking job
opportunities in the EU by 2030 provides an indication of the number of TCNs potentially
interested in using the EU Talent Pool.
1) Baseline: Number of TCNs from abroad potentially interested in seeking job
opportunities in the EU by 2030
The baseline for the estimation of the number of expected TCNs using the EU Talent Pool is
based on a hypothetical model taking into account two factors: the number of TCNs profiles
available in mid-2023 in the EUROPASS database and the projected trends in the legal
migration to the EU by 2030.
1.A) Number of TCNs profiles available in the EUROPASS database
The estimation of the number of TCNs profiles in the EU Talent Pool was based on the current
number of TCNs profiles available in the EUROPASS database.226
The number of TCNs
who registered a profile on EUROPASS and created a CV was used as a proxy to estimate the
number of TCNs potentially interested in using the EU Talent Pool. This number shows
the level of interest of TCNs jobseekers to seek employment opportunities in the EU. The
rationale behind this methodological choice was based on the fact that investing time and
efforts in creating a profile and preparing a CV on EUROPASS indicates genuine interest in
pursuing professional opportunities within the EU job market. In addition, it shows a certain
level of IT skills which are equivalent to those that would be required to create a profile on the
EU Talent Pool platform.
Almost 1 300 000 CVs of TCNs were registered in EUROPASS in mid-2023227
1.B) The projected trend in the legal migration by 2030
The number of TCNs profiles registered in EUROPASS is a static picture of the situation in
mid-2023. According to the baseline scenario, labour migration is projected to grow in
2030228
(and, therefore also the number of potentially interested TCNs). Therefore, the stock of
registered profiles in EUROPASS is adjusted in line with the estimated trends in labour
migration (extrapolated on the basis of the number of legal permits issued for employment
226
While the number of Europass profiles of TCNs also includes profiles of TCNs living in the EU, there are many
TCNs that seeking employment in the EU without creating a Europass profile. Hence, we consider that both these
factors will balance themselves out and the number of Europass TCN profiles is the conservative proxy.
227
Approximately 1 300 000 TCNs profiles were registered in EUROPASS in May 2023. See EUROPASS website and
statistics.
228
According to EUROPOP2023 projected net migration and on the share of first residence permits given for
employment purposes in the period 2017-2021, the estimated inflows of TCNs coming for employment purposes is
expected to be about 400.000 per year, adding up to a cumulated 3.8 million by 2030.
134
purposes in 2015-2022), resulting in a multiplier factor of 2,64 to be applied up to 2030
reflectig the past trend of the last 7 years 229.
Number of TCNs from abroad potentially interested in seeking job opportunities in the EU
by 2030
1.246.136 x 2,64 = 3 290 000 (approximated)
Therefore, the number of TCNs profiles in EUROPASS adjusted with the labour migration
projections in 2030 formed the basis for the expected number of interested TCNs in registering
in the EU Talent Pool.
2) Attractiveness factors of the EU Talent Pool compared to the baseline
In order to estimate how many TCNs are likely to register in the EU Talent Pool, the additional
factors have to be taken into account on top of the baseline:
• Awareness Campaigns worldwide would promote the EU Talent Pool and increase the
number of TCNs outside of the EU interested in using the Talent Pool compared to the
baseline. According to the survey carried out by the contractor of the study supporting
the Impact Assessment Report, 28% of TCNs that have never applied for a job in the
EU would be interested in using the EU Talent Pool230
. On this basis, taking into
account different models of the Talent Pools under each POs, it is estimated that the
awareness campaign would increase the number of TCNs using the EU Talent Pool by
+1% of the baseline for PO1, +10% for PO2 and +30% for PO3 (under the scenario of
11 Member States participating) 231
A 30 % increase was assumed for PO3 on the
basis of the results of the survey mentioned above.232
In particular it is estimated that
information campaigns under PO3 would have the highest impact as it opened to all
occupations and, therefore, is expected to be more attractive for TCNs. PO2 is also
expected to have a high impact, provided that similar features as those envisaged under
PO3 are foreseen. However, in view of its targeted nature focusing only on certain
229
The projection of past increase in the issuance of legal permits for employment purposes over the next 7 years is
used as a measure of the trends in the interest to search and apply for a job vacancy in the EU. This trend is a proxy
as Eurostat data harmonising statistics on total applications for legal permits and the share of rejected applications in
respect of successful applications for all types of permits are not available yet. As the EU Talent Pool is essentially a
tool for facilitating matching of demand and supply of labour, only the legal permits for employment purposes were
taken into account in the period between 2015 and 2022, resulting in the 2.64 multiplier factor.
230
The survey was used as proxy for identifying the potential information campaign effect. The fact that 28% of
respondents would be interested in participating to the initiative when it includes EU job postings is an indicator that
the information they received on the initiative was relevant and would have triggered an action from their side
(registering in the EU Talent Pool). Therefore, this is an indication of the potential increase in interested participants
that raising awareness of the initiative would generate.
231
PO3 is open and covers all occupations, hence it is expected to be the most attractive for TCNs. PO1 is the least
attractive for them in terms of functionalities (as it is a repository of anonymized CVs without a matching tool)
offers and perspectives of the successful employment. PO2 is much more attractive than PO1 but in view of its
targeted nature that would cover only some shortage occupations, it will attract a smaller number of additional TCNs
than PO3.
232
The 30% increase of interested TCNs was also based on the results of the stakeholders’ survey conducted by the
external contractor in 8 third countries with 880 TCNs participants. 28% of TCNs in origin countries responded that
their likelihood to register to a portal that offers the search of job postings is very high (i.e. 10 on a scale from 1 to
10). Additionally, almost 45% of respondents indicated that having a matching tool that recommends job postings
matching their profile would strongly increase their likelihood of registering (i.e., 6-7 on a scale from 1 to 7). Those
results significantly indicate a preference among TCNs in third countries for PO2 and, especially PO3, as both offer
the possibility of searching across job openings and the inclusion of matching tools (more sophisticated and
automated under PO3).
135
occupations, it is assumed that the EU Talent Pool would attract a smaller number of
TCNs in comparison with PO3. Therefore, the effect was assumed to be 10 percentage
points lower than for PO3 (i.e., 20%). PO1 is the least attractive option for TCNs due to
its limited functionalities (e.g. no matching tool and list of job vacancies available).
Therefore a 1% increase was assumed under this policy option.
In addition, the higher uptake of the initiative by the Member States would make the
EU Talent Pool more attractive for TCNs interested in working in the EU. The
increased attractiveness is explained by the fact that TCNs would be able to search for
job vacancies in more Member States and the number of job vancies available on the
EU Talent Pool would be higher given the higher number of employers allowed to use
the tool. Therefore, under the scenario envisaging the participation of 20 Member
States, it is expected that the information campaign would have more positive results
and an additional 5% of TCNs would be interested in registering on the EU Talent
Pool.
• It is also estimated that some potential irregular migrants would decide to use the EU
Talent Pool instead of using illegal channels to migrate to the EU. It is estimated that 1
% of such migrants for PO1, 5% for PO2 and 10% for PO3 will decide to use the EU
Talent Pool.233
• Additionally, the operational link with the Talent Partnerships under PO2 is
assumed to have a relevant positive effect on registration numbers since all TCNs
participating in Talent Partnerships will be directly registered on the EU Talent Pool by
the Liaison Officers.234
As shown in the table below, all these elements were used to estimate the number of TCNs
potentially interested in registering their profiles on the EU Talent Pool platform. The different
ranges indicated below refer to the two scenarios with 11 or 20 Member States participating.
POs Baseline of
TCNs
interested
in
registering
the
profiles235
Attractiveness factors of the EUTP
additional TCNs interested in registering on top of the
baseline in view of the establishment of the EU Talent
Pool
Expected TCNs
interested in
registering the profile
(summary of the
baseline +
attractiveness factors)
Nr of
additional
TCNs
attracted
following the
global
awareness
campaigns236
Nr of potential
irregular migrants
that decide to use
EUTP instead of
irregular
migration237
TCNs taking
part in the
Talent
Partnerships
233
Irregular migrants are estimated as 10% of expected regular flows (on the basis of the ratio of 1:10 between the
illegal border crossings to the EU detected by Frontex and the first residence permits in 2022). It is expected that
there will be 16 million of legal migrants for all purposes by 2030.
234
The number of people trained under 10 Talent Partnerships will be registered in the Talent Pool. 10 Talent
Partnerships would involve around 30 000 (assuming an average of 3000 individuals trained and obtaining the Talent
Partnership PASS, per country).
235
Baseline: Number of EUROPASS CVs of TCNs in 2023 x 2.64 (projected labour migration trend extrapolated on the
basis of the number of legal permits issued for employment purposes between 2015 and 2022)
236
It is estimated that the awareness campaigns will increase the number of TCNs interested in registering in the Talent
Pool compared to the baseline (1% increase for PO1, 10% for PO2, and 30% for PO3). As for PO2, in all countries
apart from the Talent Partnership countries, the increase will be 10%.
136
PO1238
3 290 000 32 900 - 197
400
1% - 6% of
the baseline
16 000
1% of the irregular
migration flows
N/A 3 338 900 – 3 503 400
PO2 3 290 000 329 000 –
493 500
10% - 15% of
the baseline
80 000
5% of the irregular
migration flows
30 000
TCNs
participating in
10 Talent
Partnerships
3 729 000 – 3 893 500
PO3 3 290 000 9 870 000 -
1 151 500
30% - 35% of
the baseline
160 000
10% of the irregular
migration flows
N/A 4 437 000 – 4 601 500
1.3 Estimated number of potential TCNs in the EU Talent Pool
Following the registration, the completeness of candidates’ profiles is checked. Several
profiles registered on online platforms are often incomplete, fake or lacking relevant
information requested in the profile form. In order to avoid the EU Talent Pool being feed in
with incomplete and unusable profiles, completeness checks would include basic automatic
data cleaning (e.g. incomplete information, suspicious content detection, repetitive information
detection, format verification, etc). Therefore, those checks would detect any relevant
inconsistency in the data (e.g. fields were filled in with random letters to be able to be accepted
to the platform). This is estimated to lead to a reduction of 1% of the registered profiles under
all POs.
While under PO1 and PO3, registered TCNs are automatically admitted into the pool following
the completeness checks, PO2 foresees in addition an automated pre-screening of TCNs
profiles based on the occupations targeted by the initiative. Therefore, under PO2 it was
estimated that 35% of the registered profiles are expected to be screened out as the skills and
qualifications declared by the candidate do not correspond to those required to work in one of
the occupations targeted by the EU Talent Pool. This means that, 65% of registered profiles are
expected to successfully pass the pre-screening.239
By contrast, no pre-screening is foreseen
under PO1 and PO3.
237
It is estimated that in view of the establishment of the EU Talent Pool, some potential irregular migrants will decide
to use the Talent Pool to get to the EU legally instead of taking an irregular route. It is estimated that for PO1 it
would be 1% of such potential irregular migrants, for PO2 5% and for PO3 10% of projected irregular migrants. It is
assumed that the number of irregular migrants to legal migrants is 1:10 (on the basis of the 2022 ratio).
238
PO1 is a package of non-legislative measures around repository of CVs on the model of EuroAxess, with limited
search functionalities.
239
The pre-screening entails the exclusion of potentially interested TCNs to work in occupations that are not targeted by
the EU Talent Pool. The estimate rate of potentially interested TCNs that would be successfully pre-screened on the
basis of the relevant occupations, was based on the fact that around 50% of current jobs for TCNs are in occupations
that may not be included under PO2. This is based on the current distribution of labour migrants across different
occupations which would reflect the potential distribution of expected profiles in the EU Talent Pool (based on the
Labour Force Survey ad-hoc module 2021). However, it is assumed that the pre-screening rate would be lower than
50% as a large number of TCNs registering in the platform would be interested in working in the occupations
targeted by the EU Talent Pool as a resulted of the information campaigns that would specifically focus on those
occupations and would be aimed at attracting TCNs working in these occupations.
137
The table shows the numbers of estimated TCNs profiles in the EU Talent Pool under each
policy options for each step. The different ranges indicated below refer to the two scenarios
with 11 or 20 Member States participating.
POs Expected
TCNs
interested in
registering the
profile *
Checks on
completion
of profiles
Expected CVs
after checks on
profiles
completion
Pre-
screening
Expected CVs in
the platform
PO1 3 338 900 – 3
503 400
- 1% 3 305 500 – 3
468 366
n/a 3 305 500 – 3 468
366
PO2 3 729 000 – 3
893 500
- 1% 3 692 000 – 3
854 865**
- 35% 2 410 000 – 2 516
165**
PO3 4 437 000 – 4
601 500
- 1% 4 293 000 – 4
555 485
n/a 4 293 000 - 4 555
485
* These estimations already include the effects of information campaigns and irregular migration flows (which raise expected
registrations for each policy option) and interlinkages with Talent Partnership (which raise expected registrations for PO2).
** Checks on completion of profiles and pre-screening is not applied to the 30 000 TCNs coming via Talent Partnerships.
1.4 Estimated number of potential job vacancies registered in the EU Talent Pool
To estimate the number of employers interested to publish their job vacancies, it was
considered the number of job openings projected by Cedefop for the year of 2030.240
These job openings stem from both expected additional job creation, due to the transformation
of the EU economy up to 2030, coupled with the need of replacing existing workforce existing
the labour market due to the ageing demographics. The estimated maximum potential job
openings for an EU-wide platform available under the different options are presented in the
table below. The share of job vacancies potentially open to TCNs was estimated on the basis of
the existing distribution of employed TCNs in the EU, on the basis of the 2021 ad hoc module
on migrants of the Labour Force Survey (2021 LFS) at ISCO 2-digit level.
It is important to note (as explained in Section 1.1) that the potential uptake of the initiative
was identified by defining a range of participating Member States (11 or 20 Member States
participating. As only employers established in participating Member States would be able to
use the EU Talent Pool, the number of expected job vacancies would vary depending on the
number of Member States participating. A higher number of Member States participating in
the EU Talent Pool would result in a higher number of employers able to register their job
vacancies on the platform. Therefore, different ranges of job vacancies registered in the
platform are identified below considering the two scenarios of 11 and 20 Member States
participating.
240
Cedefop skills forecast. However, only a share of the total job openings was considered in order to reflect the
potential number of job openings for TCNs. The share was estimated by considering the current percentage of TCN
workers out of total EU workforce (i.e., 5% according to Eurostat, labour force statistics, custom extraction) and
adjusting it to 2030 (i.e., increasing this share to 7.5% to consider current population and migration trends. This
entails that 7.5% of the total job openings was considered as potential job vacancies to be included in the EU Talent
Pool.
138
In addition, as mentioned above, under PO2 (limited only to certain occupations), the number
of job opening was further restricted to reflect the targeted approach.241
This explains why,
under PO1 and PO3 having an open approach (hence not targeting only certain occupations),
the number of estimated job vacancies available in the EU Talent Pool is higher.
The table below provides an overview of expected job openings to be registered in the EU
Talent Pool by 2030 under the each option. Ranges are provided in case of participation of 11
or 20 Member States. These figures represent the maximum potential stock of vacancies which
could be registered up to 2030, but at the difference of TCN jobseekers there is not proxy such
as profiles registered in the Europass dataset242
.
PO Estimated job openings for TCNS registered on the EU Talent Pool
PO1 3 830 000 – 5 100 000
PO2 1 720 000 – 2 300 000
PO3 3 830 000 – 5 100 000
1.4 Estimated number of successful matches via the EU Talent Pool
Once the number of potential users in the EU Talent Pool is estimated (the supply side being
represented by the TCNs jobseekers and the demand of labour by the employers), the expected
successful matches need to be calculated in order to determine the potential impacts of the
initiative.
Successful matches indicate the number TCNs selected in the context of the EU Talent Pool
and, therefore receiving and accepting a job offer made by an employer for a specific job
vacancy.
The recruitment process encompasses the identification of potential candidates in the platform
via the search by filters functionality as well as the automatic matching tool which shows a list
of suitable candidates. It also includes the interviewing and skills testing phase. A successful
match between an employer and a candidate is, therefore, the outcome of this process. After
receiving a job offer, TCNs have to apply for a work permit in the Member States. Therefore,
the estimated number of successful matches is not equivalent to the number of TCNs obtaining
a work permit as the subsequent immigration procedure depends on the assessment of the
national authorities which might include additional requirements to the simple job offer (job
241
Only job openings of the 13 ISCO 2-digit level occupations identified as of EU and national relevance, thereby
covering those occupations for which projected available workforce is insufficient. 13 ISCO occupations of strategic
relevance were identified. These occupations were selected based on ELA's list of widespread and persistent
shortages, complemented with inputs from Commission Services. ELA shortages report (2023) presents occupations
at ISCO 4-digit level, as used under the problem definition and for the baseline. However, data on employment
levels of migrants and job openings is not available at this level of disaggregation. Therefore, the 4-digit occupations
suffering from shortages were aggregated at 2-digit level, leading to a certain approximation to our estimation. The
list includes : 21 – science and engineering professionals, 22 – health professionals, 24 – business administration
professionals, 25 – information and communications technology professionals, 31- science and engineering associate
professionals, 51 – personal service workers, 53 – personal care workers, 71 – building and related trades workers
excluding electricians, 72 – metal machinery and related trades workers, 74 – electrical and electronic trades
workers, 75 – food processing wood working garment and other craft and related trades, 83 – drivers and mobile
plant operators, 91 – cleaners and helpers. Commission Services’ inputs were also considered when drawing this list
to include occupations that have not been in widespread shortage in previous years but are likely to grow in
importance for the transition due to their active role in the acceleration of greening activities.
139
placement). However, the discrepancy between the number of successful matches and the
number of issued work permits is not expected to be significant.
The success rate of matches indicates the number of job offers received by TCNs compared to
the number of expected TCNs interested in registering their profile in the EU Talent Pool.
The success rate of matches was estimated to calculate the number of successful matches.
Under each PO, a different selection rate was identified243
on the basis the expected
quality of the profiles which would imply greater chances to satisfy employers’ needs.
1) Under PO1 a selection rate of 0,5% was assumed considering the added value of the
initiative in facilitating international matching compared with current situation (the baseline).
However, this selection rate is lower compared with the other POs due to the limited tools and
supports measures available under this option.
2) Under PO2 a selection rate of 7% was assumed. This is the highest rate (compared with the
other POs) due to the expected better quality of candidates’ profiles arising from the pre-
screening process, the inclusion of TCNs profiles certified in the context of the Talent
Partnerships as well as IT tools and support services facilitating the matching.
243
These rates were built on the basis of evidence gathered in the context of the study to inform the Impact Assessment
conducted by the external contractor. This evidence was gathered through literature review, desk research and
interviews with relevant stakeholders active in the field of international recruitment. The share of jobseekers finding
employment thanks to the involvement of Public Employment Services in their job search averages at around 7%
according to inputs from Commission Services. Systematic publicly available data regarding these rates across
industries in the European Union are lacking. However, the limited data sources from both Europe and other regions
suggest that the share of jobseekers which obtain a job offer following the selection process is to be below 5%.
Notably, sources such as Jobvite, propose a rate ranging between 1% and 2%. See for instance,
https://ideal.com/recruiting-metrics/; https://www.jobvite.com/blog/recruiting-funnel/; https://zety.com/blog/hr-
statistics. Additionally, while context matters, stakeholders consulted by the contractor in the context of this study
have indicated that around 80-90% of the CVs received will be screened out as not matching the requirements of the
job.
243
The selection rate refers to the proportion of the admitted profiles that will be successfully matched with job
vacancies under each policy option. In other words, it indicates the percentage of profiles that employers are
expected to select from the total pool of admitted candidates for potential job offers. Systematic publicly available
data regarding selection rates across industries in the European Union are lacking. However, insights gathered from
consultation activities conducted by the contractor indicate that among 100 received CVs for a position, only around
30% are typically shortlisted for deeper consideration following pre-screening. Furthermore, sources such as
CareePlug observe an average interview-to-hire ratio of 48%, indicating that a significant portion of candidates who
have passed the pre-screening phase reaching the interview stage successfully secure job offers. This rate diverges
across sectors, with cleaning services having a rate of approximately 27%, compared to significantly higher rates of
75% and 56% in the retail and.
243
These selection rates were built on the basis of evidence gathered in the context of the study to inform the Impact
Assessment conducted by the external contractor. This evidence was gathered through literature review, desk
research and interviews with relevant stakeholders active in the field of international recruitment.
243
The highest selection rate was assumed for PO2 (i.e., 11%) due to the expected better quality of candidates’ profiles
arising from the pre-screening, the possibility for employers to request to TCNs the validation of their profiles via
procedures at national level and IT tools and the support services available to facilitate the matching. Additionally, a
higher selection rate (of 30%) was estimated for TCNs profiles certified in the context of the Talent Partnerships, as
those will entail trained TCNs who have obtained the Talent Partnership PASS. The lowest selection rate was
assumed for PO1, considering the more limited value added of the initiative in facilitating international matching
relative to the two legislative options. An intermediary rate was assumed for PO3 as it entails certain elements that
ensure the quality of the profiles (e.g., IT tools, support services available) but no pre-screening and no operational
link with Talent Partnerships.Lever, ERE, and SHRM propose a selection rate ranging between 1% and 2%.
Notably, sources such as Jobvite, Lever, ERE, and SHRM propose a rate ranging between 1% and 2%. See for
instance, https://ideal.com/recruiting-metrics/; https://www.jobvite.com/blog/recruiting-funnel/;
https://zety.com/blog/hr-statistics. Additionally, while context matters, stakeholders consulted by the contractor in
the context of this study have indicated that around 80-90% of the CVs received will be screened out as not matching
the requirements of the job.
140
3) Under PO3 a selection rate of 6% was assumed. It represents an intermediate rate between
PO1 and PO2 due to the fact that only certain elements ensuring the quality of profiles are
envisaged. On the one hand, IT tools such as the automatic matching tool as well as support
services are available as under PO2. More sophisticated IT tools would be used, therefore,
ensuring a better quality of potential matches (e.g. automatic matching tool). On the other
hand, candidates registering in the platform do not undergo a pre-screening process and there is
no direct link with Talent Partnerships.
In addition, the estimation of the selection rate was also included to clarify the number of
successful matches compared to the number of expected CVs on the platform following the
completions checks and the pre-screening.
Therefore, the selection rate indicates the number of job offers received by TCNs compared to
the number of expected CVs in the platform.
It was estimated by determining the share of the TCNs profiles registered in the EU Talent
Pool that will be selected by the employers244
. Under each PO, a different selection rate was
identified245
on the basis of the expected quality of the profiles which would imply greater
chances to satisfying employers’ needs.246
The steps described above are visually represented by the figure below.
244
The selection rate refers to the proportion of the admitted profiles that will be successfully matched with job
vacancies under each policy option. In other words, it indicates the percentage of profiles that employers are
expected to select from the total pool of admitted candidates for potential job offers. Systematic publicly available
data regarding selection rates across industries in the European Union are lacking. However, insights gathered from
consultation activities conducted by the contractor indicate that among 100 received CVs for a position, only around
30% are typically shortlisted for deeper consideration following pre-screening. Furthermore, sources such as
CareePlug observe an average interview-to-hire ratio of 48%, indicating that a significant portion of candidates who
have passed the pre-screening phase reaching the interview stage successfully secure job offers. This rate diverges
across sectors, with cleaning services having a rate of approximately 27%, compared to significantly higher rates of
75% and 56% in the retail and.
245
These selection rates were built on the basis of evidence gathered in the context of the study to inform the Impact
Assessment conducted by the external contractor. This evidence was gathered through literature review, desk
research and interviews with relevant stakeholders active in the field of international recruitment.
246
The highest selection rate was assumed for PO2 (i.e., 11%) due to the expected better quality of candidates’ profiles
arising from the pre-screening, the possibility for employers to request to TCNs the validation of their profiles via
procedures at national level and IT tools and the support services available to facilitate the matching. Additionally, a
higher selection rate (of 30%) was estimated for TCNs profiles certified in the context of the Talent Partnerships, as
those will entail trained TCNs who have obtained the Talent Partnership PASS. The lowest selection rate was
assumed for PO1, considering the more limited value added of the initiative in facilitating international matching
relative to the two legislative options. An intermediary rate was assumed for PO3 as it entails certain elements that
ensure the quality of the profiles (e.g., IT tools, support services available) but no pre-screening and no operational
link with Talent Partnerships.
141
The table below presents the expected number of successful matches:
POs Expected
TCNs
interested in
registering
their
profiles*
Expected CVs
after checks on
profile
completion
Expected CVs in
the platform
Select
ion
rate
247
Expected
successful
matches
Succes
s rate
of
match
es248
(≠ job
place
ment
rate)
PO1 3 338 900 – 3
503 - 400
-1% 3 305
500 – 3
468 366
N/A 3 305
500 – 3
468 366
0,5% 16 500 –
17 300
0,5%
PO2 3 699 000 – 3
863 500
-1% 3 662
000 – 3
324 865
Pre-
screenin
g: -35%
2 380
000 – 2
486 165
11% 261 000 –
273 500
30 000
TCNs taking
part in the
Talent
Partnerships
N/A 30 000 N/A 3 0000 30% 9 000
247
Number of matches compared to the number of expected CVs on the platform.
248
Number of matches compared to the number of expected TCNs interested in registering their profile.
142
Tot for PO2:
3 729 000 – 3
893 500
N/A N/A N/A 2 410
000 – 2
516 165
N/A Tot for
PO2:
271 000 –
282 500
7%
PO3 4 437 000 – 4
601 500
-1% 4 293
000 – 4
555 485
N/A 4 293
000 – 4
555 485
6,5% 279 000 –
296 000
6%
* This number reflect the expected CVs in the platform after accounting for attractiveness factors and selective steps.
The assessment of socio-economic impacts, costs and cost-savings presented in Annex 10 is
based on these estimations.
143
ANNEX 5
COMPETITIVENESS CHECK
1. Overview of impacts on Competitiveness
The table below provides an overview of the expected impacts of the preferred option on
competitiveness.
Dimensions of competitiveness Impact of the initiative References to sub-
sections of the main
report or annexes
Cost and price competitiveness 0 n.a.
International competitiveness 0 n.a.
Capacity to innovate + n.a.
SME competitiveness ++ SME test Annex
2. Syntetic assessment
In general terms, it can be assumed that competitiveness gains from the EU Talent Pool will
initially accrue to the economies, sectors and companies of the participating Member States
(assumed to be a subgroup of the current EU membership). Competitiveness gains will spread
gradually, mostly a the company level, as other Member States will join in a later stage. In the
best-case scenario in relation to Member State participation, it is reasonable to expect an
evolution according to a logistical curve (S-shaped) due to the uncertain time-dependent
process of voluntary adhesion by member States to the EU Talent Pool with minimum
participation (and effects) at the beginning and an exponential increase in a short amount of
time, consequentely reaching a high-level plateau of participation rather quickly. In the initial
phase, the critical core of participant Member States, more concerned by the difficulties of
insufficient international recruitment of third-country national workers, will reap most of the
benefits in terms of competitiveness and capacity to innovate. These effects will gradually
spread as the number of sectors and businesses serviced by the EU Talent Pool will increase.
The preferred option envisages the development of an EU-wide platform aimed at facilitating
international recruitment and providing opportunities for TCNs to work in areas of EU and
Member States strategic interest. By adopting a focused and targeted approach, the preferred
option is catering to the needs of competitiveness of the EU as a whole in the context of the
twin transition to the EU Digital and Net-zero economy, addressing increasing difficulties
experienced by European companies in filling their vacancies in many sectors. The preferred
options would entail additional help and support throughout the recruitment process for
companies, catering to the needs of SMEs which are disproportionately disadvantaged in the
process of international recruitment in respect of larger companies. Additionally, awareness-
raising activitites towards to targeted third-country workers and entrepreneurs that the EU
welcomes them to sustain economic growth and competitiveness would indirectly help the
efforts of SMEs to raise interest from potential candidates.
The EU Talent Pool is likely to have a positive impact on capacity to innovate via additional
recruitment of workers from third countries, in particular addressing labour and skills shortages
experienced by SMEs. Recruitment from abroad could increase EU businesses’
144
competitiveness and capacity to innovate also for large companies, as their needs are rather
specialised. However, aside from demand driven by labour and skill shortages, SME
recruitment of migrant workers is found to be driven by owner-managerial values, as well as
the perceived skill level and necessity of migrant labour.249
Research shows that the career
experience of migrant SME owner-managers influence their behaviour in recruiting and
retaining international staff: a more positive experience of a TCN SME manager is associated
with a greater likelihood of them recruiting other third country nationals, in turn. 250
Moreover,
research shows that the career experience of migrant SME owner-managers influence their
behaviour in recruiting and retaining international staff: a more positive experience of a TCN
SME manager is associated with a greater likelihood of them recruiting other third country
nationals, in turn.251
In general, small firms may also be less likely to take a risk in hiring unknown candidates if
recruitment costs are high and sponsorship requirements are complex. A previous review of the
availaible schemes in the EU suggests that some labour migration channels favour larger
firms, with a few OECD countries having labour migration instruments specifically targeting
or favouring SMEs.252
Additional competitiveness analysis can be provided when looking at the three main macro-
sectors that are generally suffering from labour shortages in most Member States (Green,
Health and ICT sectors) and that are more likely to benefit by the operations of the EU wide-
platform.253
Green sector: Broadly speaking, green SMEs can contribute to the protection of the climate,
environment and biodiversity in various ways. Some are “green performers” – SMEs focusing
on reducing the environmental footprint via resource-efficient processes – while others are
“green innovators” – SMEs focusing on producing green products and services (e.g.,
renewable energy).254
Greening production processes or designing and producing green
products generally requires a workforce with specific and specialised skills and expertise.255
250
Lähdesmäki, Merja and Suutari, Timo, 'Good workers, good firms? Rural SMEs legitimising immigrant workforce',
Journal of Rural Studies, Vol. 77, 2020, pp. 1-10.
251
Crowley-Henry, Marian, O'Connor, Edward P and Suarez-Bilbao, Blanca, 'What goes around comes around.
Exploring how skilled migrant founder–managers of SMEs recruit and retain international talent', Journal of Global
Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research, Vol. 9, 2, 2021, pp. 145-165.
252
Ibidem.
253
As information on occupations and firm size is not available at EU level, we rely on literature and sectoral statistics
from Eurostat when available. We considered three main macro-sectors (green, ICT and health) that are most
suffering from shortages according to the above-mentioned list. For instance, occupations relevant for the green
sector and identified as of strategic relevance include: 31- science and engineering associate professionals and 21 –
science and engineering professionals. Those relevant for the ICT sector and identified as of strategic relevance
include: 21 – science and engineering professionals, 25 – information and communications technology professionals,
31- science and engineering associate professionals, 71 – building and related trades workers excluding electricians,
72 – metal machinery and related trades workers, 74 – electrical and electronic trades workers, 83 – drivers and
mobile plant operators. Those relevant for the health sector and identified as of strategic relevance include: 22 –
health professionals, 51 – personal service workers, 53 – personal care workers.
254
OECD, SMEs: Key Drivers of Green and Inclusive Growth, Issue Paper in: Inclusive solutions for the green
transition, 2018.
255
In this regard, the Flash Eurobarometer 498 defines a “green job” as “one that directly deals with information,
technologies, or materials that preserves or restores environmental quality. This requires specialised skills,
knowledge, training, or experience …”. European Commission, Annual Report on European SMEs 2021/2022,
SMEs and environmental sustainability, Background document, 2022.
145
As Europe witnesses a growing number of green performers and innovators, the demand for
technical skills in this field is on the rise. Eurobarometer surveys on this topic reveal that a
significant portion of SMEs, more than half of the approximately 13 000 SMEs respondents,
have already invested or plan to invest in emissions reduction and climate change
mitigation.256
Additionally, more than two-thirds of SMEs (around 9 000) are already actively
engaged in resource efficiency activities, primarily cantered around waste reduction and
energy conservation.257
This surge in green initiatives is propelled by the ambitious objectives of the European Green
Deal, which foresees a reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and
zero net emissions by 2050. Within the Green Deal, the Green Deal Industrial Plan fosters an
environment conducive to scaling up the production of net-zero technologies and products to
meet Europe's climate targets. Following these efforts, the value of EU’s net-zero start-ups
ecosystem in 2021 doubled since 2020 and reached over EUR 100 billion. In addition, the
number of green jobs in the European economy is growing; it went from an estimated 3.2
million in 2000 up to 4.5 million in 2019.258
However, the transition towards a more sustainable and green economy necessitates expertise
and skills that may not be readily available in the EU. In this regard, four in ten SMEs (39%)
face challenges in transitioning to more environmentally sustainable business practices due to
skills shortages.259
Similarly, 23% of SMEs (around 3 000 out of 13 000) report that a main
barrier to undertaking resource-efficiency actions is the lack of specific environmental
expertise.260
Those numbers indicate a high potential pool of SMEs, across all sectors, that
would benefit from the Talent Pool (including under the Preferred Option).
ICT sector: The number of SMEs in the ICT sector261
is around 1 240 000, making up around
99% of the total number of enterprises in the sector.262
This represents a very large sectoral
base for the potential uptake of the Talent Pool under the targeted approach of PO2.
Additionally, as it is the case for green skills, also digital skills are cross-cutting across sectors,
entailing that SMEs not necessarily operating in the ICT sector may require workers with
strong digital expertise and knowledge. Indeed, the green transition is highly interlinked with
the digital revolution, in that digitalisation offers SMEs the potential to become more
productive and reduce their environmental impact.263
However, a large share of SMEs reports
not having enough human resources, also in terms of skills and expertise, to take advantage of
the digital transition. Indeed, among SMEs with very limited digitalisation, or that have not yet
digitalised any of their activities, 90% indicated the lack of required skills as a main cause.
Even if less problematic, the lack of required skills plays a role also in the digitalisation
256
European Commission, Annual Report on European SMEs 2021/2022, SMEs and environmental sustainability,
Background document, 2022.
257
European Commission, Flash Eurobarometer 498: SMEs, green markets and resource efficiency, 2021. The number
of SMEs respondents is around 13 000 SMEs.
258
More information available here : https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-
green-deal/green-deal-industrial-plan_en
259
Flash Eurobarometer 529 on European Year of Skills : Skills shortages, recruitment and retention strategies in small
and medium-sized enterprises. The number of SMEs respondents is around 13 000 SMEs.
260
European Commission, Flash Eurobarometer 498: SMEs, green markets and resource efficiency, 2021. The number
of SMEs respondents is around 13 000 SMEs.
261
NACE code J.
262
Eurostat, Structural Business Statistics, code: SBS_SC_OVW.
263
European Commission, Annual Report on European SMEs 2021/2022, SMEs and environmental sustainability,
Background document, 2022.
146
strategy of SMEs with very or more extensive digitalisation, as indicated by more than 30% of
those.264
Health sector: The number of SMEs in the health sector265
is around 2 130 000, which
represents around 99% of the entire totality of the enterprises in the sector.266
As for the ICT
sector, this also entails a very large sectoral base for potential uptake from SMEs of the EU
Talent Pool initiative under PO2. Disaggregating this number across the different subsectors
show that the majority of SMEs in the sector are concentrated among Medical and dental
practices activities (44%) and Other human health activities (48%), which can include
activities for human health not performed by hospitals or by medical doctors or dentists (e.g.,
midwives, physiotherapists or other paramedical practitioners, medical massage, et cetera).
Overall, the increasing number of SMEs taking actions to navigate the twin green and digital
transition and the high number of SMEs operating in the health and ICT sectors suggests a
high (and growing) potential demand for specialised skills and expertise in those fields. In this
context, while a limited scope of the Talent Pool may restrict registration to certain sectors and
occupations, a considerable number of SMEs will still directly benefit within the strategic
sectors that will likely be part of the initiative, or will indirectly benefit from the recruitment of
critical skills and expertise (e.g., digital skills or green skills) via the EU-wide platform. These
direct and indirect perspective indicate a substantial number of potential beneficiaries among
SMEs, which will benefit from the expected successful matches.
264
Survey of SME Associations, European Commission, Annual Report on European SMEs 2020/2021: Digitalisation
of SMEs, 2021.
265
NACE code Q.
266
Eurostat, Structural Business Statistics, code: SBS_SC_OVW.
147
ANNEX 6
PROBLEM ASSESSMENT FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE
1. Demography and Migration
EU Member States, as other parts of the world, will be affected by deep-seated demographic
changes in the next decades. This will affect the capacity of economic growth, sustainability of
social security systems as well as the EU attractiveness at global level.
The charts and tables below present the main elements of the demographic changes forecasted
in the EU and highlight the potential contribution of migration to attenuate their impacts in the
long run. This concerns in particular the size of the general population and share of working-
age population; as well as the old-age dependency ratio, taking into account the share of the
population aged 65 and over in respect of the working-age population (15-64 year-olds). As far
as this annex is concerned, likely trends of population size and its age structure are presented,
followed by a discussion on working age-population and old-age dependency ratio.
To highlight the role of migration in attenuating the impact of the ageing population, the latest
population projections released by Eurostat267
, are broken down under different alternatives:
a) baseline scenario - produced based on 'main input dataset';
b) low migration scenario;
c) high migration scenario;
d) no net migration scenario – obtained by assuming that the component of international net
migration268
equals zero (see methodological box below).
For the purposes of this Impact Assessment, migration scenarios to and from the European
Union were built on the basis of Eurostat EUROPOP2023 projections269
. See Box 1 below.
Box 1: Forecasting population developments with or without the contribution of
international migration
Population projections are “what-if” scenarios that aim to show hypothetical developments of
the population size and structure. These projections are deterministic projections based on a set
of assumptions for future levels of fertility, mortality, and migration.
EUROPOP2023 population projections are a 'Convergence Trends' scenario that includes
short-term (nowcasting), medium-term (trend) and long-term (convergence) components
released by Eurostat on 30 March 2023. This exercise takes in account the impact of COVID-
19 pandemic as well as the impact of the mass influx of displaced persons as a result of the
267
Database - Population and demography - Eurostat (europa.eu)
268
Due to the limited reliability of emigration and immigration statistics in many EU Member States, it is preferable to
calculate net migration as the difference between population change and natural change between two dates. It is
called "net migration (including statistical adjustment)" as it includes other changes which cannot be attributed to
births, deaths, immigration or emigration between that time period.
269
Presentation available at: Population projections - Population and demography - Eurostat (europa.eu) and main
results available at: EU’s population projected to drop by 6% by 2100 - Products Eurostat News - Eurostat
(europa.eu) as well as Young people projected to be 15% of EU’s population by 2050 - Products Eurostat News -
Eurostat (europa.eu)
148
Russian military aggression against Ukraine.
Computations are based on cohort-component method with 1st January 2022 base population,
disaggregated by sex and age. Data on population, live births and deaths used as input data in
EUROPOP2023 round are official statistics provided by the national statistical authorities to
Eurostat in the frame of annual demographic data collection. Migration flows have been
measured in terms of net migration (including statistical adjustment) and computed as residual
from the annual demographic balance.
The 'main input dataset' includes the 2022 base-population and the assumptions for fertility,
mortality and international net migration (including statistical adjustment), and defines the
frame of main scenario for producing the population projections. Four variants ('no-migration
variant', 'reduced-migration variant', 'higher-fertility variant' and 'lower-fertility variant') were
obtained by modifying one of the modelled component while the other components of the
'main input dataset' were maintained constant.
The data used in this annex mainly refer to the 'main scenario' (produced based on 'main input
dataset') in comparison to the 'no-migration scenario' - obtained by considering the component
of international net migration equals zero. It should be noted that Eurostat also publishes
statistics for a "reduced migration scenario" and an “enhanced migration scenario”, considering
that the component of international net migration270 is reduced or increased by a third in
respect of the baseline scenario.
In Europop2023, "net migration (including statistical adjustment)" is a general estimation
of the net migration based on the difference between population change and natural change
between two dates (including other changes which cannot be attributed to births, deaths,
immigration or emigration between that time period).
One of the implications is that, for a given Member State, net migration is the result (apart
from so-called "statistical adjustment") of the difference, in a given year, between immigration
flows and emigration flows with the rest of the world. Flows to and from other EU Member
States are therefore also included into this net migration definition, and not only migration
flows from outside the EU. However, this is not the case when using the EU-27 aggregate as
net migration refers then only to the differences between immigration flows and emigration
flows outside of the EU.
As shown in the table below, the net migration assumed by Eurostat in the main scenario
would be positive over the entire period and will be the only component contributing to the
EU-27 population growth. It is projected to be almost constant, on average 1.2 million, over
the entire projection horizon, apart from the 2022-2027 period where it is expected to be
negative, due to the expiration of the Temporary Protection Directive and the progressive
return of beneficiaries of Temporary protection to their country of origin.
Source for the box: Eurostat, Europop2023, International net migration by age and sex [proj_23nanmig] Metadata available
270
Due to the limited reliability of emigration and immigration statistics in many EU Member States, it is preferable to
calculate net migration as the difference between population change and natural change between two dates. It is
called "net migration (including statistical adjustment)" as it includes other changes which cannot be attributed to
births, deaths, immigration or emigration between that time period. Please note that net migration includes statistical
adjustment.
149
at: EUROPOP2023 - Population projections at national level (2022-2100) (proj_23n) (europa.eu)
1.1 Forecasted developments of population in the EU-27
Eurostat’s EUROPOP 2023 baseline projection depicts a scenario where the population of the
EU27 is expected to start its long-term decrease, after the recent turbulences due to the
COVID-19 pandemic271
and the outbreak of war in Ukraine272
. In the near future, the EU-27
population is projected to plateau at around 453 million inhabitants and slowly start to enter a
long-term decline from 2027 onwards.
Under an alternative ‘low migration’ scenario, where the projected baseline net migration is
reduced by a third, the EU population is projected however to decrease significantly, by 0.9%
(3.8 million) between 2023 and 2030, and by 1.8% (8.0 million) in a scenario when there is no
net migration. Under a theoretical ‘high migration’ scenario, where projected immigration
figures from outside the EU are increased by a third for the purpose the exercise, Eurostat’s
model projects an increase in the EU27’s population by 1.5% (6.5 million).
Figure 1: Population: Eurostat projections (different scenarios) up to 2030, EU27
Source: Population on 1st
of January [TPS00001__custom_7062984], Population on 1st January by age, sex and
type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
At the Member State level, the EUROPOP2023 projections highlight significant differences in
demographic trajectories. The baseline projection shows population increases by 2030 in 14
countries (AT, BE, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, IE, LU, MT, NL, SE, SI), with Malta (+14%),
Luxembourg (+12%) and Ireland (+5%) growing the most thanks to large-scale immigration,
while 13 countries (BG, CZ, EE, EL, HR, HU, IT, LT, LV, PL, PT, RO, SK) would lose
271
After a 2-year consecutive decline in population, due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the EU population
increased in 2022, mainly due to positive net migration, also partly due to the mass influx of displaced persons from
Ukraine. EU population increases again after two years decrease - Products Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu)
272
On 30 June 2023, approximately 4 million of non-EU citizens were granted a temporary protection status in the EU,
on the basis of the Council Implementing Decision 2022/382 of 4 March 2022. 30 June 2023: 4.07 million with
temporary protection - Products Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu)
150
population. The largest relative population decreases are projected for Latvia (-7%), Bulgaria
(-5%), Lithuania, Romania, Croatia and Greece (-4% each).
Figure 2: Population projections up to 2030, by Member State (baseline projection; 2023 = 100%)
Source: Population on 1st January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
As shown by the figure 3 below which combines projections and statistics provided by
Eurostat, projected population trends tend to be more negative in Member States with lower
GDP per capita figures. This highlights a twin challenge due to demographic challenges and
lower prosperity, which are unrelated but they are reinforcing each other. However, the close
fit between projected population trends (mainly driven from natality and mortality rates) and
GDP per capita also shows the tightness of correlation across Member States in the European
Union with only a few outliers (notably Malta, Luxembourg, Ireland) leaving little variability
in this respect: prospective negative population growth is coupled with lower prosperity, which
means that countries with more need to catch up in terms of GDP per capita are also facing
more severe demographic decline in relative terms.
151
Figure 3: Population projections up to 2030 vs. GDP per capita (2022), by Member State
(baseline projection; 2023 = 100%)
Source: Population on 1st January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661], GDP
per capita in PPS [NAMA_10_PC__custom_7073439]
Moving from the general population trends, the aggregated projected decline in the EU27
shows very different demographic trends across Member States in the labour market. In
fact, the working-age population is projected to increase between 2022 and 2075 in four
Member States (Malta, Luxembourg, Sweden and Ireland), while declining by less than
10% only in another eight countries. The former group of Member States tends to have a
higher GDP per capita than those at the bottom of the chart. Seven Member States, all
with relatively low GDP per capita, are in addition expected to see declines in their working-
age population of at leaset 30% the coming five decades, according to the baseline population
projections of Eurostat, adding to the challenge of catching up with other Member States.
At the same time, this projected population decrease is coupled with a general ageing of the
EU27’s population, which has been on-going for many years and will accelerate in the future,
according to EUROPOP2023 projections. The share of population aged 65 and over is
projected to grow to 23.7% by 2030 (the corresponding value in 2022 was 21.2%), while the
proportion of persons aged 80 and over will grow from 6.1% to 6.9%. The share of children
below the age of 15 is projected to decline from 15.0% to 14.1%, and the share of working age
population, aged 15-64, is projected to fall from its 63.9% share in 2022 to 62.2% by 2030.
152
Figure 4: Population broken down by age group, EU27, baseline projection (percentage)
Source: Population on 1st January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
1.2 Projected working-age (15-64-year olds) population in the EU-27
The decline of the share of the working-age population leads to a corresponding decline in
absolute numbers, which is appearing already in the projections by 2030 but is expected to
accelerate afterwards. The EUROPOP23 baseline scenario projects – under the assumption that
exceptional immigration levels driven to a large extent by the war in Ukraine will gradually
return to the historic average by 2027 - that the number will drop by 1.3% (corresponding to
3.7 million persons) by 2030. The lower migration and no net migration scenarios involve
more pronounced drops of 2.7% (-7.6 million) and 3.8% (-10.8 million), respectively. The size
of the working-age population is projected to slightly increase under the higher migration
scenario, by 0.1% (+0.3 million persons) by 2030.
It is to be noted again that the temporary increase of EU27 population until 2024 is due to the
unusually high number of people fleeing the war in Ukraine that have recently arrived in the
Union - and is modelled according to the methodology used by Eurostat (See methodological
box below) which only gradually reabsorb 2022 outlier figures until 2027 (when the projection
arrives back at long-term historic averages). The sudden increase in the 2022 statistics is
coming predominantly from the sudden influx of people who did not primarily come for
employment reasons, and/or might not want to reside in the EU in the long term: consequently,
they will not necessarily integrate into the labour market.
Figure 5: Working-age population (15-64), EU27 (2022=100%)
153
Source : Population on 1st
January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
The projected decline in the EU27 masks very different demographic trends across Member
States. Working-age population is in fact projected to increase between 2022 and 2030 in 12
Member States (MT, LU, IE, SE, CZ, CY, ES, EE, BE, FI, NL, FR). Seven Member States
(BG, RO, PT, LT, EL, HR, LV), all with relatively low GDP per capita, are however projected
to see declines in their working-age population of 5% or more, according to the baseline
population projections of Eurostat.
Figure 6: Change in working-age population (2022-2030), baseline projection, by Member State
Source : Population on 1st
January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
At the level of NUTS3 regions, the working-age population is projected to continue shrinking
mostly in predominantly rural areas in Eurostat’s earlier EUROPOP2019 projections (the latest
154
for which figures at NUTS3 level have been published273
). In the contrary, working-age
population is shrinking the least in predominantly urban regions. The latter have somewhat
younger populations and are attracting more immigration. Although the regional breakdown is
not available for the EUROPOP2023 projection at the time of the baseline analysis, is likely
that this long-term pattern has remained stable. It is also to be noted that, in 2022, the share of
working age population as a percentage of total population was already slightly lower in rural
and intermediate regions than in urban regions.
Bearing in mind that potential economic growth is the sum over employment and productivity
growth, the declining working-age population may have implications for the EU's long-term
growth prospects. Without additional migration from third countries and substantial progress in
terms of higher employment rates, the pressure to generate ever higher productivity gains will
be immense274
. Based on these considerations, several analyses concluded that targeted
migration should be part of a broader policy concept to maintain the EU's growth potential
through the decades to come275
.
1.3 Projected old-age dependency
The shrinking working-age population will continue to put more and more pressure on the
EU’s pension and social protection systems in the long run. The challenge can be seen in the
high and increasing old-age dependency ratios in Europe: this indicator is a key measure for
the sustainability of social security and economic dependency, defined as the ratio between the
number of persons 65 and over (i.e. the age when they generally become, or have traditionally
become, economically inactive) per 100 working-age persons (15 to 64 years), expressed as
percentage.276
As presented in the figure below, the old-age dependency ratio – already at a very high 33.0 in
2022 (by international comparison) – is projected to grow quickly in the coming years, to 38.0
by 2030 under the baseline scenario. The lower migration scenario projects a 38.5 dependency
ratio by 2030, and the no net migration scenario 39.0.
273
Note that the EU- and national-level figures in the 2019 Eurostat population projection differ from those in the latest
2023 projection, primarily due to volatility in migration scenarios.
274
Peschner, J. and Fotakis, C. (2013), Growth potential of EU human resources and policy implications for future
economic growth, European Commission, DG EMPL, Working Paper 3/2013.
275
European Commission, ESDE 2015, Chapter " Mobility and Migration in the EU: Opportunities and Challenges"
and ESDE 2023, “Reducing labour and skills shortages through migration”, pp. 128-129.
276
The indicator can be calculated using other age ranges as well, e.g. 20-64, where the lower bound is more accurately
grasping the average age for persons to become economically active, considering the spread of tertiary education.
155
Figure 7: Old-age dependency ratio (population 65+ vs. 15-64 years), EU27
Source : Population on 1st
January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
In some countries - and in rural regions especially – the problem will likely be more pressing
of what is suggested by looking at the EU aggregated level.
By 2030, the old-age dependency ratio is projected to surpass 40.0 in 6 Member States (PT, IT,
EL, HR, FI, DE), while remaining below 30.0 only in 4 (MT, CY, IE, LU). The projected
situation shows a somewhat different picture in respect of the starting positions of each country
in 2022. This is to a large extent a consequence of the chosen projection methodology used by
Eurostat which assumes that the distribution of migration flows between Member States (net
migration) will approximate over time their share of the EU27 population. If net migration
ratios will markedly differ between countries in the future, driven by factors such as persisting
differences in GDP, the pull effect of existing social networks, language etc., the actual
ranking of countries by old-age ratio reached in 2030 can turn out differently.
Figure 8: Old-age dependency ratio (population 65 years or over to population 15 to 64 years) by Member State
156
Source : Population on 1st
January by age, sex and type of projection [PROJ_23NP__custom_6678661]
The various indicators provided above all lead to the same conclusion: ageing will be a major
challenge for the EU-27 as the general population and the working-age population will decline,
the latter both in absolute terms and as a share of the total population. The positive net
migration assumed by Eurostat in their projections will not prevent these demographic
developments to happen; however, it could contribute to attenuating their impacts. The
methodological box below provides a synthetic view of the various indicators.
2. Migration
Future trends (both in terms of stocks and flows) of international labour migration are difficult
to predict277
; Nonetheless, already on-going megatrends are likely to be confirmed in the near
and medium-term future, at least by 2030278
. For instance, the global competition for talent has
increased over the past decade due to the higher demand for labour supply from developed and
emerging countries linked to the ageing population and shrinking workforce detailed above for
the EU.
At the global level, the world is becoming more migratory279
. The share of the total world
population living permanently outside the country of birth has increased over the last decades
from 2.8% in 1990 to 3.6 % in 2020 (an estimated 281 million people were living outside their
277 As they are dependent on the business cycle and volatile geopolitical conditions as well as occurrence of natural and
man-made disasters, including displacement of populations induced by climate change. European Commission,
Strategic Foresight Report, 2023, pp. 8-9 2023 Strategic Foresight Report (europa.eu).
278
JRC, Migration Megatrends, Increasing significance of migration | Knowledge for policy (europa.eu).
279
A more migratory world means that the volume, diversity, geographical scope, and overall complexity of
international migration have increased as part of globalization processes. Migration has globalized in particular from
a destination country perspective, such as OECD countries, with migrants from an increasingly diverse array of non-
European-origin countries concentrating in a shrinking pool of prime destination countries. The global migration
map has thus become more skewed. Rather than refuting the globalization of migration hypothesis, this seems to
reflect the asymmetric nature of globalization processes in general. Hein de Haas, Mathias Czaika, The Bloablization
of Migration: Has the World Become more migratory ?, International Migration Review, 2014, The Globalization of
Migration: Has the World Become More Migratory? - Czaika - 2014 - International Migration Review - Wiley
Online Library.
157
country of birth)280
. This results from several factors, including better access to good quality
education281
and the globalisation of the economy282
. Moreover, in 2021, according to Gallup
World Poll, 16% of adults worldwide, corresponding approximately to 900 million people had
aspirations to migrate permanently283
. This historical upwards trend of increased global
mobility is expected to continue and to intensify, even if prediction of directions and flows of
displaced people is difficult to foresee due to unpredictability of conflicts and wars as well as
man-made and natural disasters, including climate change consequences.
In terms of expected evolution of migration towards the EU, immigration of third-country
nationals is discussed (2.1), followed by immigration of working age third-country nationals
(2.2) and, finally, immigration for employment purposes (2.3).
2.1 Immigration of third country nationals in the EU
The projection for the inflow of TCNs had to be calculated from the EUROPOP2023 net
migration dataset. Eurostat does not disclose modelled immigration and emigration figures
separately, as these are less robust than the net migration projection. The calculation was using
the published Eurostat method for developing migration-related scenarios The ’higher
migration’-scenario assumes an increase by 1/3 in the immigration of third country nationals.
A further essential aspect of the EUROPOP2023 methodology was that it had to address the
likely bias to possible historic trend analysis techniques, caused by the very high influx of
refugees from Ukraine under temporary protection in 2022. For this reason, it was assumed
that by 2027, Member State migration patterns will gradually return to their 2013-2021
average (with smaller modification factors considered). From that point onward, the migration
patterns of Member States will converge towards each other, with the share of immigrants
received being fully proportionate to the population share of the given Member State by 2100.
On this basis, the annual immigration of TCNs is projected by Eurostat to be reverting from
exceptional levels to about 1.8 million in 2027 and remain close to that level in the 2027-2030
period as well.
Figure 1: Projected annual immigration of third-country nationals (2023-2030), EU27
280
UNDESA, Policy Brief 146 UN DESA Policy Brief No. 146: Why safe, orderly and regular migration matters for
sustainable development | Department of Economic and Social Affairs
281
As the population of well-educated workers is growing in many countries around the world, access to quality
education has become increasingly available. Technical and vocational training as well as tertiaries education is
becoming more accessible, in emerging and developing countries. This has led to an increase in the number of
medium- and high-skilled workers entering the global talent pool, including in sectors and occupations with
persistent labour and skills shortages in Europe. UNDESA Policy Brief 152 UN DESA Policy Brief No. 152:
Population, education and sustainable development: interlinkages and select policy implications | Department of
Economic and Social Affairs
282
Businesses are increasingly operating in a global environment. Global supply chains, advances in technology and
communication capabilities, the spread of English as the language of global communication contributed to make
international recruitment easier. The impact of increased automation of work, Artificial intelligence developments
and remote and nomad working patterns are still to work out.
283
Gallup, Nearly 900 Million Worldwide Wanted to Migrate in 2021 (gallup.com). See also UNDESA, Policy Brief
153 UN DESA Policy Brief No. 153: India overtakes China as the world’s most populous country | Department of
Economic and Social Affairs
158
Source: Assumptions for net migration by age, sex and type of projection
2.2 Immigration of working age third country nationals in the EU
Most of the TCN immigrants will be of working age. Immigrants are, on average, considerably
younger than the EU population as a whole. This applies both to historic data, sourced from
Eurostat, and EUROPOP2023 projections. The share of working-age persons is very high
among TCNs immigrants, above 80% (in the projection, the share is below 80% only for 2023,
where the model is still highly impacted by the exceptional year of 2022 with a sudden arrival
of temporarily displaced children arriving from Ukraine). In comparison, the share of working-
age persons in the EU population as a whole (which already includes TCN migrants arriving in
earlier years) is only 63.9%.
Figure 2: Projected immigration of third-country nationals (2023-2030), by age group, EU27 (percentage)
Source: Assumptions for net migration by age, sex and type of projection
159
2.3 Immigration for employment purposes
The likely evolution of projected TCN immigration by main reason - family, education,
employment and other reasons - was done by building on the breakdown of first residence
permits by main reason284, separately per Member State. Consistently, to the extent
possible285, with the approach behind EUROPOP2023, it was assumed that between 2023 and
2027, all countries will maintain their historic breakdown for the 5-year period between 2017
and 2021. From 2028 onwards, all individual breakdowns by Member State will converge
towards the grand EU27 average. This method does not account for possible EU-wide or
country-specific trends between 2013-2021 that could continue in the future.
According to this estimation method, the number of TCN migrants under the EUROPOP2023
baseline scenario who would arrive for employment purposes will be around 400,000 per year,
after the expected expiration of the temporary protection directive in 2025.
Figure 3: Projected immigration of third-country nationals (2023-2030), by main reason of permit, EU27
Source: Assumptions for net migration by age, sex and type of projection, First permits by reason, age, sex and citizenship
[MIGR_RESFAS__custom_6828377]
An essential question is what share of projected TCN immigrants, irrespectively of the
breakdown of (first) residence permits, are likely to ultimately seek employment. For instance,
TCNs who obtained their residence permit for family reasons – which could be an easier route
for some – may be trying to apply for jobs and pursue a corresponding permit later; persons
who came for education purposes can stay and work (it is generally allowed to pursue
284
This is not entirely consistent with recorded immigration figures for various reasons.
285
There was no historic first residence permits data available at Eurostat for the outlier year of 2022, from which a
gradual return to the long-term average by 2027 could have been calculated.
160
employment for 1 year after finishing their studies); and TCNs can in general change their
immigration status permit later.
To remain realistic with the projections, this baseline scenario only account for numbers of
TCNs projected to come with an EU Single Permit, currently under renegotiation, extrapolated
on the basis of the share of first residence permits given for employment purposes.
Accordingly, the EUROPOP2023 baseline projection and above-described modelling of the
split by main reason, the number of TCNs who come to the EU27 for employment purposes is
projected to be about 400,000 per year, for a cumulated total of 3.8 million by 2030. This
figure only concerns gross immigration legal entry for employment purposes and does not
account for TCNs who will subsequently emigrate from the EU27, either back to their country
of birth or to a third country, without prejudging of the capacity to retain talent attracted in the
first place to the EU.
Figure 4: Projected number of third-country nationals arriving for employment (2023-2030), annual and
cumulative, EU27
Source: Assumptions for net migration by age, sex and type of projection, First permits by reason, age, sex and citizenship
[MIGR_RESFAS__custom_6828377]
ANNEX 7
ASSESSMENT OF LABOUR AND SKILLS SHORTAGES IN THE EU
1. Methodology and definitions
1.1 Definition of labour and skills shortages
The terminology around “labour and/or skill shortage” is not always standardised or
universally agreed upon, in terms of definitions. Moreover, in practice, measuring labour
shortages is difficult, especially at a detailed and operational level, given also the
transformation and evolution of the labour market (see box on definitions and methodologies
below). More broadly, while labour shortages refer to hiring difficulties when attracting any
staff, meaning an objective limit to the workforce available to employers, skill shortage refers
to a situation when employers face difficulties to find specific skills and/or competences in the
pool of their existing or prospective staff given their business needs. Accordingly, labour
shortages occur when the demand for workers qualified in a particular area of the labour
market exceeds the supply of those workers. This can arise for a variety of interrelated reasons,
161
such as insufficient labour supply in certain segments of the labour market or in certain
geographical locations (quantitative shortages), or a discrepancy between the skills and
qualifications sought by employers and those held by individuals seeking employment
(qualitative shortages). To successfully fill a vacancy, people with the right skills and
qualifications must be in the right place at the right time and must be willing to work under the
conditions offered. Accordingly, individuals seeking employment must have adequate
information about the requirements, working conditions, and availability of vacant positions286
.
Determinants and categories of labour and skills "shortages"
When individual employers cannot find the workers they need to fill open vacancies, labour
shortages occur. Labour shortages refer to a situation in which labour demand exceeds labour
supply. However, a distinction should be made between quantitative and qualitative labour
shortages.
In case of a quantitative labour shortage, there is an absolute lack of workers in the labour
market. Labour demand is larger than labour supply, resulting in a large share of difficult-to-
fill vacancies and a low unemployment rate. Quantitative shortages can be caused by increased
demand for specific goods or services or economic growth more generally. The insufficient
supply of labour can be caused by a decline in the working age population due to ageing or
emigration or by a decrease in participation rates due to early retirement or the inactivity of
certain groups.
In case of a qualitative labour shortage, labour demand and labour supply are roughly in
equilibrium (balanced), but a large share of unfilled vacancies and a high unemployment rate
exist simultaneously. This signals a qualitative mismatch between supply and demand. A
common cause is skill mismatch, either because there are not enough graduates with the
necessary skills to fill open vacancies, or because skill requirements have changed or because
job requirements by employers do not fit with the competences of jobseekers and graduates.
Qualitative shortages can also be caused by a mismatch between the preferences of jobseekers
and the characteristics of the open vacancies. This occurs when jobseekers do not want to fill a
vacancy because of the working conditions offered or because the sector is seen as
unattractive. Moreover, the lack of sufficient and correct labour market information for both
employers and jobseekers can also contribute to qualitative shortages.
However, it should be noted that a labour shortage is always relative in the sense that it refers
to labour demand in excess of labour supply of people willing to work at a particular wage and
under particular working conditions at a particular place and point in time. Offering better
wages and working conditions can thus be effective at resolving shortages in certain sectors.
One also finds the distinction between cyclical and structural drivers of shortages. Skills
mismatches will always exist as a part of the frictional dynamics of the labour market and due
to the business cycles (i.e., cyclical labour shortages). However, persistent or structural
shortages can be detrimental to economic recovery and growth. Some structural changes, such
as the adoption of new technologies, may increase the demand for certain skills that are not
available in the labour market in the short run, creating skills shortages even when
286
ESDE, 2023, chapter 2, section 1.
162
unemployment is high. Therefore, one of the main challenges faced by policy makers is
identifying real, structural labour shortages, which cannot be met by the local labour force
even if the labour market is functioning well or measures are taken to improve it, e.g., by
supporting labour matching or by investing in education and training.
Objective labour market information, such as vacancy rates, unemployment rates, and changes
in wage rates can be extremely useful but, in many countries, data on detailed occupations are
not necessarily available. In practice, measuring occupational groups’ shortages is also
difficult. Notably, there is no harmonisation of benchmarking used to identify a shortage
and/or surplus across countries or regions involved in the EURES exercise, so there is no
common definition of what can be considered as a labour shortages. Using interviews has its
limitations and bias, but it provides at least a recurrent and flexible way for identifying
occupational shortages at a more detailed level.
Source: based on European Parliament, Labour Market Shortages in the European Union
(2015); European Migration Network, Determining labour shortages and the need for labour
migration from third countries in the EU (2015); OECD/EU, Matching economic migration
with labour market needs (2014)
1.2. Data sources on current and expected skills shortages in the EU
There is no universally agreed methodology on how to measure sectoral or occupational
shortages in the EU, which could function as an operational tool to identify professional
profiles in short supply. Eurostat identifies three main approaches to capturing skills in
statistics: indirect measurement (mainly through qualifications and occupations), direct
measurement (testing and job vacancy data) and self-reporting.
On the one hand, labour shortages can be tracked through self-reporting, such as DG ECFIN’s
Business and Consumer Surveys (BCS) which collect quarterly survey data asking
employers whether labour is a major factor limiting their production, which refer to self-
reported difficulties in the recruitment process and therefore having a subjective element. On
the other hand, direct measurement via vacancy statistics collected by Eurostat shed light on
the labour demand in sectors that are outside the scope of the BCS. However, the drawback of
vacancy statistics is that they show the demand for labour, without comprising the supply side
and do not distinguish whether high job vacancy rates in a sector are driven by different
underlying causes such as high turnover or by labour shortages287
. Moreover, data availability
is limited: EU level data are not available before 2012; data for the full set of NACE sectors
are not available; as there are missing data for agriculture, forestry and fishing, water supply,
public administration and defence, and compulsory social security and finally, data for human
health and social work activities, and arts, entertainment and recreation data are only available
and shown for 20 countries in the Euro area. Both approaches provide information on
relatively broad aggregated sectors, making them less relevant for the identification of related
qualifications or skills required to fill occupational shortages, which is indirect measurement.
287
Another major drawback of vacancy statistics collected by Eurostat is that the pool of vacancies used to calculate the
vacancy rate is not harmonised across Member States, as some Member States use internal firm vacancies as basis
whereas this information is not used in other Member States.
163
A third approach uses information collected by in the context of the EURES report288
by the
European Labour Authority (ELA) on occupational classifications and identifies labour
shortages across occupations by Member States. The analysis is based on a questionnaire
circulated to National Coordination Offices (NCOs). Answers to the questionnaire represent
the primary source for labour market imbalances as presented in this report. Additional sources
used are data extracted from the European Labour Force (LFS) database; and detailed
CEDEFOP forecasts. Therefore, the analysis makes use of national data sources, which were
utilised by NCOs to identify regional differences. Each NCO provides a list of shortages and
surpluses in their country based on the data in 4-digit ISCO ’08 occupation codes. Out of 436
ISCO 4-digit level occupations, there are identified 35 widespread shortage occupations.
Despite certain limitations289
, this third methodology allows to provide information about
labour shortages at the most disaggregated occupational level. Given the objective of the EU
Talent Pool initiative to identify occupations with high demand for workforce, this approach is
considered to be the most relevant for the mapping of labour shortages and will be developed
accordingly. Building on the information on shortages from ELA as well as the 2023 ESDE
Chapter 2 and Commission internal analysis on labour and skills shortages shortage
occupations at the EU level that persist over the medium term (2017-2022290
, at ISCO 4-digit
level), the methodology considered for the purpose of the EU Talent Pool initiative considers
those occupations that were indicated at least twice, including at least once since the onset of
the pandemic. A list of occupations identified in such a way can be found at the end of the
section 2.2.
1.3 Literature review
Apart from the definition and methodology used, the assessment of labour and skills shortages
outlined below is based on a literature review, with few recent key studies at EU level
mentioned below:
• European Commission, European Semester Spring Package (2023)
• European Commission, Towards a Job-Rich Recovery COM(2012)173
• CEDEFOP, Skills Shortages and Gaps (2015)
• CEDEFOP, Insights into skills shortages and skill mismatch (2018)
• CEDEFOP, The Green Employment and Skills Transformation (2021)
• CEDEFOP, Skills Forecast up to 2030 (2023)
• ESDE, Employment and Social Developments in Europe (2023)
• LMWD, Labour Market and Wage Developments (2022)
288
Based on Article 30 of EURES Regulation (EU) 2016/589.
289
The shortcomings include: variation in the geographical scope of the exercise across years; different reference
periods covered in the same reporting year; different sources used by the PES when reporting shortages (i.e. PES
administrative data, national occupation forecasts, occupation barometer, PES survey only, combination of different
sources); the selection criterion for identifying widespread shortages varies from year to year.
290
Before this period, data is only available at ISCO 3-digit level.
164
• EUROFOUND, Business not as usual: How EU companies adapted to the COVID-19
pandemic (2021)
• EUROFOUND, Tackling Labour Shortage in EU Member States (2021)
• EUROFOUND, Measures to Tackle Labour Shortages: Lessons for future policy
(2023)
• EIB, 2022/2023 Investment Report (2023) based on latest available data
• ECFIN, Monthly and Quarterly Business and Consumer Surveys (July 2023)
• ELA, 2022 EURES report on Labour shortages and surpluses (2023)
• ELA, 2022 Annual report on intra-EU labour mobility (2023) based on latest available
data (2021/2020)
Against this background, the section below aims at summarising briefly the main data and
knowledge on current and future skills shortages present in the EU.
2. Labour and skills shortages in the EU
Labour shortages are a common challenge for EU member states. Shortages in key strategic
sectors for the green and digital transition are a risk for attaining common initiatives agreed at
the European level, such as the EU industrial strategy, or common objective, such as the
competitiveness of the EU economy as a whole. Notwithstanding the need to upskill and
reskill the existing EU workforce as well as activate the inactive population in working age, all
of which is highlighted by the current 2023 EU Year of Skills, the EU lacks a common EU-
level tool to attract and retain workers from third countries, at all skill levels, as part of a
strategic labour migration policy living up to common European challenges, such as for
instance the relative lack of attractiveness of the EU and of its Member States291
.
2.1 Labour shortages in the EU labour markets
This section starts with the historical dynamics of the headline indicator of labour shortages,
namely the Job Vacancy Rate published by Eurostat (2.1.1), to move to labour market
imbalances (at sectoral and occupational level of analysis) as reported by EU companies and
Public Employment Services (2.1.2) and to conclude on the forecasting of labour and skills
shortages performed by CEDEFOP (2.1.3).
2.1.1 A steadily increasing job vacancy rate
In the EU, after the COVID-19 induced temporary turbulence in labour markets; labour
shortages rebounded sharply in line with previous occupational and sectoral patterns pre-2020
as the economy and the labour market recovered and even increased in the period leading to
the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, in early 2022292
. Taking a longer perspective, not
merely linked to the business cycle, the unmet demand for labour, as measured by the job
vacancy rate in the EU, had been steadily rising since 2012, when economic activity started to
291
OECD, Attractiveness Index, 2023.
292
European Commission, ESDE, 2023, p. 14.
165
recover from the global financial crisis of 2009-2010293
. After COVID-19 turbulence, the
vacancy rate reached levels much higher than before the lockdowns: the overall vacancy rate
stood a 3% in the first quarter of 2023, more than doubling from the 2010-2015 period,
including in sectors relevant to the transition to climate neutrality (to be detailed below).294
Figure 1: Job vacancy rates in the business economy, EU27 (quarterly data)
Source: Eurostat (jvs_q_nace2)
In terms of geographic patterns, as showed by the figure below, Q1 2023 job vacancy rates in
the business economy were especially high in Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, Germany,
Czechia and Sweden, while moderate in Bulgaria, Spain, Poland and Romania. While the
pressure on labour supply is the largest in countries with the fastest-shrinking working age
population – explained by low past birth rates and negative or insignificant net migration
(examples are Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Romania) – job vacancy rates tend to be
lower in these Member States, suggesting that the current imbalances on the labour market are
structural and rather demand-led. Eurofound distinguishes between three groups of Member
States: countries with very high levels of labour shortages with strong increases in the past
decade (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands); countries in line with the
EU average (Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia
and Sweden); and countries with lower and only slowly increasing job vacancy rates, typically
with high levels of unemployment and informal employment (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece,
Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain).
Figure 2: Job vacancy rates in the business economy, by Member State (2023 Q1)
293
European Commission, Towards a Job-Rich Recovery, COM(2012)173 plotted a strategy to reach 75% of 20-64
years old in employment as a target of the 2020 Strategy. With a 2-year delay, also due to the turbulence of the
COVID-19 pandemic the employment rate dropped to 72% in 2020, rebounded to 73% in 2021, and reached 75% in
2022. EU's employment rate peaks at 75% in 2022 - Products Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu).
294
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser//product/view/JVS_A_RATE_R2 During the entire 2022, the vacancy rate
was markedly higher even than vacancy rates of the tight labour market from before the Covid outbreak, by 0.6
percentage points.
166
Source: Eurostat (jvs_q_nace2)
Serious labour shortages are also clearly evident at the sectoral level. As of the first quarter of
2023, job vacancy rates were especially high in administrative and support service activities
(4.6%), accommodation and food service activities (4.2%), construction (3.7%), professional,
scientific and technical activities (3.6%), and information and communication (3.5%). On the
other hand, sectors that experience lower levels of unmet demand for labour include: financial
and insurance activities (1.9%), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (1.8%),
water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (1.8%), and mining and
quarrying (1.7%).295
2.1.2 Current imbalances in the labour market
As mentioned before, the tightness of the EU-27 labour markets296
has increased substantially
in 2022, compared to the pre-COVID-19 crisis period, as the pandemic exacerbated labour
shortages in some sectors and occupations (for example healthcare, social care and ICT
services297
). Subsequently, in 2023, unemployment reached a historically low point compared
to the number of vacancies298
. Labour markets are tighter in some Member States than in
295
Job vacancy statistics by NACE Rev. 2 activity - quarterly data (from 2001 onwards)
[JVS_Q_NACE2__custom_6683579]
296
As measured by the Labour market slack indicator which measures the unmet supply of employment, which has
several different components, more or less substantial according to the country. According to Eurostat, in 2022, the
labour market slack was highest in Spain (21.3 % of the extended labour force), followed by Italy (19.5 %), Greece
(18.5 %), Sweden (16.1 %) and Finland (15.1 %). By contrast, Czechia (3.0 %), Malta (4.4 %) and Poland (4.9 %)
registered the lowest levels of labour market slack Labour market slack - employment supply and demand mismatch
- Statistics Explained (europa.eu).
297
Eurofound, Business not as Usual (2021).
298
According to the 2022 Labour Market and Wage Developments, job creation brought unemployment to an all-time
low and a sharp increase in job vacancies, leading to unfilled labour demand. p. 8. Additionally, the labour market
slack, comprising not only unemployed, but also the part-time workers who want to work more, people who are
available to work but do not look for work, and people who are looking for work but are not immediately available,
also decreased. p. 83 Labour market and wage developments in Europe - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu).
167
others299
, highlighting that labour demand and supply are not balanced across Member
States300
. For instance, skills mismatches are being highlighted in some Member States: Spain,
Greece and Italy301
, whereas for the EU the overqualification rate was 22% in 2022302
. Some
regions in the EU are more affected by a shrinking working-age population than others, with
rural areas losing the most population. Eurostat projections indicate that the share of people in
the EU living in a region, whose population is shrinking, will increase from 34% in 2020 to
45% in 2030 and 51% in 2040303
. 82 EU regions accounting for 30% of the European
population are facing or risking a talent development trap, meaning a decline of their working-
age population and a stagnant number of people with tertiary education.304
Within Member States and regions, sector and occupation specific labour shortages do
already occur. Therefore, quantitative labour shortages in some parts of the EU economy
are expected grow in the medium-term, as incipient demographic trends leading to an ageing
population and shrinking workforce will take hold305
. According to Eurofound, in the last
quarter of 2022, the proportion of managers reporting that labour shortage was a factor limiting
production in the industry, services and construction sectors were 26%, 30% and 31%.
According to the European Investment Bank, in 2022, 85% of EU companies found that lack
of available staff with the right set of skills is an additional factor hampering investments. In
2021, approximately 63% of EU companies experienced difficulties to recruit ICT specialists,
with large companies reporting more-hard-to-fill vacancies306
. In most of the cases (51.3%) the
lack of applications was the difficulty for recruiting ICT specialists’ positions most often
reported by companies in 2021. By 2030, the target of the EU Digital Compass is to have 20
million of employed ICT specialists to accompany the transition to a digital economy. Only 9
299
The EU employment rate peaked at 75% in 2022, for the age group 20-54-year-olds. For comparison, the
employment rated dropped to 72% in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The countries with the highest
employment rate, above 80%, were the Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary and Germany. EU's
employment rate peaks at 75% in 2022 - Products Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu)
300
The EU economy grew by 3.5% in real terms in 2022. In the EU, in 2022, employment rates were at a record high at
74.6% with 213.7 million people employed and unemployment rates at a historic low at 6.2%. As evidenced by
different labour market participation rates, labour markets in some Member States are close to almost full
employment (ESDE, 2023). And yet intra-EU mobility is not sufficient or balanced across all different levels of
skills Intra-EU mobility Report (2023)
301
European Commission, Labour market and Wage Development, Annual Review 2022, p. 83
302
Overqualification refers to “vertical” skills mismatch, when people with tertiary education are employed in
occupations that do not require such a high level of education. Among the EU countries, the “vertical” mismatch was
highest in Spain (36%), Greece and Cyprus (each 32%). EU's employment rate peaks at 75% in 2022 - Products
Eurostat News - Eurostat (europa.eu) Using EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) data, Eurostat monitors both
"vertical" and "horizontal" skill mismatch. "Vertical" measures focus on discrepancies between educational
attainment levels (ISCED 2011 1-digit) and occupations (ISCO 2008 1-digit). "Horizontal" measures focus on
misalignments between the educational field of the highest level of education attained (ISCED-1999 fields of
education and training) and occupations (ISCO 2008 3-digit).
303
Relative peripheral geographical position, availability of transport and digital infrastructure and lack of attractiveness
are among the reasons which contribute to the intertwined emigration and depopulation trends of certain regions, in
the EU, especially among young people who emigrate for study and work-related reasons. European Commission
Communication, Harnessing Talent in Europe’s regions, 17 January 2023.
304
European Commission Communication, Harnessing Talent in Europe’s regions, 17 January 2023.
305
For instance, in Germany, the Institute for Employment Research (affiliated to the Federal Employment Agency),
estimated in 2021 that the German labour market will need to recruit from abroad approximately 400000 skilled
workers annually to offset the incipient labour shortages, with number being potentially even higher due to the war
in Ukraine. In Germany, the highest number of workers is required in the social work sector, followed by healthcare
and nursing staff as well as electricians and heating and air conditioning technicians. Software engineers are also
very much in demand. Projektion des Erwerbspersonenpotenzials bis 2060 - Demografische Entwicklung lässt das
Arbeitskräfteangebot stark schrumpfen (iab.de).
306
Eurostat, isoc_ske_itrcrn2.
168
million were employed in 2021307
, whereas the demand for ICT work doubled between 2011
and 2021308
. Therefore, current labour shortages in this sector are likely to become even more
pressing. WHO estimates a projected shortfall of workers in the healthcare sector, at the
global level, of approximately 10 million health workers, where labour shortages are predicted
to be most severe in low- and lower-middle income countries309
. Labour shortages have
doubled also in sectors considered key for the green transition between 2015 and 2021310
.
For the EU, it is estimated that the green transition could lead to the creation of between 1 and
2.5 million additional jobs by 2030311
, increasing the demand for staff namely in sectors such
as construction, renewable energy and electricity, manufacturing of electric goods312
On the basis of the analysis of several past EURES reports on labour shortages and surpluses,
the most frequently reported labour shortages since 2017 are in healthcare, software,
engineering, mechanics and building trade occupations. Unsurprisingly, sectors such as
construction, healthcare, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics),
particularly ICT (Information and Communications Technology), were among the most
affected in 2022. These shortages will likely increase with the projected decline in the working
age population from 265 million in 2022 to 258 million by 2030313
, moving closer to a
quantitative labour shortage scenario and therefore having a persistent and structural nature.
Throughout Europe, according to the 2022 EURES report314
, there are hundreds of labour
shortages at the level of 4-digit ISCO 08 nomenclature. Some of them are niche shortages
(being reported by only one country or a small number of countries). However, 38 occupations
were identified as most common (being reported by at least 11 countries) and among them the
following occupational groups were identified: metal, machinery and related trade workers,
welders, concrete placers and finishers, science and engineers as well as ICT professionals.
Among the most severe shortages were identified: bricklayers and related workers, building
and related electricians, carpenters and joiners, plumbers and pipe fitters, heavy truck and lorry
drivers and nursing professionals.
307
Eurostat, Our progress towards the EU’s Digital Decade targets - Produkte Eurostat Aktuell - Eurostat (europa.eu).
308
As of today, the impact of recent advancements in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) field remains unclear both in terms
of labour market development but also labour market shortages. Given this uncertainty, this report keeps a neutral
stance on the likely consequences of the AI, both in terms of productivity but also labour demand as a result of
employers’ decisions.
309
WHO, Health workforce (who.int).
310
According to the narrow definition of green jobs provided by Eurostat (Employment in the environmental goods and
services sectors). These sectors include manufacturing, construction, transportation and electricity, steam, gas and air
conditioning. Commission, A Green Deal industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age, COM(2023)62.
311
The employment consequences of the green transition need to take into account not only the sectors directly
concerned by enhanced greening activities, such as the construction sector, but also indirectly affected sectors, such
as manufacturing. Moreover, the estimated employment impacts depend on underlying assumptions about by proper
employment and adequate educational policies. ESDE, 2023, pp. 51-54.
312
Cedefop, The green employment and skills transformation; Eurofound Fit for 55 Employment Forecasts; Asikanen et
al. The future of jobs is green.
313
Annex 6, Problem assessed by a Demographic perspective.
314
A statistical relationship could not be found between the numbers employed in a country and the number of
identified shortage occupations reported in the country. Labour shortages report 2022 - EURES | European Labour
Authority (europa.eu), pp. 18-22.
169
Table 1: Shortage occupations most often reported by PES, 2022
Occupation Number of countries
reporting the occupation
as a shortage
Percentage of countries who
ranked shortage as ‘high
magnitude’
Bricklayers and related workers 19 57%
Carpenters and joiners 18 38%
Heavy truck and lorry drivers 18 73%
Metal working machine tool
setters and operators
18 50%
Nursing professionals 18 54%
Plumbers and pipe fitters 18 38%
Building and related electricians 18 40%
Welders and flame cutters 17 54%
Concrete placers, concrete
finishers and related workers
17 62%
Sheet metal workers 16 44%
Floor layers and tile setters 16 36%
Software developers 15 58%
Cooks 15 55%
Building construction labourers 15 38%
Electrical mechanics and fitters 15 22%
Applications programmers 15 64%
Generalist medical practitioners 14 55%
Bus and tram drivers 14 50%
Motor vehicle mechanics and
repairers
14 33%
Specialist medical practitioners 14 55%
Software and applications
developers and analysts not
elsewhere classified
14 58%
Earthmoving and related plant
operators
14 44%
Waiters 13 44%
170
Occupation Number of countries
reporting the occupation
as a shortage
Percentage of countries who
ranked shortage as ‘high
magnitude’
Early childhood educators 13 43%
Structural metal preparers and
erectors
13 33%
Painters and related workers 13 63%
Agricultural and industrial
machinery mechanics and
repairers
12 67%
Bakers, pastry-cooks and
confectionery makers
12 25%
Systems analysts 12 56%
Butchers, fishmongers and
related food preparers
12 38%
Health care assistants 12 60%
Cleaners and helpers in offices,
hotels and other establishments
12 63%
Electrical engineering
technicians
12 63%
Psychologists 11 75%
Plasterers 11 25%
Civil engineers 11 57%
Physiotherapists 11 40%
Roofers 11 78%
Source: European Labour Authority
Moreover, the presence of occupations surpluses, according to the 2022 EURES report315
, also
points to the emergence of labour market imbalances, in the context of major drivers of
change, which include, but are not limited to, rapid diffusion of new digital technologies, the
ageing of the European population and the transition to a climate-neutral economy. The
Annual Report on Intra-EU Labour Mobility 2022316
analysed the transformation of EU labour
market between 1999 and 2017. The report highlights a clear pattern of change, showing major
increases in employment levels in health and social services, professional services, financial
services, ICT & business services, and retail & hospitality. Together, these five sectors
315
Labour shortages report 2022 - EURES | European Labour Authority (europa.eu)
316
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/00ed7c30-dd96-11ed-a05c-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
171
accounted for almost two-thirds of the total increase in jobs over this time frame. The
employment growth within health and social care services alone accounted for almost the
entire net growth observed over this period (+1 921 400 employed persons), due largely to the
ageing European population leading to increased demand for healthcare professionals and care
workers to provide support to the elderly with their daily activities such as personal care or
mentoring. Other sectors which showed large increases were professional services e.g., legal or
accounting services (with 586,200 additional persons employed), retail & hospitality (225 900)
as well as ICT & business services (207 100). On the other hand, there were some industries
which experienced decreases in their employment levels between 1999 and 2017. These
include sectors such as manufacturing (-764 300) and agriculture (-353 000). These decreases
in employment levels can be mainly attributed to labour-replacing technological advancements
coupled with the effects of globalisation - i.e. increasing international competition - resulting in
a reshaping of global production chains.
2.1.3 Consensus on future expected labour and skills shortages
Labour shortages are expected to persist in both high-skills and low-skills occupations, driven
by the creation of additional jobs and the need to replace workers who retire317
. In such a
context, labour shortages are not a novel challenge. However, limited supply of specialized as
well as generalist workers is increasing its gravity. Recent studies conducted by Eurofound
confirm that existing labour shortages are likely to persist in Europe for years to come, with
demographic trends being one of the major underlying trends, but not the only one.318
Additionally, in relation to the European Green Deal, Cedefop launched a foresight exercise on
skills related to 4 sectors: smart and green cities, waste management, agri-food and circular
economy319
up to 2030 and beyond. The construction sector, which plays a pivotal role in
achieving the green transition, the shift to energy-efficient buildings will require workers to be
more aware of eco-friendly materials and technologies. By 2030, an estimated 3 to 4 million
construction workers in various occupations such as heat pump boiler installers, carpenters and
joiners, bricklayers, and technicians will require training on energy efficiency and renewable
energy sources. The green transition is expected to shift the sectoral composition of
employment in the EU from polluting to ‘cleaner’ sectors and boost employment in some
supporting services, albeit to a limited extent. ICT-related professions play key role in the
transition towards neutrality too. According to assessment carried out by sectoral stakeholders,
sectors such as renewable energy or automotive manufacturing are experiencing increased
demand for digital competences and knowledge, such as big data and data analytics or software
development.320
Integration of skills relevant to the green transition in the broader national strategies addressing
skills challenges to address labour shortages and fairness in the transition is mandated by the
317
ESDE, 2023, p. 15.
318
Eurofound (2023), Measures to tackle labour shortages: Lessons for future policy. Available at:
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2023/measures-to-tackle-labour-shortages-lessons-for-future-
policy This report builds on the findings of the Eurofound study “Tackling Labour Shortages” published in 2021,
which mapped the scale, scope and nature of labour shortages in the EU Member States. The earlier report explored
the drivers of shortage and developed a categorisation of measures adopted in different Member States to address the
most important shortages at sectoral, occupational and geographical levels.
319
CEDEFOP, The Green Employment and Skills Transformation (2021), p. 30.
320
Strategic Blueprint project for the automotive sector DRIVES or initiatives under the Pact for Skills.
172
Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition to climate neutrality.321
. On this basis,
the 2023 European Semester Spring package states: “the development and acquisition of skills
and competences relevant for the green transition is becoming more pressing. It is becoming
increasingly important to ensure that all workers, in particular those in sectors and regions
more affected by the green transition, can benefit from the employment gains of a net-zero
economy. Vocational and technical profiles will be particularly sought after considering the
accelerated energy transition and technological transformation in the context of the EU Green
Deal Industrial Plan. Member States face significant and growing labour shortages, while
low training provision in key sectors could furthermore exacerbate bottlenecks in the
transition to a net-zero economy. The challenge can be even stronger in some peripheral,
economically stagnant or affected regions322
. In this context, it is crucial that Member States
support the anticipation, acquisition and provision of skills for the green economy, as
highlighted in the CSRs to all Member States and in line with the Council Recommendation on
ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality, to match labour market needs and offer
equal opportunities for all. Promoting training for public sector workers at all levels (including
local administration) would also accelerate investments and reforms necessary for the green
transition323
. However, additional up-skilling and re-skilling measures, while also fighting
against gender segregation in the labour market as well promoting higher female participation
to the labour market324
, need time to be effective, not only because of implementation and
deployment of initiative overcoming ingrained cultural and resistances in many countries.
Therefore, tackling the current skills shortages by relying on these measures alone is not going
to produce immediate results325
.
To measure future labour shortages, 2023 Cedefop skills forecast, taking into account
expansion demand, replacement demand and labour market imbalances, provides a high-level
analysis, ranging from weak to strong shortages.326
For more details, see below section 2.3.
2.2 Bottleneck occupations critical for the twin transition
In the context of the twin transition strategy adopted at the European level, several sectors play
a prominent role for structural transformation to happen successfully on the ground327
. The
321
On 16 June 2022 Member States unanimously adopted the Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition
towards climate neutrality ((2022/C 243/04 ). The Recommendation invites Member States to adopt measures which
address the employment and social aspects of climate, energy and environmental policies. The Commission proposal
was accompanied by a Staff Working Document (https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=25029&langId=en)
that provides an overview and discussion of the available analytical evidence underpinning the recommended policy
interventions, building on the analyses presented in relevant impact assessment reports accompanying the 2030
Climate Target Plan and the various initiatives of the ‘Fit for 55’ package.
322
See Communication on Harnessing Talent for Europe’s regions, 2023 for definition of talent trap and example of
rural and/or peripheral regions across all Member States.
323
EIB, 2022/2023 Investment Report (2023) states that nearly seven in ten municipalities report problems with access
to environmental and climate assessment skills, while about six in ten report a lack of engineering or digital skills to
deliver their investment programme.
324
ESDE, 2023 p. 15-16.
325
Analogy from business practices shows that corporate internal training is not able to fill all internal needs in
alignment with their growth and production objectives; As a consequence, companies of all sizes tend to resort to
external recruitment (either on international or domestic labour market) when confronted with urgent and significant
labour or skills shortages. Based on a survey, 4 in 10 EU employers had difficulty finding people with the right
skills, in the domestic labour market, even though unemployment rates peaked CEDEFOP, Insights into skills
shortages and skill mismatch, 2018.
326
ESDE, 2023 pp; 48-49.
327
Eurofound, Measures to Tackle Labour Shortages: Lessons for future policy, pp. 3-11 Measures to tackle labour
shortages: Lessons fot future policy (europa.eu).
173
energy crisis and the need for accelerating the energy transition have amplified labour and
skills shortages and magnified the recruitment needs for key sectors to decarbonise the EU
economy. In particular, digital skills are of transversal nature and affect many EU sectors, the
green jobs’ skills and related skills mismatch affect primarily a limited number of sectors.
Evidence from sectoral studies and macroeconomic projections indicates that some sectors
linked to energy, manufacturing, construction, transportation, water and waste management
and ICT will be more affected than others given their contribution to advancement on energy,
digital and other relevant targets set out under the Green Deal. The sectoral and occupational
impact of the green transition, in other words, is more heterogenous than that of the digital
transition which is relevant for almost all sectors and occupations and therefore the digital one
has more widespread and cross-sectoral labour market impacts.
At a lower level of detail, the ESCO classification allows for defining the relevant green
skills328
needed to make the green transition happen on the ground329
. By cross-referencing the
ESCO taxonomy with the list of occupational shortages provided by the EURES labour
shortages and surplus report (codified at ISCO-08 4-digit taxonomy) it is possible to identify
occupational shortages (for which at least one country reported a shortage). The mapping of
such occupational shortages is made available in the context of the 2023 European Semester,
which constitutes the basis for defining country-specific analysis in this field, as a result of the
horizontal CSR on skills for the green transition as follows: “Step up policy efforts aimed at
the provision and acquisition of skills and competences needed for the green transition.”
addressed to all Member States in July 2023. In short, skills shortages are a contributing factor
for bottleneck occupations. Among occupational groups there are clear differences between
how employers work to mitigate their recruitment difficulties. While recruitment abroad is
relatively common among health professionals, it is less used to recruit science and
engineering professionals. Among the skilled manual occupations, employers mainly cope by
providing training and development to existing staff, and to a limited degree on labour
mobility330
.
The evidence points to targeted structural shortages at the EU level, in relation to the twin
transitions (see case studies below for IT and Green transitions) or healthcare and care sectors
(see case studies), which should be a priority for EU-level policies as they relate to EU-level
targets and objectives such as the Digital Decade, FitFor55 initiative and the Green Industrial
Plan. When trends differ between countries, in terms of national labour or skills shortages,
mobility can offer a good opportunity for reducing bottlenecks. This concerns especially
occupational groups within the top 5 at 2-digit level. International recruitment schemes could
add value in this respect, but they should be narrowly defined, preferably at ISCO 4-digit level
(or even more specific). For instance, ICT professionals, one of the top 5 bottleneck
occupational groups, schemes should be oriented to occupations within the 4-digit groups such
as Software developers and Systems analysts, which are both within the top 20 bottleneck
vacancies at 4-digit level.
328
Green Skills and Knowledge - Labelling ESCO.pdf (europa.eu).
329
ESCO classification, which is labour-market related, has identified green skills and knowledge concepts:
https://esco.ec.europa.eu/en/news/green-skills-and-knowledge-concepts-labelling-esco-classification.
330
CEDEFOP, Skill shortages and gaps in European enterprises, 2015, pp. 7-8.
174
Occupations with shortages relevant for the green transition reported in the most Member
States are bricklayers and related workers (19 MS), plumbers and pipe fitters, carpenters and
joiners, building and related electricians, metal working machine tool setters and operators,
heavy truck and lorry drivers (18); and concrete placers, concrete finishers and related workers
(17 MS). These occupations are particularly relevant in the construction sector to increase
energy efficiency, to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings or to install alternative
sources of energy (electricians, plumbers) and to build the new necessary infrastructure
(bricklayers, concrete placers). Concerning the digital transition, the occupations with most
frequently recorded shortages in Member States are software developers; web and multimedia
developers; applications programmers; and software and applications developers and analysts
not elsewhere classified. These professions also play a key role in the transformation towards
net-zero, as the development of alternative sources of energy (such as offshore energy) relies
on data storage and software development.
Additionally, there is a number of occupations that were not in widespread shortage in the
previous years but are likely to grow in importance for the transition in the future due to their
active role in the acceleration of greening of activities. These are identified based on a review
of sectoral sources and are colour coded in yellow in the table below. Overall, the following
occupational groups (43) have been identified as critical occupations at EU level and should
therefore also inform the discussion for which targeted recruitment through labour migration
would be beneficial331
:
Table on Critical occupation at the EU level (ISCO-08)332
2142 Civil engineers
2151 Electrical engineers
2211 Generalist medical practitioners
2212 Specialist medical practitioners
2221 Nursing professionals
2411 Accountants
2511 Systems analysts
2512 Software developers
2513 Web and multimedia developers
2514 Applications programmers
2519
Software and applications developers and analysts not elsewhere
classified
3113 Electrical engineering technicians
331
ESDE, 2023, pp. 128-130.
332
This table is based on information provided by several previous EURES reports identifying occupational shortages
(ISCO-8) that are not exhaustive for the green and digital transition.
175
3221 Nursing associate professionals
5120 Cooks
5131 Waiters
5321 Health care assistants
7112 Bricklayers and related workers
7114 Concrete placers, concrete finishers and related workers
7115 Carpenters and joiners
7121 Roofers
7123 Plasterers
7126 Plumbers and pipe fitters
7127 Air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics
7212 Welders and flamecutters
7213 Sheet-metal workers
7214 Structural-metal preparers and erectors
7223 Metal working machine tool setters and operators
7231 Motor vehicle mechanics and repairers
7233 Agricultural and industrial machinery mechanics and repairers
7411 Building and related electricians
7412 Electrical mechanics and fitters
7511 Butchers, fishmongers and related food preparers
8331 Bus and tram drivers
8332 Heavy truck and lorry drivers
9112 Cleaners and helpers in offices, hotels and other establishments
3119
Physical and engineering science technicians not elsewhere
classified
2143 Environmental engineers
2133 environmental protection professionals
2145 Chemical engineers
2144 Mechanical engineers
3115 Mechanical engineering technicians
176
2141 Process engineers
3119 Process engineering technicians
Legend: Highlighted in green are occupations relevant to the twin transition with already observed widespread shortages
today. Highlighted in yellow are the occupations that are not yet in shortage but are of growing importance to the twin
transition.
2.3 Current and future employment needs by occupation and qualification levels
The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) is monitoring
current and forecasting future skills in Europe, by looking at the supply, demand and
matching of skills at the sectoral and occupational group level333. As clarified in the
previous section, an overall balance between aggregate labour supply and demand can hide
quantitative and qualitative labour and skill shortages. The latter may be caused by matching
frictions, geographical barriers to mobility, or asymmetric information between employers and
workers334
. In particular, structural labour and skills shortages lay in sudden changes linked to
the new economy needs335
.
The employment growth within health and social care services alone accounted for almost the
entire net growth observed over this period (+1 921 400 employed persons), due largely to the
ageing European population leading to increased demand for healthcare professionals and care
workers to provide support to the elderly with their daily activities such as personal care or
mentoring. Other industrial sectors which showed large increases were professional services
e.g., legal or accounting services (with 586 200 additional persons employed), retail &
hospitality (225 900) as well as ICT & business services (207 100).
On the other hand, there were some industries which experienced decreases in their
employment levels between 1999 and 2017. These include sectors such as manufacturing (-764
300 jobs) and agriculture (-353 000). These decreases in employment levels can be mainly
attributed to labour-replacing technological advancements coupled with the effects of
globalisation - i.e. increasing international competition - resulting in a reshaping of global
production chains with the outsourcing of production and jobs to other countries.
Cedefop’s Skills-OVATE dataset (updated to 2022)336
provides detailed quantitative
information on professions and skills employers demand based on online job advertisements
(OJAs) in European countries. Note that this dataset, in turn, is biased towards sectors with a
high share of online recruitment. According to OVATE, the occupations most sought after in
online ads are office associate professionals; ICT professionals; office professionals; technical
labourers; sales workers as well as researchers & engineers.
333
Skills Forecast | CEDEFOP (europa.eu)
334
European Commission (2012a), “The Skill Mismatch Challenge in Europe”, Employment and Social Developments
in Europe 2012.
335
The Annual Report on Intra-EU Labour Mobility 2022 analysed the transformation of EU’s labour market between
1999 and 2017 at the level of occupations. The report highlights a clear pattern of change, showing major increases
in employment levels in health and social services, professional services, financial services, ICT & business services,
and retail & hospitality. Together, these five sectors accounted for almost two-thirds of the total increase in jobs over
this time frame.
336
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/skills-intelligence/skills-online-job advertisements?country=EU27_2020&year=2022#3
177
Table 3: Share of occupations sought in online job ads in 2022, EU27 (percentage)
Occupational group Share Occupations Share
within
group
Share
overall
Professionals 26.36 ICT professionals 30.54 8.05
Office professionals 26.74 7.05
Researchers & engineers 22.25 5.87
Health professionals 7.85 2.07
Legal & social
professionals
7.66 2.02
Teaching professionals 4.95 1.30
Associate professionals 18.77 Office associate
professionals
51.19 9.61
Science & engineering
technicians
25.53 4.79
Legal & social associate
professionals
9.34 1.75
Health associate
professionals
7.99 1.50
ICT technicians 5.94 1.11
Service and sales workers 11.56 Sales workers 50.81 5.87
Personal service workers 28.23 3.26
Care workers 17.24 1.99
Protection workers 3.73 0.43
Clerks 10.36 Accounting clerks 33.66 3.49
Other support clerks 25.87 2.68
Customer clerks 25.42 2.63
Office clerks 15.05 1.56
Elementary workers 9.32 Technical labourers 66.77 6.22
Cleaners and helpers 17.2 1.60
Food preparation helpers 9.25 0.86
Other elementary workers 5.09 0.47
178
Occupational group Share Occupations Share
within
group
Share
overall
Agricultural labourers 1.36 0.13
Street services workers 0.33 0.03
Managers 8.76 Business managers 55.1 4.83
Technical managers 20.44 1.79
Hospitality & retail
managers
13.91 1.22
CEOs, officials &
legislators
10.55 0.92
Trades workers 8.42 Metal & machinery
workers
37.86 3.19
Electroengineering
workers
24.62 2.07
Construction workers 20.77 1.75
Other manufacturing
workers
14.47 1.22
Handicraft & printing
workers
2.28 0.19
Operators and assemblers 6.3 Drivers & vehicle
operators
44.08 2.78
Machine & plant
operators
39.48 2.49
Assemblers 16.44 1.04
Farm and related workers 0.15 Farm and related workers 100.00 0.15
Source: Skills-OVATE
These structural shortages in a given sector or occupation can generally be attributed to (i)
unattractive pay and working conditions, including a stressful environment, or low prestige, or
(ii) to mismatches with the local working force, if the required qualifications and skills are
simply not available for given medium and high-skilled occupations.
Cedefop’s 2018 survey, presented in their publication “Insights into skill shortages and skill
mismatch”337,
found that 4 in 10 EU employers had difficulty finding people with the right
337
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications/3075
179
skills, even though unemployment rates peaked338
. The fast pace of digitalisation, the rapid
obsolescence of technological skills leads to significant structural shortages in digital and
technological skills in general, encompassing many sectors and occupations.
With regard to transversal skills, Cedefop found in its publication “Skills forecast: trends and
challenges to 2030”339
that digital skills and transversal skills such as communication,
problem-solving and critical thinking will be in high demand. High-level cognitive and
analytical skills will also be more and more important for the future of work.
Traditional vocational skills such as those required in the construction and automotive
industries will remain in demand in the EU. The publication also highlights that transferable
skills will become more important, as well as demand for workers who can work effectively in
interdisciplinary teams. Finally, transversal skills such as creativity, flexibility and an
entrepreneurial spirit will be essential in the future job market.
For the future, in terms of labour and skills needs of the EU27 economy, Cedefop recently
published the 2023 Skills Forecast, providing projections on labour and skills needs in the EU
economy, based on Cedefop dataset of Skills Panorama in the EU. The 2023 Skills Forecast
gives a forward projection up to 2030 of the size and composition of the population and labour
force (based on Eurostat), as well as employment by sector (2-digit NACE), occupation (2-
digit ISCO) and level of educational attainment (three levels: low, medium and high) –
together with modelled replacement labour demand and the number of open positions.
The model of future employment levels is building on historic trends in employment data
(LFS) and additional economic projections.
The main indicator in the Cedefop dataset for quantifying future labour and skills needs in
terms of the EU workforce already existing in given sectors or given occupations is ‘job
openings’. This indicator measures the need for labour inflow (into the EU, which can be
broken down by Member State, sector or occupation) to reach the projected employment
numbers for the EU or that specific sub-group. This is calculated as the sum of ‘expansion
demand’ (which compares the projected employment level in the actual year and the preceding
year) and ‘replacement demand’ explained by the number of employed persons leaving the
labour force permanently or temporarily340, or emigrate. In other words, this is equal to the
number of workers who need to flow into the EU, MS, sector or occupation to occupy the
vacancies only to maintain employment at the level of the preceding year.
According to the 2023 Skills Forecast, there will be an annual need of 8.2-8.9 million persons.
For comparison, the size of a young age cohort that is set to enter the labour force (e.g. 25-
year-olds) according to EUROPOP2023 will remain below 5 million in their baseline
projection in theEU27. The amount of 65-year-olds, who could proxy the number of persons
leaving the labour force permanently, due to retirement, is projected to be 5.7-6.1 million each
year, up to 2030. Accordingly, the young age cohort, numbering less than 5 million, cannot
338
Relationship with unemployment is complex, as employers who do not increase wages in the face of shortages
indicate that they expect to find a candidate at the current wage and labour conditions. Shortages are therefore
relative to the terms offered, as wage levels might be the reason why students and jobseekers do not to opt for a field
of study or job which could reduce the shortage. https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications/3075
339
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications/3077
340
The main reason for permanently leaving the labour force is retirement; the reasons for leaving it temporary may be
parental leave, study leave etc.
180
fully fill the vacancies of the old age cohort permanently leaving the labour force (even if those
who left it temporarily return).
Overall, the cumulative job openings – which will be filled partly by a new EU27 age cohort,
and partly by third country nationals - are projected to amount to 68.2 million by 2030.
Figure 3: Projected job openings (2022-2030), annual and cumulative, EU27
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
Breaking down this projection by level of education, the Skills Forecast suggests that the
additional need for worker inflow will mostly concern persons with high educational
attainment levels (4.7-5.0 million per year), and in second place those with medium education
levels (3.4-3.7 million per year). Additional inflows of workers with only low educational
attainment levels will barely be necessary according to Cedefop’s dataset (this is explained by
the relatively low initial share of employed persons with low education in the labour force
already in 2013 as well as in 2023 and by a significant decline in future demand). Already in
2013, there were more low-educated workers in the EU than jobs at that level, suggesting an
over-supply of low-skilled workers. The reverse is true for jobs requiring medium-level
qualifications, while at higher level, supply and demand were more or less in line341
.
341
Cedefop (2014b), “Projected Labour Market Imbalances in Europe: Policy Challenges in Meeting the Europe 2020
Employment Targets”, in OECD-EC (2014), Matching Economic Migration with Labour Market Needs, OECD
Publishing, Paris, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264216501-en
181
Figure 4: Projected job openings by level of qualification (2022-2030), EU27
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
In cumulative terms, the demand for highly educated workers - both new EU27 labour market
entrants and TCNs – is projected to reach 38.9 million by 2030; while that of workers with
medium levels of education 28.1 million, and only 1.1 million for workers with low
educational attainment.
Figure 5: Job openings by level of qualification (2022-2030), cumulative, EU27
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
The highest need - in terms of absolute numbers - for replacement of old workers and
recruitment of new workers, broken down by ISCO 1-digit level, is projected to be in the
category of Professionals, with a need for 18.2 million workers projected until 2030, followed
by Technicians and associate professionals (12.2 million), and Service and sales workers (10.4
million).
182
Figure 6: Job openings by occupation (2022-2030), cumulative, EU27
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
The relative significance of the need for highly educated workers will be the highest in the
category of Legislators, senior officials and managers (in practice, this category is dominated
by managers), Professionals, and Technicians and associate professionals, as well as Clerks.
Figure 7: Job openings by occupation and level of qualification (2022-2030) cumulative EU27
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
The breakdown of job openings by 2-digit ISCO categories shows the highest numbers for
Business and administration associate professionals (4.8 million by 2030), Teaching
professionals (4.1 million), Business and administration professionals (3.8 million), Sales
183
workers (3.5 million) and Personal service workers (3.5 million). However, unfilled vacancies
in some occupations, such as teaching professionals, are less likely to be filled by TCN
workers in many Member States, as the recruitment is subject to linguistic tests for ensuring
mastery of the official languages taught in the educational system.
Figure 8: Job openings by detailed occupation (2-digit) (2022-2030), cumulative, EU27
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
The table below gives detailed projections on the need for workers in occupations at ISCO 2-
digit level, broken down by educational attainment.
184
Table 4: Job openings by detailed occupation (2-digit) and level of qualification (2022-2030) cumulative, EU27
ISCO Occupation (2-digit) Low Medium High Total
11
Chief executives, senior officials
and legislators
11,835 137,467 541,379 690,681
12
Administrative and commercial
managers
4,109 144,497 791,076 939,685
13
Production and specialised
services managers
1,764 186,049 1,375,597 1,563,410
14
Hospitality, retail and other
services managers
25,653 195,209 430,963 651,825
21
Science and engineering
professionals
12,232 302,909 2,675,643 2,990,784
22 Health professionals 6,147 330,690 2,596,812 2,933,647
23 Teaching professionals 15,141 428,347 3,675,576 4,119,063
24
Business and administration
professionals
15,494 451,126 3,288,378 3,754,999
25
Information and
communications technology
professionals
4,641 200,946 1,497,371 1,702,956
26
Legal, social and cultural
professionals
8,575 155,369 2,507,260 2,671,202
31
Science and engineering
associate professionals
17,870 941,197 1,687,497 2,646,566
32 Health associate professionals 66,571 1,058,784 1,174,014 2,299,365
33
Business and administration
associate professionals
-19,218 1,445,376 3,399,616 4,825,774
34
Legal, social, cultural and
related associate professionals
17,149 608,561 1,225,019 1,850,730
35
Information and
communications technicians
112 160,663 398,260 559,032
41 General and keyboard clerks 29,377 1,029,353 1,079,898 2,138,628
42 Customer services clerks 37,707 616,587 902,159 1,556,452
43
Numerical and material
recording clerks
-40,057 512,735 713,592 1,186,267
44 Other clerical support workers -22,930 50,116 164,303 191,489
185
51 Personal service workers 81,919 2,144,914 1,226,738 3,453,571
52 Sales workers -80,550 2,017,114 1,606,451 3,543,017
53 Personal care workers 30,022 1,616,114 814,423 2,460,558
54 Protective services workers -39,028 551,867 429,149 941,987
61
Market-oriented skilled
agricultural workers
-87,021 453,664 474,193 840,838
62
Market-oriented skilled forestry,
fishery and hunting workers
-9,290 32,177 36,180 59,069
63
Subsistence farmers, fishers,
hunters and gatherers
-104,606 -19,869 2,333 -122,139
71
Building and related trades
workers, excluding electricians
157,634 1,666,067 561,753 2,385,453
72
Metal, machinery and related
trades workers
46,758 1,488,933 433,971 1,969,660
73 Handicraft and printing workers 1,283 118,897 99,030 219,214
74
Electrical and electronic trades
workers
9,112 593,130 301,926 904,169
75
Food processing, wood working,
garment and other craft and
related trades
-55,076 594,275 297,193 836,392
81
Stationary plant and machine
operators
24,638 1,052,092 342,001 1,418,731
82 Assemblers 116,457 494,525 108,033 719,014
83
Drivers and mobile plant
operators
126,892 2,187,900 643,388 2,958,178
91 Cleaners and helpers 191,496 1,989,407 641,583 2,822,486
92
Agricultural, forestry and fishery
labourers
13,808 234,519 79,236 327,562
93
Labourers in mining,
construction, manufacturing and
transport
281,499 1,061,373 387,037 1,729,908
94 Food preparation assistants 67,165 352,202 157,664 577,034
95
Street and related sales and
service workers
18,162 28,221 2,792 49,173
96 Refuse workers and other 148,154 517,851 171,608 837,611
186
elementary workers
Source: Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast
3. Sector-specific analysis for strategic skills and labour needs: White (healthcare), Grey
(ICT) and Green Transition Jobs342
3.1. Healthcare and social care sectors
The healthcare sector is one of the most important in the European Union, providing essential
services to an increasingly ageing population (See Annex on Demographic Developments).
From a sectoral perspective, healthcare services are primarily grouped under the NACE
division ‘Human health activities’ (NACE code 86), which is broken down into three groups:
hospital activities, medical and dental practice activities, and other human health activities.343
But human health-related activities are also found in NACE division 87 ‘Residential care
activities’. At the highest NACE level, human health is grouped together with social care
(Section Q: Human health and social work activities, which also covers division 88 ‘Social
work activities without accommodation’), and this is the level at which Cedefop publishes its
sector forecasts, as well as corresponding to the relevant ESCO sector category.344
Employment in the health and social sector has been growing rapidly in recent years in the
EU27, from an overall number of workers of 17.4 million in 2008 to 21.7 million in 2022 (in
Cedefop 2023 Skills Forecast dataset345
the corresponding figure is 22.3 million). This marks
an increase of 24.8% over this period, far surpassing the 3.8% total employment growth, and
putting the health and social care sector third out of 19 high-level sectors in terms of
employment growth rates346
, but first in absolute terms. Consequently, the share of NACE
section Q in total employment has grown from 9.1% to 11.0%347
Figure 9 Employment in health and social care, by detailed economic activity, EU27 (1,000 persons)
342
Already in 2012, CEDEFOP organised an Employment Policy Conference identifying Healthcare and Social Care,
Information and Technology Sector as well as the not yet well-identified as providing the backbone of new jobs for
Europe. This section is prolonging the perspective and analysis presented in the 2012 Annual Growth Survey and the
Communication “Towards a job-rich Recovery”. COM(2012)173.
343
This category includes e.g. the activities of midwives, non-hospital nurses (e.g. visiting nurses under the aegis of
various health programmes), physiotherapists or other paramedical professionals.
344
https://esco.ec.europa.eu/nb/node/210
345
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/projects/skills-forecast/dataset
346
After J ‘Information and communication’ and M ‘Professional, scientific and technical activities’.
347
Source: Eurostat (LFSA_EGAN22D).
187
Source: Eurostat (LFSA_EGAN22D)
All three NACE divisions in health and social care have recorded steady increases in
employment numbers, with the exception of residential care, which saw a significant outflow
of workers at the outbreak of the Covid epidemic, although employment numbers are on the
rise again. Employment in human health activities has increased by 19.0% to 10.5 million
(12.7 million in Cedefop’s 2023 Skills Forecast), in residential care by 21.4% to 3.4 million,
and in social work without accommodation – involving, among others, non-residential care for
the elderly and child day-care activities – by 45.5% to 3.5 million.348
The significance of the
sector, in terms of number of workers, is especially large in Denmark, the Netherlands,
Finland, Sweden and Belgium – and the lowest in Romania, Cyprus and Bulgaria.
Figure 10 Employment in health and social care in 2022, by Member State (as percentage of total employment)
Source: Eurostat (LFSA_EGAN22D)
At the occupational level, the main relevant categories with regard to health care are
occupational groups 22 ‘Health professionals’ and 32 ‘Health associate professionals’ in the
ISCO classification. These are not exclusively occupations related to human health care, as
they include veterinarians and veterinary assistants, but they are the categories for which
Cedefop has employment and job openings forecasts. The subdivision of the groups is given in
the table below.
Table 5: Classification of main occupational groups in health care
Code / Sub-major
group
Minor group Unit group
22 Health
professionals
Medical doctors Generalist medical practitioners
Specialist medical practitioners
348
The latter ranks 6th out of 85 NACE divisions in terms of employment growth rates between 2008 and 2022.
188
Code / Sub-major
group
Minor group Unit group
Nursing and midwifery
professionals
Nursing professionals
Midwifery professionals
Traditional and complementary
medicine professionals
Traditional and complementary
medicine professionals
Paramedical practitioners Paramedical practitioners
Veterinarians Veterinarians
Other health professionals Dentists
Pharmacists
Environmental and occupational
health and hygiene professionals
Physiotherapists
Dieticians and nutritionists
Audiologists and speech
therapists
Optometrists and ophthalmic
opticians
Health professionals not
elsewhere classified
32 Health
associated
professionals
Medical and pharmaceutical
technicians
Medical imaging and therapeutic
equipment technicians
Medical and pathology laboratory
technicians
Pharmaceutical technicians and
assistants
Medical and dental prosthetic
technicians
Nursing and midwifery associate
professionals
Nursing associate professionals
Midwifery associate
professionals
Traditional and complementary
medicine associate professionals
Traditional and complementary
medicine associate professionals
Veterinary technicians and
assistants
Veterinary technicians and
assistants
189
Code / Sub-major
group
Minor group Unit group
Other health associate
professionals
Dental assistants and therapists
Medical records and health
information technicians
Community health workers
Dispensing opticians
Physiotherapy technicians and
assistants
Medical assistants
Environmental and occupational
health inspectors and associates
Ambulance workers
Health associate professionals
not elsewhere classified
Source: ISCO
In addition, the human health and social care
sector also employs psychologists and social
work professionals (from ISCO minor group
263); social work associate professionals
(341); child care workers (531); as well as
health care assistants, home-based and other
personal care workers (532). These relevant
occupations however only form smaller parts
of their ISCO sub-major group for which
Cedefop modelled labour market trends,
hence specific forecasts are not available to
add to the projections for sub-major groups
22 and 32.
These two groups account for a modest
majority of all employment in the relevant
NACE section Q. Professionals and associate
professionals together accounted for 60.6%
of workers in the sector, although this
number also includes an unknown number of
medical teachers and workers with
qualifications not linked closely to human
health care, such as legal and ICT professionals. The sector also employs a large number
(22.4%) of service and sales workers (this category includes, among others: non-medical care
personnel, facility caretakers, cooks), workers in elementary occupations (6.4%) and clerical
support workers (5.7%). On the other hand, health professionals and associate professionals are
Figure 11: Occupational groups in NACE section Q
‘Health and social care’ in 2022, EU27 (percentage)
Source: Eurostat (LFSA_EISN2)
190
also employed in significant numbers in other service sectors, such as trade (mostly
pharmacies) or public administration.
In 2022, around 6.0 million health professionals (29.2% more than in 2011) and 6.2 million
health associate professionals (20.6% more) were employed in the EU27, according to LFS
data. The corresponding estimates in Cedefop’s 2023 Skills Forecast are 6.2 million and 6.5
million, respectively.
Figure 12: Employment of health professionals and associate professionals, EU27 (1,000 persons)
Source: Eurostat (LFSA_EGAI2D)
Ageing has a very considerable effect on the sector, not only in terms of the healthcare
demand, but also on healthcare services supply. The ageing process has been rapid in recent
years: the proportion of 50-64 year old workers in health and social care sectors has grown
from 26.7% in 2008 to 33.6% in 2022. The proportion of workers who are at least 65 years old
grew from 1.1% to 3.9%.
Figure 13: Age structure of health professionals and associate professionals, EU27 (percentage)
Source: Eurostat (LFSA_EGAI2D)
191
The labour market in the health and social care sector has an exceptionally strong gender bias:
women make up 78% of the labour force. In more detail, the share of women among the
employed in social work without accommodation (NACE division 88) and in residential care
(87) was 82% in 2022, while in the human health sector (86) it was 76%, putting these three
sectors 1st
, 2nd
and 4th
among 82 NACE divisions.349
The highest share of female labour in the
sector is found in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Slovakia and Portugal (84% or more).350
Eurofound (2023) highlights that despite the growth in employment in these sectors, current
forecasts predict a persistent shortage of labour in the medium and long term. The shortage of
healthcare workforce is a global phenomenon, with WHO predicting a shortfall of around 10
million workers by 2030.351
The permanence of labour shortages in the sector reflects, on the
one hand, challenges related to an ever increasing demand from an ageing population, and on
the other hand problems with the supply as the existing workforce is ageing, suffers skills
shortages and mismatches, and as the wages and working conditions make many occupations
in the sector unattractive. In recent years the COVID-19 pandemic has also aggravated the
situation, putting an enormous strain on healthcare workers and leading many to quit.
Eurofound (2021, p. 28) provides the following list of shortage sectors linked to the transition
to a climate-neutral economy:
Sectors Countries identifying the shortage sectors
Manufacturing Bulgaria, Finland, Poland, Sweden
Construction Cyprus, Ireland, Poland, Portugal
Energy Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Portugal,
Romania
Transport Poland, Portugal
Professional, scientific and technical
activities
Cyprus, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania
Tourism Bulgaria
Agriculture Latvia
Education Spain
ELA in its 2021 Labour Shortages Report has pointed out severe shortages among nursing
professionals and general practitioners. Even though the number of doctors per capita in
Europe has increased over the past decade, the share of GPs has declined. This shortage of GPs
is linked among others to relatively lower incomes as compared to specialist doctors.
Especially certain rural areas which lack a modern health infrastructure, have poorer working
conditions and are generally less attractive to live in face severe shortages (including that of
349
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/LFSA_EGAN22D__custom_6684246/default/table?lang=en
350
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/LFSA_EGAN22D__custom_6684261/default/table?lang=en
351
WHO (World Health Organization) (2022), Health and care workforce in Europe: Time to act. Available at:
https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289058339
192
general paediatricians) and the sector has difficulties with recruiting candidates with the
appropriate skills352
.
3.2 ICT sector and Digital transition
The skills dimension to the digital transition of the European economy concerns two different
domains: (i) digital skills among the widest groups of the population, who could be employed
in different sectors and different occupations, as a form of horizontal skill, helping them
participate successfully in the labour market via employability and job security; and (ii)
specific and higher-level digital skills required for ICT-related research and innovation and the
digital transition of given sectors, or specific technologies or companies within these sectors.
For the first domain, research shows that basic digital skills can be linked to higher wages
Even for those with low levels of educational attainment.353
Higher digital skills of the
workforce also contribute to increased innovation and productivity in companies.
At the same time, as pointed out in Eurofound (2013), Europeans are lagging behind other
developed countries in this area. Romania has the highest percentage (25%) of adults with
limited or no overall digital skills, while the Netherlands has the lowest (1%), according to
Eurostat’s ICT survey. Remote working, with its significance increasing, and having received a
strong boost during Covid lockdowns, requires the use of digital tools for managing and
monitoring workers.354
Working in companies who introduced robots and automation, AI, also
puts demands for at least basic digital skills of all workers. Cedefop’s 2021 European Skills
and Jobs Survey has found that 87% of EU jobs require at least basic digital skills. Out of
these, 52% have low skills demands, 32% have moderate demands, and 17% have high
demands.
Regarding the second domain, Eurofound (2023) reiterates that skills shortages in the EU are
currently particularly acute in sectors that require advanced digital skills, such as the ICT
sector. The sector has shown impressive growth rates in recent years, which could have been
growing even faster if enough qualified personnel would have been available. Job vacancy data
shows that the job vacancy rate in the ICT sector is high and has increased between 2014 and
2022 in all European countries, except for Croatia, Greece and Ireland. The increase was very
high in Belgium (5.1 percentage points), the Netherlands (4.6 pp) and Austria (4.0 pp). At the
cross-sectoral level, in 2022, 6% of European businesses had vacancies that were difficult to
fill due to the need for ICT specialist skills, marking an increase of 3.4 percentage points from
2014. The study cites the forecast according to which even at the current employment growth
rates – i.e. filled vacancies - the EU is still likely to be short of the 20 million experts needed in
key ICT-related areas such as cybersecurity and data analysis in 2030.355
352
ELA (2021), Report on labour shortages and surpluses: November 2021. Available at:
https://www.ela.europa.eu/en/media/725
353
OECD (2016), Innovating education and educating for innovation: The power of digital technologies and skills.
Available at: https://www.oecd.org/education/innovating-education-and-educating-for-innovation-9789264265097-
en.htm
354
Eurofound (2022d), The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations. Available at:
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2022/the-rise-in-telework-impact-on-working-conditions-and-
regulations.
355
European Commission (2021b), 2030 digital compass: The European way for the digital decade. Available at:
https://eufordigital.eu/library/2030-digital-compass-the-european-way-for-the-digital-decade/
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3.3. Green skills and jobs for the transition to Net-zero Economy
The green transition is forecasted to impact the aggregated level of employment at the EU level
to a relatively small extent only. Between 1 and 2.5 million additional jobs are estimated to be
created by 2030 by a fully-fledged green transition356
. Up to over 460 000 additional direct
jobs could be crated in the manufacture of net-zero technologies only. Further additional jobs
could be created indirectly, in the deployment of the net-zero technologies. For instance, 100
000 jobs may be created by 2030 in the deployment of solar photovoltaics and wind
technologies only357
. Eurofound’s Future of Manufacturing in Europe project has estimated
that employment in the EU would grow by 0.5% by 2030 if it met its objectives under the Paris
Climate Agreement. Eurofound also estimates that the net effect of Fit for 55, the action plan
to cut GHG by 55%, would be only 0.1% on total employment. On the other hand, Cedefop’s
2021 study on green employment predicts that if the European Green Deal emissions target is
met, there would be an increase of 1.2% in employment, corresponding to around 2.5 million
jobs by 2030.358
The planned transition towards a climate-neutral European economy under the Green Deal,
which involves ambitious objectives for cutting net greenhouse gas emissions, leads however
to certain more significant sectoral employment shifts, as well as new demand for 'green skills’
within sectors.
The green transition is anticipated to lead to a transformation in the employment structure, with
net job creation, resulting from employment increases in sectors related to greening the
economy and employment decreases in carbon-intensive sectors. Consequently, it is expected
that job creation will be unevenly distributed, with construction and other primary and utility
sectors, as well as those manufacturing low-carbon goods and technologies, likely to be
positively affected359
by the greatest employment increases. The table below presents the
NACE sectors where sector shift effects are forecasted for employment in Cedefop's 'The
green employment and skills transformation (2020-2021)' study.
Table 6 NACE sectors with the largest relative forecasted increase or decrease in employment by 2030, EU27
Employment Increase Employment decrease
Water supply & waste management Rubber/non-metallic mineral products
Construction Mining and quarrying
Wholesale and retail trade Gas, steam & air conditioning
Administrative and support services Coke and refined petroleum
Electricity
Basic metals & metal products
Source: Cedefop
356
ESDE 2023, p. 15.
357
ESDE 2023, p. 53.
358
Cedefop (2021), The green employment and skills transformation: Insights from a European Green Deal skills
forecast scenario.
359
Sectors related to agriculture and renewable energy are likely to see significant green job expansion. Asikainen et al.
The future of jobs is green , JRC 2021.
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At the occupational level, an increased need for new skills is anticipated within sectors, either
through the creation of new ‘green jobs’ or in the greening of existing ones. While there is no
universally agreed-upon method for classifying jobs as green, the EU has an officially agreed
definition, based either on the output of the job, or the process involved. Under the
methodology,360
jobs are considered 'green' if they are connected with firms or industries that
create outputs in the form of goods or services which are either environmental or relatively
environmentally friendly. Relevant work is ongoing as strengthening of the evidence base and
measurability of key concepts in the green economy as follow-up action to the Council
Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition to climate neutrality, including a concept of ‘a
green job’.361
A classification methodology used by Eurofound is based on a study by Erich Dierdorff et al.,
who identify four types of green occupations.362
Table 7: Categorisation of greening jobs (Dierdorff)
Category Description
No-greening Occupations with limited or no impact of greening.
New and emergent New and emerging occupations that do not exist in ISCO-08 and
are classified in one of the old codes, despite having new
characteristics; these might require separate classification.
Enhanced skills Existing occupations that will potentially require changes in
tasks, skills and knowledge as a result of the transition to a
carbon-neutral economy, although the essential purpose of the
occupation remains unchanged.
Increased demand Existing occupations that will not require changes in tasks, skills
and knowledge but will potentially see increased demand due to
the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
Source: Eurofound (2023)
Data from the 2021 Eurofound European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS)
suggests that almost 65% of European workers are employed in occupations that will not be
affected, or only to a small extent, from the green transition (‘no-greening’). On the other hand,
about 10% of the workforce works in new and emergent occupations, and close to 15% are in
two latter categories, in jobs that will require enhanced skills or in sectors that are likely
benefit from increased demand363
.
360
It should be noted that while this methodology has been commonly used as the literature on the green economy,
there are limitations regarding its transferability to the European labour market, cross-country measurability and
sectoral scope. Eurofound (2023).
361
ESDE, 2023, p. 5 See for more details on harmonization of taxonomies: Green Skills and Knowledge Concepts:
Labelling the ESCO classification | ESCO (europa.eu) being used to lead to harmonized and coherent
recommendations to Member States in the framework of the European Semester.
362
Dierdorff, E. C., et al. (2009), Greening of the world of work: Implications for O*NET®-SOC and new and
emerging occupations. Available at: https://www.onetcenter.org/reports/Green.html
363
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/surveys/2021/european-working-conditions-telephone-survey-2021
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ANNEX 8
MAPPING OF EXISTING INITIATIVES AT EU AND NATIONAL LEVEL
1. Relevant initiatives at EU level
European cooperation network of employment services (EURES)
• EURES is a European cooperation network of employment services, designed to
facilitate the free movement of workers. The following services are offered via the
EURES Job Mobility Portal:
• Access to basic information on the portal, job-application and CV database and EURES
network.
• Support to workers with the provision of information and guidance on job
opportunities. This includes general information on living and working conditions in
the country of destination, assistance to draw up job applications and CVs.
• Support to employers with the provision of information related to recruitment from
another Member State as well as of assistance in the formulation of individual job
requirements in a job vacancy.
• Post-recruitment assistance such as training on intercultural communication, language
courses and support with integration.
• Facilitated access to information on taxation, employment contracts, pension
entitlement, health insurance, social security, and active labour market measures.
• Support services in cross-border regions to provide workers and employers with
information relating specific situation of frontier.
• Access to analysis on labour shortages and surpluses on national and sectoral labour
markets.
Table below details the functionalities of EURES platform.
Tool Short description
Matching
tool
Find a job. It is a search functionality for job seekers where multiple filters can
be applied (occupation, sector, language of the job vacancy, work schedule,
education level, work experience, contract type, extra benefits). The search
interface is available in the 25 EEA languages. Job vacancies are published by
employers through a EURES Employment Service partner.
Find candidates. The engine search allows pre-screened employers with
specific access rights to find candidates and see their CVs by using keywords
and applying filters (language skill, occupation, skills). To fine tune the
research, employers can further search candidates according to their location,
contract type, duration, and education level. The functionality automatically
proposes CV lists of candidates matching the selected filters. Search profiles
can be saved and shared and an option to receive regular updates on candidates
can be activated.
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My EURES My Candidates. Pre-screened employers with specific access rights can save
multiple candidates in a repository of the platform. They can download or print
the CVs proposed by the search engine and send candidates enquire. The
function allows to be automatically notified when new candidates matching the
criteria appear.
My Jobs. This section allows job seekers to view the enquired received from
different companies. Enquires are also notified by email. In this section, job
seekers can also set up different search profiles what will allow them to be
notified about new job vacancies matching their search criteria.
My CV. Job seekers can create their online CV in different languages. The CV
creator is composed of several sections – work experience, education and
training, skills. Further, there is the desired employments section to describe the
ideal job features such as the location, contract type and other employment
aspects. CV can be published so that they can be searchable by employers for
12 weeks (extendable). Europass users can send their Europass CV to EURES.
Hints and
tips
For jobseekers. This section is for jobseekers with higher qualifications
(students, graduates, teachers and researchers). It contains hints to find
information on practical and legal aspects of mobility, job application, selection
process (tests, interviews) and to settle in a new country.
For employers. The section makes available three check lists to support
employers in the hiring processes for workers from other countries. The check
lists entail to steps before recruiting workers (legal requirements, working
permits, practical arrangements, language barriers), during the process
(presenting the services offered by EURES portal to employers) and after
having hired a worker from abroad (integration of workers, conditions at
workplace).
Other
information
Living and working section. Practical information and facts about labour market
trend in each country in Europe are available.
Labour market information. Every year a report on labour shortages and
surpluses is published on the platform. The report gathers data collected by
Member States on their national labour markets. In addition, other information
on labour market is available for each country in dedicated pages of the
platform (Short overview of the labour market, Where are the available jobs
and Where are the available workers)
Guidance
and
support
EURES advisers. The platform offers a network of advisers to provide
information required by job seekers and employers through personal contacts.
Currently there are 900 EURES advisers across Europe that have developed
practical, legal and administrative expertise in relation to mobility at national
and cross-border levels. There is a search form to find them in each country or
cross-border region.
Skills and careers. Employers can explore learning opportunities for their
employees to acquire new skills and learn about staff education and training
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opportunities throughout Europe
Another channel for matching employers with jobseekers from within the 31 members of the
EU and the EEA (including Switzerland) are European Job Days364, an initiative organised by
EURES and the European Commission, which seeks to promote and enhance labour mobility
within the EURES countries. The events – which are typically sector-specific - provide
jobseekers with direct access to employers (large enterprises and SMEs, private and public)
from other countries, and providing general and practical information on both the opportunities
and challenges associated with such mobility. Employers are encouraged to advertise their
vacancies in order to attract potential talented individuals from across Europe and can
interview or chat with interested jobseekers who register. Through this initiative, jobseekers
can listen to presentations both on site and on the internet, and have access to tailored services,
such as CV workshops and participating EURES Advisors. Interested jobseekers who do not
ask for an interview can still express their interest in a specific company. In the latter case, the
employers will gain access to their profile and CV. Altogether, 11 events have taken place in
2023 until May, bringing together from a dozen to over 100 employers and from 20-30 to over
600 vacancies at the end of May 2023 almost 7,000 employers and 637 info points were
registered in the database.
EURAXESS
EURAXESS365 is a pan-European network supported by the European Commission, dedicated
to assisting researchers in moving and working throughout Europe. It seeks to promote
international collaboration between scientists and institutions, create and strengthen the
collaborative potential of science, technology, and innovation, and enhance research
infrastructure in Europe.
One of the main objectives of EURAXESS is to support the recruitment of highly qualified
research and innovation personnel involving mobility across borders - including the facilitation
of access to the labour market for highly qualified individuals from outside Europe.
EURAXESS provides a wide range of services through its website including guidance on
visas/residence permits applications, job submission system which enables direct contact with
companies/institutions offering job opportunities in different countries across Europe, access to
dedicated scholarship databases for funding relocation projects related directly or indirectly
related to research activities within Europe as well as assistance in finding accommodation
following recruitment campaigns or during stays abroad. Researchers can also find guidance
material on tax issues, relevant for relocating individuals as well as national regulations
dealing with such topics as intellectual property rights or protection of privacy.
Information resources like conferences, publications journals, databases and networks are also
made available on the EURAXESS website. Moreover, EURAXESS offers online self-
assessment tools aiming to match individuals’ interest with organisations providing suitable
working environments and also serves the purpose of giving advice on how best to prepare
successful grant applications aimed at realising researcher mobility ambitions.
The platform functionalities are detailed in the table below.
364
https://europeanjobdays.eu/en
365
https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/
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366
https://www.resaver.eu/
Tool Short description
Search tools Search for jobs. Through this function, researchers can look for job
opportunities filtering by country, European Research Programme (H2020,
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) and research field.
Search for hosting. Users can search for hosting opportunities as postdoctoral
fellowships candidates according to the country and the European research
programme.
Search for research talent. Research organisations and universities can post
jobs to recruit and look through CVs.
International
networking
Euraxess Worldwide. It is a tool supporting researchers working outside of
Europe what want to explore and develop careers in Europe. The network aims
at fostering scientific collaboration and attract talent to Europe. There are
dedicated teams in different countries and regions (Africa, Singapore, Thailand,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, China,
India, Japan, Korea and North America). Euraxess Worldwide organises events
– live and virtual – and shares information on the latest developments and
opportunities in Europe for studying, working and progressing a scientific
career.
Career
development
Career Orientation tool. The tool helps researchers to plan upskilling path,
define their career goals and navigate across career options. Young researchers
can consult a career handbook and can access to the offer to virtual webinars
and training.
Pipers Project Career Kit. It is a collection of external learning resources in the
topics of entrepreneurial skills, information literacy, disciplinary working,
leadership skills, managing a research career, professional development, public
engagement, researcher self-assessment, market exploitation of research results
and working with industry. The resources include different type of material
(training, articles case studies) benefitting trainers and people in charge of
training researcher.
Mentoring Programme ‘Shape the future of a Researcher coming to Europe’.
This programme aims at fostering the cooperation in the research field as well
as international mobility by offering the opportunity to mentor early-stage
researchers. The programme allows early-stage researchers coming from third
countries to get support by highly skilled researchers for what regards career
counselling, publication and presentations, networking, funding opportunities…
Information
and
assistance
Pensions for Researcher. The web pages links to country specific information
on pension systems. Information regards state pensions as well as occupational
pensions. The page hosts one dedicated section on pension arrangements at
European level such as the Pan-European Pension Fund for researcher366
.
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EUROPASS
Following the implementation of the new Decision in 2018367
, the Europass framework turned
into a more integrated offer of tools and services not only for skills and qualifications but also
for lifelong learning and career management. The new platform is now a digital web-based
interface where users can access various tools and services. In particular, job seekers and
learners can store personal information on their skills, learning achievements, work
experiences or track their job applications. Employers can rely on tools and information to
understand skills and qualifications of job applicants and staff. Similarly, education and
training providers are offered with a set of tools on lifelong learning and career development.
Table below details the Europass offer.
Tool Short description
Europass e-
Portfolio
• Europass profile where users can organise and present their personal
information on skills, qualifications, learning and work experience.
Users can rely on ESCO classification or use free text to fill relevant
fields (i.e. occupation or position held).
• CV creator / editor. Europass CV is a common template that
structures and presents an individual's skills and competencies, work
experience, education, and training when they wish to apply for jobs.
The template is available in 30 languages. The template is designed
to be competence focused, transparent and easy to navigate for
employers. Its ultimately aim is to encourage a portfolio-based
approach to present one's competencies and experience.
• The library is a repository where users can allocate all the relevant
documents on their qualification and work experience (diplomas,
reference letters…).
• My Application is the function allowing the tracking of job
applications submitted. Users can indicate the title and type of
opportunities as well as the contact information of employers.
Applications can be updated and downloaded.
Templates and • Cover letter. Users can create, store, and share cover letters in 29
367
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018D0646
Search for information. Researchers can retrieve information on three main
macro themes: leaving Europe, Living Europe and Working in Europe. As
further specification, they can filter the information according to the different
areas of the three topics (for instance, accommodation, entry conditions, visas,
health insurance, intellectual property rights…).
National portals. The web page provides the link to access to national Euraxess
Centres and find practical information about specific country context.
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Tool Short description
documents languages. The cover letter can be attached to the CVs when sharing
it with potential employers. A variety of different cover letter
templates are available, which users can modify, adjust visually or
content-wise and tailor to vacancies.
• Diploma Supplement. The Diploma Supplement is a document that
aims to increase transparency and mutual understanding of
qualifications within the European Higher Education Area. The
Diploma Supplement is a document attached to a higher education
diploma issued by the competent authorities or bodies, in order to
make it easier for third persons – particularly in another country – to
understand the learning outcomes acquired by the holder of the
qualification, as well as the nature, level, context, content and status
of the education and training completed, and skills acquired. It uses a
common terminology based on the ECTS and EQF and it includes
personal information about users’ education and learning outcomes.
This document is not a Europass document (it is managed by the
European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO, and the
template is the result of the 2018 Ministerial Agreement of the
Higher Education Ministers of the European Higher Education Area)
but has been included in the Europass framework since 2004. The
document is not automatically available on the Europass platform,
and it needs to be uploaded to the platform by users once they obtain
the higher education diploma and Diploma Supplement attached to it.
• Certificate Supplement. The Certificate Supplement is a document
attached to a vocational education and training or professional
certificate issued by the competent authorities or bodies, in order to
make it easier for third persons – particularly in another country – to
understand the learning outcomes acquired by the holder of the
qualification, as well as the nature, level, context, content and status
of the education and training completed, and skills acquired. The
Certificate Supplement is a document that describes the VET
qualification systematically and transparently. It is based on a
standard template and framework applied in all Europass countries.
To obtain the Europass Certificate Supplement, users can search for
the vocational qualification in a national database or obtain it from
the institution providing the vocational education and training.
• Europass Mobility is a document that presents the knowledge, skills
or qualifications obtained when undergoing education, training, or
volunteering abroad. Individuals can receive documents about their
experience abroad from authorised organisations, after a mobility
experience. Sending organisations need to contact the National
Europass Centre in their country to register the mobility and later
issue the document.
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Tool Short description
Transparency and
comparison of
qualifications
• European Digital Credentials for Learning (EDCs) is a standard for
digital credentials in the field of learning as well as a service to issue,
sign, verify, store, and share these credentials. EDCs can be
certificates that record education and training, qualifications and
other learning outcomes in a digital format. They are awarded
following formal, non-formal or informal learning and they can
describe any type of learning (e.g., activities such as classes attended,
assessments such as projects, achievements such as skills developed,
professional entitlements such as the registration as a medical doctor
and qualifications such as a university degree or a Vocational
Education and Training certificate)). Using the EDCs, organisations
can issue the certificates and can validate their learning opportunities.
The Qualifications Dataset Register (QDR) underpins and feeds the
Accreditation Database against which the accredited credentials are
verified.
• European Qualification Framework. Europass platform is the main
repository of European Qualification Framework (EQF). The EQF is
an 8-level, learning outcomes-based framework for all types of
qualifications that serves as a translation tool between different
national qualifications frameworks. This framework helps improve
transparency, comparability and portability of people’s qualifications
and makes it possible to compare qualifications from different
countries and institutions. Europass platform for EQF includes
information on EQF and National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF)
and referencing to EQF. It has links to the national qualification
databases and the latest updates on countries referencing or
comparing to the EQF.
• Comparison tool. Users can find information on what types of
qualifications are included in national frameworks referenced to the
EQF and compare qualifications levels between two EQF countries.
Other tools for
presenting personal
information
• My Interest. Users can identify and list their goals and interests. This
element also allows them to identify their volunteering interests or if
they want to move across Europe or participating countries. Europass
uses this information, to suggest work and educational opportunities.
• My Skills. The tool is designed for users and helps them to have an
overview of their skills. The information in My Skills is be used to
suggest customised job and course opportunities. Through this tool,
Europass encourages the user to reflect on their skills and think about
future steps for learning or working.
Career
management tools
• Digital skills self-assessment test. The tool is created to support users
in assessing and documenting their digital skills. Users can complete
a questionnaire on their digital skills and receive a personalised
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Tool Short description
report on their skills. The report helps users to understand their skills
and see how they can improve them.
• Find a job. This section is powered by EURES and is used as a
search engine for EURES vacancies. Only the vacancies posted on
EURES are visible in the job search. The tool also provides
information materials and guidance to end-users on how to search for
the right job, plan their career. This tool is created to support the
mobility for employment in the EU.
• Europass Skills Intelligence tool. It is a functionality on the platform
providing information on skills that are relevant to the current and
future labour market needs as well as corresponding learning
opportunities. The tool contributes to guidance and counselling,
recruitment processes, provision of education and training and career
paths. Users can search for occupations in highest demand in the
European Union and the related skills needed.
Information • Find a course. The Europass platform allows users to search for
education and training opportunities via a search engine. The
platform hosts information on learning opportunities that can lead to
a qualification (EQF levels 1-8) or that are relevant for the labour
market. Information is transmitted by Europass countries (via
Euroguidance Centres, the National Europass Centres or any other
relevant organisation appointed at national level), however, not all
countries are sharing information at this stage. Users are able to
retrieve information about available learning opportunities through
their profile or the Europass main page. Logged in users can receive
suggestions on learning opportunities matching the skills and
interests expressed. In addition, Europass has a dedicated section on
“Learn in Europe” which presents a list of contacts in organisations
in each of 37 participating countries that can provide detailed
information to users on learning opportunities in their country.
Source: elaboration of the contractor (2023)
EUROPEAN DIGITAL CREDENTIALS FOR LEARNING
The European Digital Credentials for learning (EDCs) is a standard for tamper-evident
electronic documents that allows providers of credentials to describe and show the achieved
learning outcomes (knowledge, skills) of learners. The European Digital Credentials for
learning are documents signed with an electronic seal (as defined under the eIDAS
Regulation). The EDCs can describe and certify qualifications, activities (for example non-
formal learning events), transcripts of records and entitlements. This initiative stems from the
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Digital Education Action Plan368
(Action 3) which provide a framework for issuing digitally
certified qualification and validating digitally acquired skills. Their main purpose is to apply
for job positions or for further education and training.
The digitally signed credentials (DSC) technical framework allows the qualification documents
awarded by educational and training organisations to be understood and verified in all Member
States. This also creates a system in which digitally verified certificates and credentials are
issued, sealed, stored, shared, and verified under the same framework. This was not intended to
replace quality assurance or certification practices at the national level, but rather offer a
technical solution to facilitate the exchange of these documents throughout the EU and
reinforce the trust in digital documents by fighting against fraud.
The main components of a digitally signed credential are:
• The credential, i.e. a documented statement containing claims made about a person – in this
case the credential is about learning and describes the skills and/or learning outcomes
acquired by an individual through a formal, non-formal or informal learning context,
• A digital signature (e-seal) that certifies the origin and integrity of the document and which
is the source of trust,
• The European Learning Model which allows for interoperability of learning opportunities,
qualifications and credentials in Europe and support fast track to credential recognition.
European Learning Model is aligned with the “Verifiable Credential” standards which is
the international standard for the envelope around the credential.
The main functions of the DSC Framework are:
• Issuing a digitally signed credential to the learner. The awarding body can build then
credential in the European Digital Credentials Infrastructure, then upload the list of
recipients, then seal and finally send the credentials, which will issue tamper-evident
digitally signed credentials. This would replace the current model of an awarding body
sending credentials to a specialised print-shop for secure printing and issuing.
• Storing the digital certificate after having been issued (storage is available on the Europass
e-Portfolio in the EDCs-wallet or other compatible platforms or wallets). The credentials
can be sent to the owner or directly deposited into their EDCs-wallets. Credentials are
securely stored according to the digital wallet retention period. This is a change compared
with the current paper storage method.
• Sharing the digital certificate with employers and other organisations, such as an education
and training provider or a recognition centre. The credential owner can share a link from
their EDCs-wallet. The current paper-based model consists of requesting a new certified
paper copy of the credential to be sent to the requester.
• Verifying the authenticity of the digital certificate and the accreditation of the awarding
body. In case of accredited credentials, the EDCs accreditation database automatically
verifies the accreditation of the awarding body. All EDC credentials are automatically
368
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the
Digital Education Action Plan. Available at: EUR-Lex - 52018DC0022 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)
204
verified every time they are accessed in the EDCs-viewer to check their format, the validity
of the e-seal, and the validity of the credential. If the credential has been tampered with, the
checks would fail. This can replace the administratively burdensome paper-based version
of contacting awarding bodies to ensure authentic credentials and matched identity with the
owner.
EU SKILLS PROFILE TOOL FOR THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS
The EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals369
was developed by DG Employment,
Social Affairs and Inclusion as part of the New Skills Agenda for Europe (EU-Skills, 2016).
The tool is a multilingual, free of charge online editor that helps to map out an individual’s
profile of skills, qualifications, and work experiences, this allowing for more transparency. It
serves as the basis to issue personalised advice for further steps towards labour market
integration (e.g. a referral to authorities dealing with the recognition of diplomas, validation of
skills, language or other training, or employment support). The filled profile can be imported to
the Europass platform.
It was developed for use by organisations offering assistance to Third Country Nationals but is
available for everyone on the website. The tool can be used by:
• Organisations working with third country nationals (national authorities responsible for
reception and integration of refugees, reception centres, employment assistance services,
social services, NGOs…) that can use the tool in an interview situation to get to know the
individuals, their skills, qualifications and experiences and to give personalised advice on
further services.
• Third country nationals that wish to map their qualifications, skills and experiences, this
facilitating their contact with local authorities, education and training providers and for job
seeking.
The tool is available in all EU and EEA languages and in Arabis, Farsi, Pashto, Sorani, Somali,
Tigrinya and Ukrainian. It is also possible to see two languages at the same time on one screen
this facilitating the communication between the organisations assisting the third country
nationals and the third country nationals.
The tool is not intended as a recognition or authentication tool.
The tool can be adapted to the organisation’s specific needs for example by adding or hiding
questions and sections from the questionnaire; exporting the excel and modifying the open
source.
EUROPEAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK (EQF)
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for lifelong learning was established through a
Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council in 2008 and revised in 2017370
.
369
https://ec.europa.eu/migrantskills/#/
370
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 22 May 2017 on the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning
and repealing the recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on the
establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning. Available at: https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32017H0615(01).
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The purpose of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (EQF) is to
improve the transparency, comparability and portability of people's qualifications. The wider
impact of the EQF is seen in supporting employability, mobility and social integration of
workers and learners, supporting lifelong learning and activating modernisation of education
and training systems.
EQF is an 8-level learning outcomes-based framework which serves as a translation tool
between different national qualifications frameworks371
. Essentially, it helps employers,
education and training providers, credential evaluators, workers, and learners in different
countries to easily understand end users’ levels and types of skills and qualifications by
creating a common reference framework for qualifications in Europe. The EQF is designed to
cover all types and levels of qualifications (higher education, VET, general education, adult
learning including) including the ones awarded by private sector organisations, international
organisations or NGOs. The fact that the EQF is based on learning outcomes implies that a
qualification is described to reflect what holders are expected to know, understand and apply
after completing a learning path.
The links to the national qualification frameworks are built through a referencing process
where members of the EQF link their national frameworks to the EQF. In practical terms, they
have prepared detailed referencing reports that follow the 10 EQF referring criteria (Annex III
of the 2017 EQF Recommendation). In addition, EQF members are invited to:
• Publish information and include reference to EQF levels on qualifications documents.
• Promote links between credit systems and national qualifications frameworks.
• Encourage the use of EQF by stakeholders and to coordinate with the EQF National
Contact Points.
All EU Member States, except Spain, has referenced to the EQF. In addition, 10 other
countries (EEA countries, candidate countries) have referenced to the EQF372
. In the EQF
Recommendation 2017373
, Members States have been invited to explore possibilities for the
developing criteria and procedures to enable the comparison of third countries’ national and
regional qualification frameworks with the EQF. First comparison pilots have been conducted
with Ukraine and Cabo Verde. A pilot with Southern African Development Community
(SADEC) is starting in 2023. In the past years, comparison and benchmarking pilots were
conducted also with some advanced qualifications frameworks as the Australian Qualifications
Framework (AQF), the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) and the Hong Kong
Qualifications Framework (HKQF).
Europass hosts the EQF on its platform. It stores and make available the information on the
referencing reports and provides the EQF comparability tool. Synergies of EQF and Europass
is seen also with the interconnection of national databases on learning opportunities and
national qualifications registers. A dedicated EQF-Europass working group works to develop
371
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) | Europass. (n.d.). [Government]. European Commission. Retrieved
August 9, 2022, from https://europa.eu/europass/en/european-qualifications-framework-eqf
372
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye, Bosnia & Herzegovina,
Kosovo and Switzerland.
373
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/ceead970-518f-11e7-a5ca-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
206
methodology and guidance on creating short descriptions of learning outcomes based on
qualifications to be used in databases and registers and thus helping the openness and
transparency of qualifications.
2.2. ENIC-NARIC network
The ENIC-NARIC network brings together the European Network of Information Centres in
the European Region (ENIC) and the National Academic Recognition Information Centres in
the European Union (NARIC), fostering the collaboration in 55 countries in the field of
academic recognition of qualifications.
The ENIC network operates under the Lisbon Recognition Convention374
which is the legal
instrument regulating recognition of higher education qualifications from abroad across Europe
and North American regions. The NARIC network comprises all countries participating in
Erasmus+. Depending on a country’s status, therefore, they will refer to their recognition
centre as an ENIC-NARIC, a NARIC or an ENIC. The European Commission is secretariat of
the NARIC network, while the Council of Europe and UNESCO are co-secretariats of the
ENIC network.
The network provides information on recognition to:
• Individuals wishing to study / work abroad. Information regards in particular the
procedures to have academic / professional qualifications evaluated;
• Credential evaluators regarding recognition tools. The network has developed projects,
tools and instruments to facilitate recognition, foster mobility and enhance
internationalisation of higher education. These cover automatic recognition, databases on
higher education systems and qualifications, academic recognition and quality assurance;
• Higher education institutions. In particular, the network provides information on academic
recognition procedures, educational systems at national level, qualification frameworks,
quality assurance and joint programmes and degrees;
• Employers. Three types of information are provided: information on candidate’s
qualification, professional recognition procedures (regulated and non-regulated
professions) and recognition tools.
LISBON RECOGNITION CONVENTION
The Lisbon Recognition Convention, also known as the Convention on the Recognition of
Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, is an international treaty
adopted in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1997. It is aimed at promoting the mutual recognition of
academic qualifications among the countries in the European region.
The Lisbon Recognition Convention is a collaborative effort between the Council of Europe
and UNESCO. Its primary purpose is to create a unified legal framework at the European level
for the recognition of academic qualifications and to eventually replace six previous
conventions that had been adopted by either the Council of Europe or UNESCO.
374
Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (ETS No.
165).
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The main goal of the Lisbon Recognition Convention is to facilitate academic mobility and
ensure that qualifications obtained in one country are recognised and accepted by other
countries in the region. This recognition is essential for students, graduates, and academic
professionals seeking to study, work, or pursue further education in different countries.
The Convention sets out principles and guidelines for the recognition of qualifications at all
levels of higher education, including degrees, diplomas, and certificates. It emphasizes fair and
transparent recognition procedures and the use of comparable criteria to evaluate qualifications
from different educational systems. The principles are:
• Fairness: The recognition process should be fair and impartial, providing an equal and non-
discriminatory treatment to all individuals regardless of their nationality or country of
origin;
• Transparency: The recognition procedures and criteria should be transparent and easily
accessible to all stakeholders, including individuals, educational institutions, and
employers;
• Reasonable Timeframe: The recognition process should be completed within a reasonable
timeframe, allowing individuals to access their rights and benefits without undue delay;
• Substantial Equivalence: The recognition decision should be based on the principle of
substantial equivalence, meaning that a qualification granted in one Party should be
recognised as having the same or equivalent level of education and academic value in
another Party;
• Burden of Proof: The burden of proof lies with the educational institution or authority in
the host country to demonstrate that the qualification in question is substantially different
from its own national qualifications;
• Single Application Procedure: The Convention promotes the use of a single application
procedure for recognition, allowing individuals to apply for recognition in one place and
have their qualifications recognised across the European Region;
• Avoidance of Discrimination: The Convention emphasizes the avoidance of any form of
discrimination in the recognition process, ensuring that individuals are not subject to unjust
treatment based on their nationality, ethnicity, gender, or any other characteristic;
• Use of Comparability Information: Parties are encouraged to use comparability
information, such as national or regional qualifications frameworks, to facilitate the
recognition of qualifications;
• Use of Information Centres: Parties are encouraged to establish National Information
Centres (NICs) and participate in the European Network of National Information Centres
(ENIC Network) to provide information and guidance on recognition matters.
Under the Lisbon Recognition Convention, the responsibilities for recognition lie with the
competent authorities of each participating country. These authorities are responsible for
assessing foreign qualifications and determining their equivalence to qualifications in their
own country. The main objective of the Convention is to simplify and streamline the process of
recognizing qualifications obtained in one country (Party) by other countries (Parties) within
the Convention. It emphasizes that recognition requests should be handled fairly and in a
208
timely manner. Qualifications can only be refused recognition if they are significantly different
from the qualifications of the host country. The burden of proof lies with the educational
institution of the host country to demonstrate substantial differences.
To ensure effective implementation and oversight of the Convention, two bodies have been
established: the Committee of the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning
Higher Education in the European Region and the European Network of National Information
Centres on Academic Mobility and Recognition (ENIC Network).
The Committee is responsible for promoting and overseeing the application of the Convention.
The Committee can adopt recommendations, declarations, protocols, and models of good
practice to guide the competent authorities of the Parties. It also seeks the opinion of the
second body, the European Network of National Information Centres on Academic Mobility
and Recognition (ENIC Network), before making decisions.
The ENIC Network is tasked with supporting and facilitating the practical implementation of
the Convention by the competent national authorities. It serves as a network of information
centres that assist in recognizing academic qualifications and promoting academic mobility
within the European Region.
EUROPEAN SKILLS, COMPETENCES, QUALIFICATIONS AND OCCUPATIONS
CLASSIFICATION (ESCO)
The ESCO is the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences, and
Occupations, launched in 2017 by the European Commission. It identifies and categorises
skills, competences and occupations relevant for the labour market, it provides multilingual
information or labour market services as well as training programs and curricula.
Regarding the occupations, the classification is organised in hierarchical relationship, and it
maps to ISCO classification. More in detail, each occupation is mapped to one ISCO-08 code.
An explanation of the occupation is also provided together with the related knowledge, skills
and competences. In ESCO classification there are now 3008 occupations mapped.
On skills, ESCO envisage different concepts. These are knowledge, skills, attitudes and values
and languages skills and knowledge. It also indicates the reusability level: cross-sectoral,
occupation-specific, sector-specific, transversal and the status (obsolete or released).
On the qualification, ESCO supports the description of learning outcomes of a qualification
and enhances personalised/ digital career guidance services. Is also can be used for the
validation of informal and non-formal learning.
The classification is used on a voluntary basis and can support a better link between education
and employment. In particular, it is used in the framework of:
• Job-matching and job-searching services: PES, talent acquisition agencies, human
resources consulting but also private companies for rolling out their own job matching
tools;
• Career development and learning management: qualification authorities, universities,
training providers;
• Statistics and big data analysis of labour market.
209
ESCO classification can be downloaded or retrieved through the ESCO Application Program
Interface (API) which is a software component facilitating the interaction with other software
component.
ESCO is a complementary tool to the EQF as it offers a standardises terminology to describe
and compare learning outcome descriptions. To this end, awarding bodies and national
authorities select the relevant ESCO knowledge, skills and competence concepts, this allowing
automatically understands learning outcomes without replacing or translating.
In July 2018, ESCO terminology became the standard for data exchange in EURES and it is
the standard used to develop the skills-based matching tool on the portal. EURES countries had
to map their national classifications to ESCO – or alternatively adopt directly ESCO – and then
use ESCO codes to present job vacancies and CVs. According to the ESCO 2021 annual
report375
, 21 out of 31 EURES countries had completed the implementation of ESCO.
ESCO is also used with the Europass framework and integrated in several elements of the
Europass platform (ePortfolio, CV editor, My Skills, My Interest).
SKILLS-OVATE
Skills-OVATE is a project promoted by Cedefop and Eurostat that analysis online vacancies
with the objective to provide information on the jobs and skills most in demand in the labour
market. The analysis covers 28 European countries and is based on different type of sources
for collecting online job advertisements (OJAs) these including private job portals, public
employment service portals, recruitment agencies, online newspaper and corporate websites.
The information extracted are analysed against international classifications: ISCO-08 for
occupation, NACE for sectors and NUTS-w for regions.
The information provided regards:
• Online job markets. Three dashboards are available: one showing the information by
occupation and country; one shows differences in demand for occupations across countries
(i.e. the share of selected occupation on the total number of OJAs); one displays job
vacancies by sector. There is an additional tool to compare data in a customised way, by
selecting different filters (countries, regions, occupations, sectors). Two additional types of
information can be filtered: contract types and working hours offered;
• Skills insights. Information on skills is available at the level of occupation, sector and
country. The dashboard shows how skill demand develops over time;
• Occupation insights. The information provided relates to the skills requested in a selected
occupation, the type of contracts and working hours offered by employers in different
countries, a general overview of the job vacancies as well as occupation trends over the
time;
• Sector insight. The dashboard shows the demand for occupation (ISCO 2-digit) across
sectors and countries; skills and occupation requested across sectors; evolution over the
time;
375
Annual reports | Esco (europa.eu)
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• Region insights. Information on the difference in demand for occupations across regions is
available together with the most demanded skills, also across sectors, and the trends.
EU TALENT POOL PILOT
The EU Talent Pool Pilot is an online job-searching tool for individuals fleeing the war in
Ukraine who are seeking employment in the EU. It helps identify and map their skills and
connects them with EU employers. The pilot is intended to facilitate labour market integration
for beneficiaries of temporary protection or adequate protection under national law, providing
them with more financial independence, better integration, and preserving their skills for
Ukraine's future reconstruction.
The initiative is implemented through the EURES portal, which brings together national
employment offices, private agencies, and employers across the EU.
Jobseekers can publish their CVs on the portal, seek advice from EURES advisers, and browse
vacancies. Employers can access the profiles of jobseekers and offer them jobs.
While the pilot initially involved countries like Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Czechia,
Cyprus, Croatia and Slovakia, participation by EU member states is voluntary. Jobseekers can
use the EU Talent Pool Pilot to find jobs in EU countries even if their country is not formally
participating in the initiative. However, there may be limitations in accessing additional
services offered by national administrations in non-participating countries.
Jobseekers can go home to Ukraine for short periods without losing their temporary protection
status. If they find jobs in different EU countries, they need to inform the respective authorities
to register for temporary protection in the new member state. Employers willing to hire
jobseekers benefiting from temporary protection from another member state can help them in
the process by providing support and a willingness to employ them.
1. Relevant initiatives at national level
AUSTRIA
Key
measures
and
schemes
Job Seeker Visa: For very highly qualified workers (people over the point
threshold of 65)376
it is possible to apply for a Job Seeker permit that lasts 6
months. When finding a job offer, they can apply to the RWR card.
RWR (Red-White-Red) card and the RWR plus card: residence titles issued to
very skilled workers and workers with skills that match regional shortage
occupations.
• RWR card: If applicants can find a job that matches their skills, they can
apply for an RWR card. The prerequisite is to have a binding job offer. The
duration of this permit is 2 years and is limited to working in the job through
which the permit was granted or limited to self-employment.
• RWR card plus is a residence permit that offers unrestricted access to labour
376
Point criteria: https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/permanent-immigration/very-highly-qualified-
workers/
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AUSTRIA
market and fixed-term settlement. Holders of the RWR card can apply for this
visa after 21 months of work within the last 24 months. People that have been
in Austria for five years and have B1-level German language skills can apply
for a long-term resident EU permit that grants unlimited settlement and
unrestricted access to the Austrian labour market.
Groups that can qualify for the RWR card: Very Highly Qualified Workers.
Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations, Other Key Workers, Graduates from
Austrian Universities and Colleges of Higher Education, Regular Workers in
Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry, Self-employed Key Workers, Start-up
Founders.
• Issued based on quotas
• Access to the RWR card is granted based on a point system:
o Threshold:
65 points for very highly qualified workers
50 points for skilled workers in shortage occupation and other key workers
o In 2019 amendments were introduced to this system. 1) Proficiency
in English was added as a criterion, 2) More weight was given to
occupational experience and less to age (age was deemed as a
discriminatory and unconstitutional criterion), 3) Threshold for
“very highly qualified” workers (i.e. mechanical engineering, data
processing engineers, business engineers, and physicians) was
lowered to 65 to facilitate admission to these types of workers.
• Can be issued regionally, to ensure the supply of workers matches the needs of
the local labour market.
• In 2019 an amendment came into force to reduce some of the bureaucratic
obstacles in the application process, including an adjustment to the required
minimum salary and eliminating the requirement of proof of accommodation,
however, it is not sure if the amendment will be enacted.
Seasonal workers:
Temporary work permits: six months (9 months under certain conditions)
Short-term employment: 6 weeks
Quotas: The federal Minister of Labour and Economy may set quotas to regulate
the employment of seasonal workers. These quotas may exceed by 20% during
seasonal spikes as long as it does not pass the yearly quotas.
In 2019 these quotas were:
o 4,000 employment permits
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AUSTRIA
o 60 short-term employments in harvesting.
o 1,263 for time-limited employment in tourism,
o 2,727 for time-limited employment in agriculture and forestry.
o 288 workers employed in harvesting.
Intra-corporate Transfers (ICT): Key workers temporarily employed in a
branch in Austria of their company may have a residence and employment permit
in Austria.
Au Pairs: It is possible for foreigners between the age of 18 and 28 to join a host
family to get a permit to help with childcare and easy household tasks.
New measures:
• ID card for displaced people: Since April 2023 people from Ukraine with an
ID card for displaced people can take any employment without a permit.
Strategies to tackle skilled labour shortage:
• Collaboration with countries of origin of migrant workers: The Austrian
Business Agency, the main actor at the federal level in attracting international
companies and workers, has been set in charge of addressing the shortage of
skilled workers. The agency has stablished agreements to recruit workers
from other EU Member States.
• Austrian dual-training apprenticeship system: This is a strategy where the
Austrian government provides apprenticeships and language courses in the
country of origin of migrants and after completion, internships in Austrian
cities. A pilot of this strategy has been implemented in Spain and in the
future, it might be implemented in Serbia.
Job
portals /
platform
The Austrian Business Agency - WORK in AUSTRIA – manages a platform with
all relevant information about working, staying and living in Austria. In addition,
the platform has a section dedicated to job postings where it is possible to search
and filter by industry, field, type of contract (full time, part time etc…) and region.
Labour
Market
test377
Body responsible: the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS)
Procedure: The AMS verifies that no member of the Austrian Labour market
could fill the vacancy. The employer applies to the AMS for the LMT in case it is
required. AMS as a PES may however have a registered domestic or EU worker in
its database who is suitable for the position. The employer has to justify its
decision not to accept the application from EU candidates, explaining why they
are not suitable to fill the vacancy.
377
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Vertretungen/Teheran/Dokumente/02_Info-RWR-Card_en.pdf
213
AUSTRIA
Mandatory: “Other Key workers” and applicants for EU blue card.
Exceptions: Very highly qualified workers, skilled workers in shortage
occupations, and Graduates of universities and colleges of higher education in
Austria.
Referenc
es
EMN National Report 2021
EMN Country Factsheet 2021
Summary of European Migration Network Ad-Hoc Query No. 2021.17
https://www.enic-naric.net/page-Austria
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/european-database-on-validation-of-non-
formal-and-informal-learning
Federal Ministry Republic of Austria. (n.d.). Federal Government‘s Official
Information Website on Migration to Austria. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from
https://www.migration.gv.at/en/welcome/?no_cache=1
Criteria-based immigration to Austria. Federal Ministry Republic of Austria.
European and International Affairs.
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Vertretungen/Teheran/Dokument
e/02_Info-RWR-Card_en.pdf
Types of immigration. Living and Working in Austria.
https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/
BELGIUM
Key
measures
and
schemes
Highly qualified workers
• Conditions: Holding a degree of higher education, have concluded an
employment contract for at least one year, and having a job offer with a
salary equal to the average gross annual salary (In Flanders it is 80% of the
average gross annual salary for people under 30 or working as a nurse).
• Duration: 2 periods of 4 years, except in the Brussels-Capital region where
it can be renewed indefinitely.
• After 5 years of uninterrupted legal stay in Belgium you can apply for an
EU long-term residence status
• There are more flexible provisions for workers with a profession for which
there is a shortage of qualified staff.
Intra-corporate transferees:
Recent changes made it possible for third-country nationals to apply for an ICT
single permit. To qualify for this, permit the employee must have been working
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BELGIUM
for the company for 3 months (or 6 months for managers and specialist in the
Brussels Capital Region.
Seasonal workers:
During the covid-19 crisis, some measures were taken to respond to the
shortage of seasonal workers in the agriculture and horticulture sector. These
measures facilitated the stay of seasonal workers already in Belgium by for
instance allowing them to work more days per year or to move to a different
company.
Low and medium-skilled workers:
Wallonia: Occupations in the shortage list (list of 10 occupations) do not need
to pass a labour market test to hire third-country national workers.
Type of permits:
Single permit: This permit is valid for the duration of the contract through
which this permit was obtained, and it can be renewed. After 5 years of living
and working with a single permit, highly qualified workers can apply for a
single permit with unlimited duration.
• Procedure: employer needs to apply for a work permit on behalf of the
employee through the department of economic migration of the region the
employer is based (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels Capital Region or the
German-speaking community). Freelancers or people wanting to start a
business in Belgium need to apply for a professional card directly.
• It is now only possible to apply for this permit while in Belgium when in the
country for a legal short stay or a stay as a student or researcher, other
applicants have to return to their country to apply for a single permit.
• Electronic applications for single permits are now made through email, with
the intention of easing the procedure.
Work permit: valid for a maximum of 90 days
Bilateral labour agreements: an international labour agreement is no longer a
requisite for single permits or work permits subject to a labour market test.
Labour
Market test
Responsible body: Regional Employment Services (VDAB for Flanders,
ACTIRIS for Brussels, and FOREM for Wallonia). These bodies are
responsible for assessing the labor market conditions and job vacancies to
ensure that there are no suitable local candidates available before employers can
recruit foreign workers.
The LMT is required for issuing the Single Permit.
Exemptions:
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BELGIUM
• Highly skilled workers: Professional workers who possess specific skills or
qualifications that are in high demand in the Belgian labor market (Blue
Card holders)
• Intra-company transferees: Employees who are transferred from a company
outside Belgium to a branch, subsidiary, or affiliated entity in Belgium.
• Researchers and scientific personnel: Individuals who are engaged in
scientific research or who hold research positions at recognised research
institutions.
• Certain specialised technicians: Workers who possess specific technical
skills that are needed in Belgium and are not readily available in the local
labor market.
• Executives, senior managers, and corporate officers: High-level
management personnel who hold key positions in a company.
References Belgium - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 7, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/belgium-highly-
qualified-worker_en
Coming to work in Belgium | Belgium.be. Official information and services
(n.d.). Retrieved June 7, 2023, from
https://www.belgium.be/en/work/coming_to_work_in_belgium
EMN National Report 2019
BULGARIA
Key
measures
and
schemes
To migrate to Bulgaria as a highly qualified worker it is necessary to have a
long-term visa and an EU Blue card.
• EU Blue Card
Highly qualified professionals are defined as people with the necessary
competencies for a job. The qualification has to be certified by a competent
higher education authority and the training must have lasted at least 3 years.
Procedure: Employer must apply for an EU Blue Card with a proof that the
Gross wage in the contract is at least 1.5 times higher than the average salary in
Bulgaria. If applicant has been working for at least 18 months in another EU
country while holding an EU Blue Card, the applicant can apply for a Blue Card
in Bulgaria within one month of their arrival.
Duration: This permit is valid for the duration of the contract plus 3 months
without exceeding 4 years and it is renewable.
On January 25, 2023, was promulgated an Act to Amend and Supplement the
Labor Migration and Labor Mobility ruling the entry and residence of citizens of
216
countries outside the EU on the territory of the for the purposes of highly
qualified employment. The main change concerns the expansion of the range of
persons entitled to apply for an EU Blue Card. The option to prove higher
professional skills relevant to the position has been added, as an alternative to
the requirement of acquired higher education. Other easing measures concern the
possibility to submit application electronically, the shortening of deadlines in the
course of the procedure, the simplification of the procedure to change employer.
In addition, the conditions for holders of a Blue Card issued in another EU
country to move to Bulgaria has been also streamlined and the validity of the
Blue Card was extended from 4 to 5 years.
Permit as an employed worker
To work as an employed worker in Bulgaria as a non-EU citizen applicants must
obtain:
• a single/work permit
• a visa "type D" issued to foreigners who wish to settle for a long term or
permanently
• a residence permit (not applicable in case of a single permit).
Quotas: the number of non-EU citizens cannot exceed 20% of the average
number of Bulgarian/EEA/Swiss citizens in the previous 12 months and those
non-EU citizens already residing in Bulgaria on a long-term basis and who are
hired by the employer during the previous 12 months.
Procedure: First the employer must apply for a single permit through the
Employment Agency’s relevant local Directorate “Employment Office”. This
permit gives the right to reside in Bulgaria and work (labour market is limited to
the job through which the permit is granted).
Duration: valid for a maximum of one year, renewable for a maximum of up to
three years.
Single residence and work permit: An electronic process has been set in place
for coordinating the applications for residence and work permits.
• Intra-corporate transferees: for employees (managers, specialists or
trainee) working at a company outside the EU who are being transferred to a
branch in Bulgaria. To qualify for this permit the employee must have been
working at the company for a certain time period: managers and specialists –
12 months; trainees – 6 months.
Duration: 3 years for managers and specialists and 1 year for trainees.
• Seasonal employment – up to 90 days
No need for work permit.
• Seasonal employment – 90 days to maximum 9 months
Procedure: first the employer applies for an approval at the central
217
administration of the employment agency. The permit is specific to the
economic sector: HORECA and Agriculture. If necessary, applicant must also
apply to a visa “type D’ to enter Bulgaria. Once in Bulgaria, worker must obtain
a residence permit from the Migration Directorate.
Conditions: Employer must pay for the travel cost from country of origin to
Bulgaria and the return trip. Furthermore, the employer has the obligation of
providing housing through the duration of the contract.
Rights: A seasonal worker can apply for a permission to change employer at the
Employment Agency without having to leave Bulgaria.
• Self-employed worker
Procedure: First, applicant must apply for a self-employment permit. To obtain
this permit the applicant must submit to the employment Agency a detailed plan
of activities for the term of the permit. This plan should assess economic and
social impact of the activity. Second, once the self-employment permit is
approved, applicant must apply for a visa “type D” to enter Bulgaria. Third, once
in Bulgaria worker must apply for a residence permit from the Migration
Directorate.
Labour
market
test
Responsible body: Employment Agency (Migration Directorate of MoI)
The LMT is mandatory for the permit as an employed worker
The employer must show that:
• he/she has actively searched for a suitable candidate for the past 15 days
• there are no Bulgarian/EEA/Swiss nationals or long-term residing in
Bulgaria non-EU workers matching the required profile
• there is no possibility of training existing personnel.
Exempted from a labour market test are the cases where the worker is:
• hired under the terms of an international agreement, to which Bulgaria is a
party
• a guest-professor, lector or teacher in Bulgarian higher or secondary
education entity, approved by the relevant academic boards or Regional
Inspectorates of the Ministry of Education and Science
• a professional sportsman or trainer, approved by the relevant Bulgarian
sports federations or unions
• an actor-performer, approved by the Ministry of Culture
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CROATIA
Key measures
and schemes
Employed worker
Non-EU citizens may work as an employed worker in Croatia on the basis
of a residence and work permit or a work registration certificate. The
permit is limited to the work through which the permit was obtained.
Procedure: the application can be done by the employer when a labour
market test or an opinion from the Croatian Employment Service is
required for the permit. For a work permit that does not need a labour
market test or an opinion from the Croatian Employment service, the
application can be done by either the employer or the applicant (with an
employment contract).
Since 2020 annual quotas have been abolished. Now this permit is granted
based on a labor market test.
Highly qualified worker – EU Blue Card
Duration: duration of the contract plus 3 months with a maximum
duration of two years. It is possible to prolong the permit.
Seasonal worker
Procedure: Application can be made by applicant or employer
Duration: maximum 6 months within a period of 1 year.
Labour Market
Test
Responsible body: Croatian Employment Service
Procedure: The LMT is mandatory for the Employed worker permit. The
Croatian Employment Service analyses if in the register of unemployed
persons in the Republic of Croatia there are people who meet the
requirement of the employer. If no available person in the register, then
the employer may request the opinion regional employment office on “the
References http://workinbulgaria.net/work-in-bulgaria/non-eu-citizen/blue-card/
Bulgaria - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June 7,
2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/bulgaria-employed-
worker_en
Bulgaria - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 7, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/bulgaria-highly-
qualified-
worker_en#:~:text=You%20may%20also%20come%20to,one%20month%20of
%20your%20arrival.
Bulgaria - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June 7,
2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/bulgaria-seasonal-worker_en
Bulgaria - Self-employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June
7, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/bulgaria-self-employed-
worker_en
EMN National Report 2017
https://ceelegalmatters.com/bulgaria/22528-changes-in-the-regime-for-
admission-of-citizens-of-third-countries-for-the-purposes-of-highly-qualified-
employment-in-bulgaria
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CROATIA
employment possibilities of third-country nationals”.
An employer may receive a favourable opinion if:
• They carry out an economic activity registered in the Republic of
Croatia
• They have no income tax debt or debt for mandatory insurance
contributions.
• In the last six months, they have had at least one full-time employee
who is a national of the Republic of Croatia, EEA or Swiss
Confederation employed for an indefinite period of time in the
Republic of Croatia. Furthermore, the total number of employees who
are citizens of the Republic of Croatia or citizens o EEA member
states or the Swiss confederation at the place of employment should
be at least ¼ of the total number of employees.
They have not been finally convicted of criminal offences in the field of
labour relations and social insurance.
Exemptions: high demand professions that are published on the website
of the Croatian Employment Service.
References Government of the Republic of Croatia. (n.d.). Work of foreign nationals -
gov.hr. e-Citizens. Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://gov.hr/en/work-
of-foreign-nationals/1214
Croatia - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 7, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/croatia-
employed-worker_en
Croatia - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 7, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/croatia-highly-qualified-worker_en
Croatia - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June
7, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/croatia-seasonal-
worker_en
EMN National Report 2020
CYPRUS
Key
measures
and
schemes
Employed worker
Requisites: entry permit for the purpose of employment and a temporary
residence and employment permit.
Conditions: Permit is tied to the employer through which the permit is granted.
The employee has the right to change up to 3 employers within the same sector
and occupation (except for domestic workers who can transfer to farming and
agriculture). For this change, the former employer must issue a release
agreement and hold an approval from the Labour Department.
Procedure: The employer first applies to the District Labour Offices of the
Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance with a job vacancy. A labour market
test is carried and if the vacancy is not filled by a local or European worker, the
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CYPRUS
employer may apply for an entry and resident permit for a non-EU national.
Employer obligations: The employer must provide accommodation and a bank
guarantee in case the employee is repatriated.
Duration: maximum 4 years. There are sectors excepted from this time
limitation: farming and agriculture, domestic work, specialty cooks and chefs,
priests, and tourists’ representatives.
Highly qualified worker
Requisites: residence and employment permit.
Highly skilled workers can be employed under the following categories:
• Executive directors: minimum salary for this category is around $3,872. The
maximum employees under this category in an eligible company is 5 (unless
otherwise justified).
• Middle-management staff, executive staff and other key personnel:
minimum salary for this category is around $1,936. Maximum employees
under this category in an eligible company is 10 (unless otherwise justified).
Conditions: Permit is tied to a specific employer but changes of employer are
possible with a release paper or termination letter.
Procedure: an application for the residence and employment permit must be
submitted to the Civil Registry and Migration Department. A contract of
employment is required for the application. The decision to grant the permit is
taken by the Director of this department after consultation with other authorities.
Duration: Permits are issued for maximum 2 years but there is no restriction for
the total residence period for highly skilled employees.
Seasonal workers
Requisites: an entry permit for the purpose of employment and a temporary
residence and employment permit.
Conditions: Permit is tied to a specific employer but changes of employer are
possible with a release paper or according to a decision after investigation of a
labour dispute.
Duration: permits granted for up to four months, extendable by a further four
months.
Procedure: employer applies to the District Labour Offices of the Ministry of
Labour and Social insurance with a job vacancy and a labour market test is
carried. If the vacancy is not filled after the labour market test, employer may
apply for an entry permit.
Employer obligations: The employer must provide accommodation and a bank
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CYPRUS
guarantee in case the employee is repatriated.
Labor
market
test
Responsible body: Employment Services of District Labour Offices
Mandatory for the employed worker permit.
Procedure: the interested company/employer needs to publish in the daily
newspapers the available position via the Employment Services of District
Labour Offices. In case where there are no Cypriot or European citizens
available and capable to fill the specific positions, the employer submits the
special application form for employment of foreign workers duly completed
together with any other necessary documents.
References Civil Registry and Migration Department web site:
http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf/home_en/home_en?openform#
Cyprus - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June 14,
2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/cyprus-employed-worker_en
Cyprus - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June
14, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/cyprus-highly-qualified-
worker_en
Cyprus - Intra-corporate transferee (ICT). (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 14, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/cyprus-
intra-corporate-transferee-ict_en
Cyprus - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June 14,
2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/cyprus-seasonal-worker_en
EMN National Report 2017
CZECHIA
Key measures
and schemes
The Highly Skilled Employee Programme:
Designed for companies employing highly skilled workers from third
countries.
Occupations included: professions in the main classes 1 through 3 in the
CZ-ISCO job classification. These include managers, specialists, and
technical and expert workers. In 2021, applications mainly came from
nationals of Ukraine, Russian Federation, China and India.
The Simplified Employee Card
It aims to expedite the process of hiring highly skilled foreign workers in
occupations experiencing severe labor shortages. Professions where the
simplified process is applicable are IT specialists, healthcare workers
(doctors, nurses), engineers, and other fields where there is a significant
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CZECHIA
shortage of qualified employees in the Czech labor market
The Skilled Employee Programme:
Designed for companies employing medium-skilled to low-skilled
employees from third countries.
Occupations included: professions in the main classes 4 through 8 in the
CZ-ISCO job classification, such as drivers, welders, seamstresses,
butchers, assembly workers, workers in automotive and chemical
industries, etc.
Agencies responsible: Business representation in the CR and the
CzechInvest agency.
Main source countries (selected): Ukraine, the Philippines, Belarus,
Serbia, Montenegro, Moldova, Mongolia, India, and Kazakhstan.
Annual capacity: 50,000 persons (with quotas set by country).
The Special Work Visa for Citizens of Ukraine Working in
Agriculture, Food Industry or Forestry Programme
Designed for employers seeking low-skilled and non-skilled
workers from Ukraine.
Occupations included: Professions in the main classes 4 through 9 in the
CZ-ISCO job classification) in the sectors stated in the name of the
Programme.
Annual capacity: 1,500 persons
*Program set to end at the end of 2022
Internship:
Designed for third-country nationals who are sent by foreign employers
to Czech legal entities (typically manufacturing corporations) or natural
persons with the aim of improving their skills and qualifications
Time of the visa: Maximum 6 months
Labour market
test
Responsible body: Regional Employment offices
Procedure: as job vacancies are announced to the Employment Office, if
a suitable candidate (within CZ or from other EU member states) cannot
be found within thirty days, the position is entered into the Central
Records of Vacant Employment Positions where the position can be
offered to TCNs.
Exemptions: There are no exception categories
References Ministry of Industry and trade website: https://www.mpo.cz/en/
223
CZECHIA
EMN National Report 2021
EMN Country Factsheet 2021
Summary of European Migration Network Ad-Hoc Query No. 2021.17
https://bnt.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/flyer_cizinci_en.pdf
DENMARK
Key measures
and schemes
Fast-track scheme
For individuals who already have a job offer from a Danish company
certified by the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and
Integration. This is a scheme for certified companies that makes the
process of recruiting third-country nationals faster and more flexible. The
permit is linked to the job through which the permit is granted. When
losing this job it is possible to apply for a job-seeking permit under certain
conditions. When changing the job, the applicant must submit a new
application for a residence and work permit.
Procedure: the employer (with a power of attorney granted by the
employee) takes care of the application. To be eligible for this procedure,
the employee must meet the conditions for one of the tracks.
Pay limit track.
A dedicated track to apply for a residence and work permit for individuals
with offers for jobs with an income of at least 465,000 DKK per year.
Duration: Maximum 4 years or for the duration of employment. The
applicant also receives a 6-month job seeking a permit to look for a new
job.
Supplementary pay Limit track
A dedicated track to apply for a residence and work permit for individuals
with offers for jobs with an income of at least 375,000 DKK per year.
Duration: Maximum 5 years or for the duration of employment
Positive Lists Scheme
Targets highly educated and highly skilled workers in sectors with labour
shortages. The list is created based on labour market monitoring and it is
updated twice a year.
Procedure: Part of the application is filled by the employer and another
by the employee.
Duration: for the period of employment, maximum 4 years with the
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DENMARK
possibility of renewing if the contract is longer.
Special individual qualifications scheme
For applicants with special qualifications specifically linked to the
applicant. Applicants can fall under the categories of 1) performer or
artist, 2) athlete or coach, or 3) specialised chef. There are some specific
requirements for the different categories.
Procedure: Part of the application is filled by the employer and another
by the employee.
Duration: Permit is given for a validity of 1 year at a time for the first 2
years (limited by the length of the contract). After, the permit can be
granted a maximum of 2 years and after 4 years, valid for a maximum of 3
years at a time.
Herdsmen and farm managers
For applicants who have been offered an employment in Denmark as a
herdsman or farm manager in agriculture. This permit cannot be granted
for work as a farm worker or mink farm hand nor for managing within
horticulture or forestry.
Condition: Residence permit is linked to the job through which permit
was granted. Applicant must not work in other positions than the one
stated I the permit.
Procedure: Part of the application is filled by the employer and another
by the employee.
Duration: residence and work permit valid for a maximum of 4 years at a
time.
Other schemes for specific situations/professions
• Trainees
• Researchers/Employed PhDs
• Workers on drilling rigs or ships
• Sideline employment (for applicants with a residence permit based
on a job that wish to take a sideline job)
Job portals Workindenmark (https://www.workindenmark.dk/about) - National
employment service connecting international job seekers with Danish
companies. They provide information and digital self-service tools to
facilitate the hiring process for both parties.
Labor Market
Test
NA
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DENMARK
References You want to apply for a work permit. (n.d.). New to Denmark. Retrieved
June 14, 2023, from https://nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/You-want-to-
apply/Work
https://visaguide.world/europe/denmark-visa/long-stay/work-visa/
ESTONIA
Key measures
and schemes
Employed worker
Requisites: a temporary residence permit for employment or registering
for short-term employment.
Procedures: Applicants can request a residence permit, and this must be
in person at a foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia. The
employer has the obligation to contact the Estonian Unemployment
Insurance Fund to obtain permission and consent; except for certain work
categories (see below).
Conditions: the temporary residence permit can be refused if the annual
immigration quotas are filled. It is also a condition that the salary is at
least equal to the most recent annual average gross monthly salary. The
permit for employment sets out the conditions under which the employee
is allowed to work, and any changes should be reported to the Police and
Border Guard Board.
Duration: granted for a maximum of 2 years and renewable for a five-
year period. There is a 90-day period given when the carrier of this permit
becomes unemployed (except if the reason for the termination of the
contract is economic).
Highly qualified worker – Top specialist
Third country nationals with an appropriate professional training or
experience for employment
Requisites: Residence permit for employment
Procedures: As an employer worker, but the permission of the Estonian
Unemployment Insurance Fund is not necessary.
Conditions: Salary for this category should be at least 50% higher than
the latest annual average wages in Estonia. There are also a number of
requirements the company should comply with to employ a Top specialist
(e.g. 65,000 euros of equity capital, minimal sales revenue of 200,000
euros per year, etc…).
A new action plan for Work in Estonia was approved by the government
in February 2022 to attract skilled workers in the field of ICT and natural
226
ESTONIA
sciences. The plan was developed by Enterprise Estonia, the Estonian
national foundation (sihtasutus) which aims to develop economy of
Estonia. The plan set a goal of 3000 of skilled workers by 2025.
Seasonal workers
Requisites: being registered for short-term employment and obtaining a
short-term or long-term (D) visa.
Procedures: Employer needs to submit the registration for the short-term
employment for seasonal work to the Police and Border Guard.
Application is made at the Police and Border Guard services if applicant
has legal grounds to arrive to Estonia or at the Estonian embassy or
consulate if applicant needs a visa to enter Estonia.
Duration: maximum 270 days withing 365 consecutive days. Permit
cannot be extended If the maximum period is reached.
Conditions: Salary must ensure subsistence. The work activity must be
listed as an activity dependent upon season by the Government of Estonia:
• Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities
• Fishing and aquaculture
• Forestry and logging
• Accommodation service activities
• Food and beverage service activities
• Food production
• Manufacture of soft drinks
Quotas for work-related residence permits by industries for the year
2022:
300 in manufacturing industry
200 in construction sector
100 in transport and storage sector
20 for entrepreneurship
23 for employment in creative activities
26 for employment in the professional activities related to sports
5 residence permits on the basis of a treaty
637 residence permits on general grounds for employment and
entrepreneurship.
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ESTONIA
*Quota is subject to exemptions in some industries (e.g., ICT specialists).
Labor Market
Test
Responsible body: Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund
Procedure:
• The employer is required to advertise the job position in the Estonian
Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) job portal for at least 30
calendar days. The job advertisement should be in the Estonian
language and meet specific requirements set by the EUIF.
• Once the application period ends, the employer evaluates the received
applications and determines whether there are suitable local
candidates available for the job position. If there are no qualified local
candidates, the employer may proceed with the labor market test.
• The EUIF reviews takes a decision on whether to grant a labor market
test permit. This permit allows the employer to proceed with hiring a
foreign worker.
• After obtaining the labor market test permit, the employer prepares
and applies for a residence permit on behalf of the foreign worker.
This application is processed by the Police and Border Guard Board
(PPA) in Estonia.
Exemptions:
Religious workers, accredited journalists, teachers, academic staff, artists,
sportsmen, coaches, referees, sports officials, posted workers, people
performing managerial or supervisory functions of a legal person
registered in Estonia, people with higher education acquired in Estonia,
and employment with a start-up.
References EMN National Report 2021
Estonia - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 15, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/estonia-
employed-worker_en
Estonia - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 15, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/estonia-highly-qualified-worker_en
Estonia - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June
15, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/estonia-seasonal-
worker_en
Important information for registering short-term employment. (n.d.).
Retrieved June 15, 2023, from
https://www2.politsei.ee/en/teenused/working-in-estonia/registration-of-
short-term-employment/oluline-info-luhiajalise-tootamise-
228
ESTONIA
registreerijale.dot#hooajatoo
Temporary residence permit for employment. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15,
2023, from https://www2.politsei.ee/en/teenused/residence-
permit/tahtajaline-elamisluba/tootamiseks/index.dot
https://www.njordlaw.com/njord-estonia-new-immigration-quota-has-
been-introduced-apply-residence-permits
https://estonianworld.com/business/the-estonian-government-sets-the-
2023-immigration-quota-at-1307/
FINLAND
Key measures
and schemes
There are different residence permit applications for different types of
work. If there is no specific residence permit application the scheme to
use is the one for employed workers.
There is also a fast-track service to get a residence permit in two weeks.
Applicants can use this scheme if moving to Finland to work:
• As specialists
• As a specialist or manager with an Internal transfer within a
company residence permit
• In top or middle management of a company
• With and EU Blue Card
• As a start-up entrepreneur.
Employed worker
Requisites: residence permit for employed person.
Procedures: The application is done by the employee. First, the
applicant applies for a permit through the e-service “Enter Finland”.
After, the application continues at a Finnish diplomatic mission or
consulate. Granting of the permit is subjected to a labour market test and
analysis of workforce needs.
Duration: normally granted for one year.
Conditions: In general, Permit is granted for a particular professional
sector, and it is possible to change jobs within this sector. There are
some cases in which the permit may be limited to a particular employer.
Work categories that do not need a residence permit:
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FINLAND
The following employees will not need a residence permit:
• Interpreters, teachers, experts or sports working in Finland for
less than 3 months.
• Artists or sports professionals or their assistants who working in
Finland for less than 3 months.
• Sailors working on a vessel operating in international waters or
sailing mainly between foreign ports.
• Permanent employees of a company based in another EU/EEA
country who perform temporary procurement or subcontract
work in Finland as long as they have valid permits in the other
country.
• Forest berry pickers working in Finland for a maximum period of
90 days.
Highly qualified worker
Requisites: residence permit for specialists (or an Eu Blue Card).
Procedures: The application is done by the employee. First, the
applicant applies for a permit through the e-service “Enter Finland”.
After, the application continues at a Finnish diplomatic mission or
consulate. Granting of the permit is based on an evaluation of 1) the
requirements of the work, 2) means of support, and 3) other grounds for
rejection (e.g. threat to public policy, public security, etc…).
Duration: (For a specialist) permit first issued for two years and when
renewed for maximum four years.
Conditions: In general, Permit is granted for a particular professional
sector, and it is possible to change jobs within this sector. There are
some cases in which the permit may be limited to a particular employer.
International service provider
For a stay of 3 months or less. Under certain conditions, the employee
might need to apply for a residence permit even for a stay of 90 days or
less.
Categories: Business visitors for the establishment, Short-term business
visitors, Contractual service suppliers, independent professionals.
*Investors: There not a specific visa scheme for investment activity.
Investors must apply for a residence permit according to their field of
business.
Seasonal worker
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FINLAND
Permit intended for work in certain areas of agriculture and tourism that
is done at certain times of the year. Employees with this permit are
mostly employed in gardens, greenhouses, berry farms and forest berry-
picking companies. A recent change in this work category is that
employers can now notify the Finnish Immigration Service of more than
one seasonal employee at a time.
Requisites:
For less than 3 months:
For applicants that need a visa to enter Finland: seasonal work visa
(to submit by applicant at the Finnish diplomatic mission or consulate in
country of origin).
For applicants that do not need a visa to enter Finland: seasonal
work certificate (to submit by applicant at the Finnish Immigration
Service).
For 3 to 9 months:
Applicants must apply for a seasonal work permit (to submit by
applicant via the e-service “Enter Finland” and finalize it at the Finnish
diplomatic mission or consulate in the country of origin).
For 6-9 months:
Permit processed in two stages:
• The Employment and Economic Development Office makes a
preliminary decision considering the labour force availability in
Finland or withing the EU/EEA (labour market test) and conditions
of employer and employee.
• Final decision is taken by the Finnish Immigration Service.
Duration: maximum 9 months
Conditions: permit is tied to the employer referred in the certificate or
residence permit.
Other work visa categories
Categories exempted from applying for a residence permit for an
employed person or for the entrepreneur permit:
• Research work completed in Finland: specific scheme for people
that completed research work in Finland and have a job, pursue a
trade or engage in business activities in Finland.
• Degree completed in Finland: specific scheme for people that have
studied a degree in Finland and have a job, pursue a trade or engage
231
FINLAND
in business activities in Finland.
Job Seeking permit: Scheme for applicants that had a residence permit
for studies or research within the last 5 years and want to look for work
or start a business in Finland. The maximum duration of this permit is 2
years.
Sector specific visa schemes:
• Employee of a religious community
• Work in the field of culture or arts
• Work in the field of mass media
• Athlete, coach or trainer
• Consultant
• Visiting teacher, lecturer or instructor
• Delivery of a machine or a system
Other categories:
• Working holiday
• Au pair
• Volunteering visa
• Internship visa
• Intra/inter corporate transfer
• Preparation of a company’s arrival in Finland and supervision
of orders
• Top and middle management
• International organisations and cooperation between states
• Intergovernmental agreement
Projects related to work migration
Research on labour migration by the government
• The government published a report on a fast-acting measure to
ensure the availability of skilled labour where they analysed causes
of labour shortage and outline potential solutions.
• In 2021 the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment started
its participation in a research project to find out how to make Finland
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FINLAND
more attractive among international experts.
Talent Boost Project: National project to attract international talent and
increase labour migration to Finland.
Roadmap for education-based and work-based migration 2035: a
long-term action plan to double the number of specialists, entrepreneurs,
researchers, and triple the number of students migrating to Finland.
Some of the measures in this plan include making the immigration
process easy.
Project to speed up and streamline the processing of work-based
and residence permits. The goal by 2023 is to issue these permits for
students within a month and for specialists, and start-up entrepreneurs
(and their families) within two weeks.
Labor Market
Test
Responsible body: Immigration Service
Exemptions : occupations in shortage
References About the service. (2023, February 6). Job Market Finland. Retrieved
June 15, 2023, from https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/info/about-the-service
About us - Work in Finland. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2023, from
https://www.workinfinland.com/en/about-us/
EMN National Report 2021
Finland - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/finland-employed-worker_en
Finland - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 15, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/finland-highly-qualified-worker_en
Finland - International service provider. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 15, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/finland-international-service-provider_en
Finland - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 15, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/finland-
seasonal-worker_en
Finland - Self-employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 15, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/finland-self-employed-worker_en
Open jobs - Work in Finland. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2023, from
https://www.workinfinland.com/en/open-jobs/
Residence permits on the basis of work. (n.d.). Website of the Finnish
Immigration Service. Retrieved June 15, 2023, from
233
FINLAND
https://migri.fi/en/coming-to-finland-for-work/applications
FRANCE
Key measures
and schemes
Employed workers
Requisites: Work permit and residence permit
Procedure: Candidates with a permanent contract (CDI) and a fixed-
term contract (CDD) must have their contract approved by the
competent department for foreign labour. It is the employer that applies
for the work permit. Once approved they can apply for a residence
permit in the French consulate in their country of origin. If the
employment contract does not exceed or is equal to 90 days and is
related to a list of activities378
, applicant may be exempted from
requesting an authorization to work.
Duration depends on the duration of the employment contract:
• A short-stay visa with a maximum validity of 90 days in a period of
180 days.
• A long stay visa equivalent to 12 months maximum with the
statement “salarié” for permanent employment contracts and
“travailleur temporaire” for fixed-term contracts.
Conditions: The employment situation (based on a labour market test)
may be invoked to refuse issuance of a work permit, except for jobs in
high demand included in the list of the shortage occupation issued at
the national level by the French authorities. There are also bilateral
agreements (e.g. with Benin, Congo, Gabon, etc..) that modify the list
of jobs that can be filled by nationals from these countries.
Talented workers
Categories: qualified or highly qualified worker, innovative employer,
researcher or responsible for a higher education organization, intra-
corporate transferee, performer, artist, author, and worker with a
national or international reputation.
Requisites: a “passport talent” residence permit (with the mention
“EU Blue Card” for highly qualified employees).
Procedure: If legally residing in France applicants can apply two
months before their permit expires. If the applicant resides outside
France, they must apply for a long-stay visa in a French consulate in
378
https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/salaried-employment
234
FRANCE
their country of origin. Application for a “Talent passport” is initiated
on the official France-visas website. Applicant must certify their
qualifications. Documents required for the applicant may vary
depending on the category of the area of talent.
Duration: minimum stay o 3 months and granted for up to 4 years and
it is renewable.
Conditions: Third-country nationals can be issued a “passport talent”
if:
1) They are a highly qualified employee in an innovative enterprise
being transferred to a branch in France.
2) They are nationally or internationally recognised in an activity they
are engaged in France.
3) If they are engaged in creative or artistic work.
*This type of permit is not subjected to a labour market test.
Seasonal workers
Granted for seasonal workers in the areas such as agriculture and
tourism.
Requisites: seasonal worker permit, a multi-year residence permit
bearing the statement “seasonal worker” and a long-stay visa with the
statement “seasonal worker”.
Procedure: Employer applies for a work permit to the French authority
responsible for foreign labour. This permit is subjected to a Labour
market test.
Duration: Issued for a period of 3 years and it is renewable. Workers
cannot work for more than 6 months within a consecutive 12-month
period. They must maintain their habitual residence outside France.
Conditions: Workers may take different successive contracts provided
they do not exceed the limit of 6 months worked within a 12-month
period. However, all employers will have to request a work permit.
Exceptions: There are certain exceptions to the requirements for this
permit stablished by bilateral agreements signed between France and
some non-EU countries (e.g. the Franco-Algerian Agreement). These
agreements simplify the recruitment procedure.
International service providers
Requisites depend on the duration of the stay:
• For stays of 90 or less days within a 6-month period: a short stay
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FRANCE
visa is necessary but not a residence permit.
• For stays over 90 days: a long-term visa.
*Depending on the category, other required documentation may vary.
Categories: Business visitors for establishment purposes, Short-term
business visitors (period of 90 days or less in 6 months), Contractual
service suppliers
Categories exempted from applying for a work permit: Business
visitors for establishment purposes (BVEPs), Short-term business
visitors,
Young workers
There are special and more favourable provisions for young employees
from countries with a bilateral agreement with France.
Requisites: Work permit and a long-stay visa
Procedure: Employer starts a work permit application and applicant
continues it at the delegation of the "Direction de l'Office Français de
l'Immigration et de l'Intégration" in their country of origin.
Conditions: to be eligible for this permit the country of origin of the
applicant must have a signed agreement with France. Applicant must
also have already work experience and meet the age conditions
indicated in the agreement.
Other visa schemes with specific conditions according to
professions
Language assistant
Foreign language reader/ teacher / repeater
Modelling
Medical profession
Airline crew
Professional internships (paid)
Associate intern doctor or pharmacist
Nursing internship
Observer internship
Updates on key measures and migration schemes (2021)
The government is taking a general strategy to simplify and reform the
employment of foreign workers. Some of the changes implemented in
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FRANCE
2021 are:
• Work permit requests are now only done online.
• The list of jobs and employment open to third-country nationals
was updated.
• The situation of employment or the absence of prior job search
of candidates already present in the employment market is not
anymore, an obstacle to request a work permit for a third-
country national in an occupation included in the list of jobs
facing recruitment difficulties.
Work permits
• There are 20 categories of foreign nationals exempted from
work permits.
• Procedure: request is made by the employer to recruit the
employee under one of the contract categories.
• Type of permit and associated type of contract:
o Employee residence permit: Permanent contract (CDI)
o Temporary worker residence permit: Fixed-term
contract (CDD)
o Seasonal residence permit: Seasonal contract
Bilateral labour migration agreements
• A bilateral agreement with India for migration and mobility
between the two countries. The purpose is to develop
cooperation and fight illegal immigration.
• A bilateral agreement with Peru and Ecuador to implement a
“working holiday” programme. This is a programme designed
for people between 18 and 30 for a maximum stay of 122
months to be in France for a holiday with the possibility of
working. France has this type of programme with around 15
countries.
A bilateral agreement with Kenya to promote mobility and exchange of
skills and talents.
Labour Market
Test
Responsible body: Pole Emploi
Required for employed workers permit and for seasonal workers.
Exemptions: applicants of passport talent; categories exempted under
international agreements
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FRANCE
References EMN National Report 2021
France - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 21, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/france-
employed-worker_en
France - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/france-highly-qualified-
worker_en
France - International service provider. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 21, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/france-international-service-provider_en
France - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 21, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/france-
seasonal-worker_en
French Government. (n.d.). Visa For Professional Purpose. Retrieved
June 21, 2023, from https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-
visas/professional-purpose
GERMANY
Key measures
and schemes
Efforts to facilitate work immigration.
Skilled migration
Since 2012, there have been efforts to facilitate immigration for
academic highly skilled workers. In 2013 these efforts were extended to
include non-academic workers with professional qualifications in
understaffed occupations. Some elements of this strategy are:
• Recognition legislation: Legislation to improve the assessment and
recognition of professional qualifications obtained abroad entered
into effect in 2012. These changes in legislation have had a positive
effect on the employment and income rate of immigrants. However,
further improvement is needed. The new skilled labour strategy of
the federal government points out that, compared to the overall
population, immigrants are more likely to have jobs below their skill
level.
• The Skilled Immigration Act: One of the most important changes
introduced by this act is the concept of “skilled worker” which
unifies under one category applicants with vocational training and
university graduates. This also includes changes to reduce the
administrative procedure before the arrival of skilled workers to
Germany as well as for trainees and those wishing to complete a
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GERMANY
qualification. This act also eliminated shortages as a determinant for
the entry of skilled workers.
Immigration of low-qualified workers
There are still limited opportunities for low-qualified workers to
immigrate to Germany. Some of the instruments recently introduced are:
• Western Balkans Regulations: Introduced in 2016, new regulations
opened a migration channel to Germany for people from the Western
Balkans (i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North
Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia). This regulation also makes it
possible for people in these countries to migrate with a job offer and
without the need to prove their qualification or language skills. Until
2023, there is an annual quota of 25,000 workers. According to the
government’s coalition agreement and new skilled labour strategy,
the Regulation is to be made permanent. Although this policy seems
to have positive outcomes, the long wait for visas is criticised.
• Bilateral recruitment agreements for seasonal workers: Germany
has this type of agreement with Georgia and Moldova. The
agreement with Georgia is in place since 2020 Georgia for seasonal
migrants in the agricultural sector to stay for 90 days within a 180-
day period. The number of permits granted under this scheme is
5,000 (as of 2023), but far fewer seasonal workers migrated to
Germany. The agreement with Moldova was concluded in 2021 for
the harvest season of 2022.
Recent Development and Reform efforts
In 2021, Germany’s coalition government announces a shift in German
migration and integration policy. Some of the intended key shifts are:
• Introducing an “opportunity card” based on points to facilitate
access to the German labour market for skilled workers even without
a job offer. This would introduce a supply-oriented pillar to the
mainly demand-oriented labour migration system.
• Expanding the EU Blue Card to non-academic occupations
• Removing time limits in existing labour migration.
• Speeding up visa processes
• Lowering obstacles to recognition of qualifications.
Some of the advances on these objectives are for example the new
white papers on skilled labour immigration that stipulates legislative
changes to simplify recruitment and entry of workers from third
countries.
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GERMANY
General information for visa schemes
• Procedure for visa application: First, the applicant applies for a
visa to enter Germany (except for nationals from some countries),
upon arrival, the applicant applies for the relevant residence permit
based on the type of work they intend to pursue.
• Approval from the German Federal Employment Agency is a
process where this agency evaluates if the employment conditions
such as salary and working hours are comparable to those of
domestic employees.
Visa schemes
Qualified professionals
Requirements: Residence permit for taking up qualified employment.
Conditions: Applicants must have a job offer in Germany or an
employment contract according to their qualifications. Approval for
employment by the Federal Employment Agency is required. Any job
changes during the first two years of employment must be approved by
the German Foreigner Authority
Duration: issued for a maximum of 4 years. For shorter working
periods the permit is issued for the duration of the contract. After 4 years
applicants may be entitled to a settlement permit (permanent residence
title).
Highly skilled worker
Requirements: EU Blue Card
Conditions: Applicant must have a job offer in Germany or an
employment contract with a minimum salary of at least EUR 58,400 or
EUR 45,552 for STEM professions (as of 2023). Applicant must have a
recognize/comparable academic degree. Approval for employment by
the Federal Employment Agency is required.
Duration: issued for the duration of the work contract and an additional
3 months (maximum 4 years). Extending the validity of the EU Card is
possible. After 33 months (or 21 moths with proof of minimum level of
German language skills) applicants may be entitled to a settlement
permit (permanent residence title).
IT Professionals
Scheme to facilitate work visa applications for IT professionals with a
job offer.
Possible residence permits: Residence permit for qualified
employment, Blue Card EU, Residence permit for other employment
240
GERMANY
(for applicants with at least 3 years of work experience).
Jobseekers
For jobseekers with vocational or academic training recognised in
Germany. Holders of this permit may work on trial for up to 10 hours
per week.
Requirements: visa for the purpose of looking for a job
Conditions: For applicants with vocational training proof of German
language skills is a requisite (at least level B1). Applicants must show
proof of being able to cover costs of living.
Duration: may be issued for up to 6 months without the possibility of
extension. It is possible to re-apply for this permit once applicant has
spent an equal duration abroad as the time spent in Germany while
seeking employment.
Recognition of qualification
Scheme for applicants with qualifications not fully recognised by the
competent authorities due to some qualifications missing. Third country
nationals registered in a qualification programme in Germany to acquire
the missing skills may apply for this permit. For applicants in
unregulated professions, it is also possible to acquire the missing skills
by working as a skilled worker in the intended profession (no time
restriction); a job offer and training plan is needed.
Requirements: Residence permit for the purpose of recognition of
foreign professional qualifications.
Conditions: To apply, applicants need a recognition certificate, A2 level
of German language skills, proof of enrolment in a qualifying training
program, and proof of financial means. It is possible to work while
completing the qualification programme (for up to 10 hours).
Duration: issued for up to 18 months. Under certain conditions it is
possible to extend the permit for 6 more months (e.g. to retake an exam).
Seasonal workers
Most seasonal workers in Germany are from EU countries, thus there is
little need for workers from third counties. There are some agreements
with specific conditions for seasonal migration for workers from
Georgia and Moldova.
Other schemes by profession:
• Professional drivers
• Artists
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GERMANY
• Language teachers
• Athletes and coaches
Labor market
test
Responsible body: Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für
Arbeit)
Procedure: Germany generally required a labor market test, known as
Vorrangprüfung, for non-EU workers applying for work permits.
• The employer must advertise the job vacancy in Germany's public
job portal and/or other suitable platforms for a specific duration. The
advertisement should provide sufficient details about the position
and its requirements
• After the job advertisement, a waiting period of usually four weeks
is observed to allow local or EU candidates to apply for the position.
During this time, the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur
für Arbeit) assesses whether there are suitable local or EU candidates
available for the job.
• The Employment Agency evaluates the applications received during
the waiting period. They assess whether there are any local or EU
candidates who meet the job requirements and could potentially fill
the position. If suitable candidates are found, the labor market test
may result in the rejection of the non-EU worker's application.
• The Employment Agency informs the employer of the outcome of
the labor market test. If no suitable local or EU candidates are found,
the employer can proceed with the employment of the non-EU
worker.
Exemptions:
• Highly skilled workers with recognised qualifications, such as
professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM).
• Individuals with specific job offers meeting certain salary thresholds.
• Individuals applying for the EU Blue Card, which is a work and
residence permit for highly qualified professionals.
References EMN National Report 2017
Types of visa. (2023, May 3). Make It in Germany. Retrieved June 22,
2023, from https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types
Germany - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
242
GERMANY
June 22, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/germany-
seasonal-worker_en
Angenendt, S., Knapp, N., & Kipp, D. (2023). Germany is Looking for
Foreign Labour How to make recruitment development-orientated,
sustainable and fair. SWP Research Papers.
https://doi.org/10.18449/2023RP03
GREECE
Key measures
and schemes
General procedure
In general, to start the visa procedure, the applicant must find an
employer who contacts the competent agency to invite the employee to
the country. Procedures based on invitation are dependent on the
quotas set every two years by region and specialty jobs. These quotas
may increase up to 10% to meet any contingencies.
Legal documents allowing work migration:
a) Visa with the right to work
b) Residence permits with right to work.
c) Certificate of submission of supporting documents for the issue of a
residence permit with the right to work.
Employed worker
Requisites: a national visa for employment and a residence permit for
employment.
Procedure: employers apply to the Decentralised Administration of
their place of residence. Remuneration in the contract must amount to
at least that of an unskilled worker and a tax certificate as proof of
ability to pay this salary. This permit may only be granted if the
specialization is included in the quotas list and the number of allowed
permits has not yet been covered. Application of the permit is then
continued by the employee.
Duration: minimum one year, first granted permit is valid for two
years and can be renewed for three years.
Conditions: It is possible to change employment during the validity of
the initial residence permit as long as work remains in the same
specialization for which the permit was issued.
An employment contract is not necessary or the renewal of a residence
permit. For permit renewal, the applicant must have completed all the
tax obligations, to have a minimum number of wages at the relevant
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GREECE
insurance organization and to have a valid health insurance certificate.
Highly qualified worker
Requisites: EU blue card
Procedure: same procedure of volumes of admission as for employed
workers.
Duration: valid for 2 years. For shorter contracts, the EU Blue Card
corresponds to the duration of the contract plus three months. A new
application for an EU blue card is necessary for renewal.
Conditions: duration of the contract must be for at least a year;
remuneration should be 50% higher than the average cross annual
remuneration in Greece. For regulated professions all relevant
prerequisites must be fulfilled. For unregulated professions, applicant
must prove high-specialised professional qualifications. Quotas for
this permit also apply. Unemployment is not a reason for withdrawing
the EU Blue Card except if the period of unemployment exceeds three
months.
Seasonal worker
General procedure: the employer must start the application with the
Residence Permit Offices of the Decentralised Administration with the
territorial jurisdiction of the place of work. If the employer does not
fulfil all their legal obligations (e.g. social security, taxation, labour
rights, employment conditions, etc..) seasonal work visa may not be
granted or revoked. There is a maximum number of permits for third-
country nationals issued every year.
Seasonal work in the agricultural and livestock sector.
Duration: can be issued for working up to 9 months in a period of 12
months. Can be extended for up to 5 years.
Conditions: The employer must provide the employee with a suitable
accommodation that satisfies the health and safety standards. If rent
must be paid by the employee, the employer should provide a rental
agreement. The amount of rent is proportional to the worker’s salary
and quality of accommodation. If seasonal worker has their own
accommodation, employer must provide the agency of Decentralised
Administration proof of this
Seasonal work for fishermen
Duration: This permit may be issued for a maximum of 11 months,
limited exclusively to the specific employment through which the
permit is granted.
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GREECE
Other cases
Visas to work for a short period of time may also be issued to third-
country nationals providing a service, leaders of organised tourism
groups (tour leaders), athletes, coaches, and others.
Self-employment worker
Work permits for applicants wanting to invest in Greece or for the
purpose of independent activities.
Requirements: a visa
Conditions: among other documents, applicants must include in their
application a business plan and proof of financial resources of at least
250,000 euros in capital.
Duration: for independent economic activities it is granted for 2
years. For investment activities it is granted for three years.
Labor Market
test
Responsible body: Greek Manpower Employment Organization
(OAED)
Requested for employed worker permit
Exemptions:
- High-demand professions or occupations where there is a shortage
of qualified local or EU candidates (healthcare, information
technology, engineering, construction, hospitality and tourism,
agriculture, and other sectors of strategic importance to the Greek
economy).
References EMN National Report 2019
Greece - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 21, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/greece-
employed-worker_en
Greece - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 21, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/greece-highly-qualified-worker_en
Greece - Self-employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal.
Retrieved June 21, 2023, from https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/greece-self-employed-worker_en
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. (n.d.). Legislative framework
for the access of third-country nationals to the labour market for
seasonal work. Retrieved June 21, 2023, from
https://ypergasias.gov.gr/en/brexit-2/legislative-framework-for-the-
access-of-third-country-nationals-to-the-labour-market-for-seasonal-
245
GREECE
work/
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. (n.d.). Work for third country
nationals in Greece Retrieved June 21, 2023, from
https://ypergasias.gov.gr/en/labour-relations/individual-employment-
relations/work-for-third-country-nationals-in-greece/
HUNGARY
Key
measure
s and
schemes
General terms and procedures
General single application procedure
This procedure applies if the purpose of stay is:
• Pursuing gainful employment
• Being employed as a highly skilled worker holding EU Blue Card
• Being employed while staying in Hungary as a family member of a non-EU
national
• Being employed while holding a residence permit issued for humanitarian
reasons
Application for a single permit can be done at the Hungarian embassy or
consulate in country of origin or from Hungary in case applicant is legally
residing in Hungary. The regional directorate of the immigration authority in
Hungary assesses the application considering the opinion the competent
employment centre. A labour market test is conducted (unless exceptions
apply) by the competent branch office of the employment centre.
General work permit procedure
When a single application does not apply, the employer has to submit a work
permit application to the competent employment centre through a standardised
form. Unless exceptions apply, issuing this permit depends on a labour market
test. Once the work permit has been obtained, the applicant needs a residence
permit and a visa to enter to Hungary (unless exempt from this requirement). In
the case of a preferred employer, application to the residence permit may be
done by the employer as well.
Duration: issued for maximum 2 years, renewable for the same period
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HUNGARY
occasionally.
*There are some exemptions from work permit obligations (e.g. directors of a
branch office, diplomatic staff, employees in an international organization
established under an international convention, etc..379
)
Preferred employer
Preferred employers are defined as follows:
• An employer has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the
Government
• Any employer that plans to employ in Hungary a third-country national
from a country neighbouring Hungary in any of the professions
provided for in a communication by the Hungarian Minister responsible
for employment
• Any employer listed in the register of qualified employment agencies
• Any employer who implements an investment project of preferential
status for national economy considerations
Preferred employers may initiate (with the consent of the employee) the
following procedures:
• Residence permit for the purpose of employment,
• EU Blue Card
• The issue or extension of a residence permit for the purpose of intra-
corporate transfer,
• Application for residence permit for the family members of these
foreign nationals
Visa schemes
Job search
Applicants of this permit are eligible if a) they have completed research activity
in Hungary or b) if they have successfully completed their studies in Hungary.
They can use this permit to search for a job or to set up a business, these
activities must correspond to the level of studies completed.
Requirement: job-searching permit
Procedure: the applicant can initiate the procedure online through the
electronic platform of the immigration authority.
379
Full list is set out in Government Decree No. 445/2013. (XI. 28.).
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HUNGARY
Duration: may be issued for up to 9 months and may not be extended.
Employment
Applicants of this permit are eligible if a) their purpose of residence is to
perform work for or under the direction and/or supervision of others, for
remuneration, under an employment relationship; or b) they perform work as
the owner or executive officer of a for-profit business association, co-operative
society or some other legal entity, in addition to the work actually performed in
that capacity.
Requirement: a single permit or if single application procedure does not
apply, a work permit (unless exempt) and a residence permit or long-stay visa.
Single application procedure or work permit procedure
Duration: issued for maximum 2 years and may be extended for an additional
two years at a time.
Conditions: Permit is tied to the specific employer through which permit is
granted. In case of unemployment a new application for a residence permit has
to be introduced.
EU Blue Card
Requirements: EU Blue Card
Single application procedure or work permit procedure
Conditions: The government is entitled to set the maximum number of non-
EU citizens who can be employed with an EU Blue Card in Hungary at any one
time. Permit is tied to the specific employer through which permit is granted. In
case of unemployment a new application for a residence permit has to be
introduced.
Duration: issued for at least one year and four years maximum. For shorter
contracts, the EU Blue Card corresponds to the duration of the contract plus
three months. A new application for an EU blue card is necessary for renewal.
Permit may be extended by four additional years at a time.
Seasonal employment
In Hungary seasonal employment covers work in cultivation of plants, animal
husbandry and fishing,
Requirements: seasonal work permit and a seasonal employment long-stay
visa.
Single application procedure
Conditions: Permit is tied to the specific employer through which permit is
granted. In case of unemployment a new application for a residence permit has
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HUNGARY
to be introduced.
Duration: issued for maximum 6 months and may be extended by maximum 6
additional months within a 12-month period.
Labor
market
Test
Responsible body: Hungarian Labor Office (Munkaügyi Központ)
Employers carry out a labour market test, advertising the position with the
Hungarian labour office for 15 to 60 days.
Referen
ces
Hungary - Employed worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved June 22,
2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/hungary-employed-
worker_en
Hungary - Highly-qualified worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. Retrieved
June 22, 2023, from https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/hungary-highly-
qualified-worker_en
Hungary - Seasonal worker. (n.d.). EU Immigration Portal. https://immigration-
portal.ec.europa.eu/hungary-seasonal-worker_en
National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. (2022, December 30).
Information for preferred employers. Retrieved June 22, 2023, from
http://oif.gov.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=124
5&Itemid=1808&lang=en
National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. (2023, February 17).
Residence Permit for the Purpose of Job-searching or Entrepreneurship.
Retrieved June 21, 2023, from
http://oif.gov.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=123
2&Itemid=1798&lang=en
National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. (2023a, January 17).
Residence Permit for the Purpose of Employment. Retrieved June 22, 2023,
from
http://oif.gov.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=62
&Itemid=816&lang=en
National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. (2023a, January 4). EU Blue
Card. Retrieved June 22, 2023, from
http://oif.gov.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=58
&Itemid=812&lang=en
National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing. (2023c, January 17).
Residence Permit for the Purpose of Seasonal Employment. Retrieved June 22,
2023, from
http://oif.gov.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=69
&Itemid=823&lang=en
249
IRELAND
Key measures
and schemes
Ireland has nine employment permit types that cover a wide variety of
labour migrants.
Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP): an employment permit
aimed at attracting highly skilled workers critical to growing Ireland’s
economy as determined by high demand, high skill, and significant
shortage of supply in the Irish labour market
• Eligible occupations are determined by analysis by the Expert
Group on Future Skills Needs and are published to the Critical
Skills Occupations List
• Some professions within the Critical Skills Occupations List have
quotas
• No Labour Market Needs Test needed for these occupations
• Dependants, recognised partners, or spouses of Critical Skills
Employment Permits are allowed to also apply for an employment
permit through the Dependant/Partner/Spouse Employment
Permit (DPS EP)
General Employment Permit (GEP): intended for all other
occupations that are not covered in the Critical Skills Employment
Permit (CSEP)
• In most cases requires a Labour Market Needs Test on the Irish
and EEA labour market
• Further criteria exist on annual remuneration and the prospective
employees’ qualifications.
The Ineligible Occupations List (IOL): There also exists an
occupation list for which employment permits are not granted. These
are generally lower skilled occupations for which there are sufficient
resources within Ireland or the European Economic Area (EEA).
Intra-Company Transfer Employment Permit (Intra-CT EP):
aimed at facilitating the mobility of staff of international companies
• The following types of employees are allowed to apply senior
management, key personnel, and personnel participating in a
training programme
Contract for Services Employment Permit: a scheme for non-EEA
employees to work for a foreign firm which has won a contract to
provide services to an Irish entity
• At least 50% of the employees of the foreign firm must be EEA
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IRELAND
nationals
• In most cases requires a Labour Market Needs Test on the Irish
and EEA labour market
Reactivation Employment Permit: for foreign nationals who have
had their employment permit taken away from them through no fault
of their own (for workers who have received difficult or abusive work
circumstances, or their employer has ceased operations)
Sport and Cultural Employment Permit (S&C EP): aimed at
foreign nationals with specialised skills in sports and culture
Internship Employment Permit: allows for students of foreign
institutions to work under an internship in Ireland
• The internship must be in respect to an occupation on the Critical
Skills Occupations List and the course of study must be concerned
with the skills shortages identified
• The internship must be a requirement for the completion of that
course of study
Exchange Agreement Employment Permit (EAEP): aimed at
facilitating the employment of foreign nationals in accordance to
prescribed agreements or other international agreements to which
Ireland is a party
• The agreements are: AIESEC, IAESTE, Fulbright Programme,
Exchange between St Josephs’ University Philadelphia and
University College Cork in conjunction with Bord Bia, and the
Vulcanus in Europe Programme
Further, a supplementary labour migration scheme was introduced by
the Department of Justice and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and
Employment to cater to specific situations that are not supported by
the current employment permit legislation
Atypical Working Scheme (AWS): a short-term working permit (15
to 90 days) for highly skilled employment, mostly granted in the
medical sector, pharma, and biomedical manufacturing.
• Can be applied to situations of greater than 90 days for certain
occupations
Finally, Ireland does not participate in the EU Blue Card program.
Labor Market
Needs Test
• Required for the General Employment Permit and the Contract for
Services Employment Permit
• The vacancy is advertised on the Department of Social Protection
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IRELAND
Employment Services and the EURES portal for 4 weeks
• Exemptions: applicants for the Critical Skills Employment Permit
50:50 Rule: requires employers to have sourced at least 50% of their
staff from Ireland or the EEA
• Applies in all situations except for start-up companies with
recommendations from either IDA Ireland or Enterprise
Ireland or if the prospective employee will be the sole
employee of the employer
References https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-
skills/employment-permits/permit-types/
2020 EMN National Report
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-work-in-ireland/what-are-
my-work-visa-options/applying-for-a-long-stay-employment-
visa/atypical-working-scheme/
https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/publications/publication-files/review-of-
economic-migration-policy.pdf
https://www.qqi.ie/what-we-do/the-qualifications-system/national-
academic-recognition-information-centre
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-09/202117_ad-
hoc_query_on_labour_market_test.pdf
ITALY
Key measures
and schemes
The entry for non-EU workers into Italy is subject to quotas (Article 21
of the Consolidated Law) established in the periodic decrees (usually
annual), the so-called 'decreto flussi'. The quota system is not targeted
with regards the skills
Entry for non-seasonal employment and for self-employment
Quota (20 000 according to the Decree 2021) are reserved for
employment in the following sectors: road haulage, construction and
tourism sectors for citizens of countries that have signed or are about to
sign cooperation agreements on migration matters. Of which:
• Around 85% of these are reserved to citizens of the following
countries: Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia - Herzegovina,
Korea (Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia - Herzegovina,
Korea (Republic of Korea), Ivory Coast, Egypt, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Japan, Guatemala, India,
Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro,
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ITALY
Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal,
Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine.
• Around 15% remains available for the hiring of citizens of other
countries with which cooperation agreements on migration will
enter into force in the coming year.
• N=100 quotas are reserved for foreign workers who have
completed training and education programs in their countries of
origin
• N=100 quotas reserved for foreign workers of Italian origin on
the part of at least one of the parents up to the third degree of
direct line of ancestry, residing in Venezuela.
• N=500 quotas reserved for self-employed workers belonging to
the following categories:
o entrepreneurs who carry out activities of interest to the
Italian economy which involve the use of own resources
of no less than 500,000 euros, as well as the creation of at
least three new jobs
o freelancers attributable to supervised or unregulated
professions but representative at national level and
included in the lists of y the Public Administration
o holders of company shares or with control positions
o artists with high and well-known professional
qualifications, engaged by public or private bodies
o foreign citizens for the establishment of "innovative start-
up" companies pursuant to law 221/2012, in favour of
which an employment relationship of an independent
nature with the company is attributable.
Entry for seasonal employment
Quotas (N=42 000 according to the last decree) for seasonal work are
reserved for the following nationalities: Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Korea (Republic of Korea), Ivory Coast, Egypt, El
Salvador, Ethiopia, Philippines, Gambia, Ghana, Japan, Guatemala,
India, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine.
Of these, around 33% are reserved to agriculture sector where the
application for the work permit is done by organisations representing
employers in the agricultural sector.
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ITALY
Categories of workers excluded from the cap are:
• Posted workers: a work visa can be issued when a worker is
assigned to work at an Italian company for a fixed period of time
(maximum of five years), but remains on the payroll of the
foreign company (e.g. INTRA COMPANY TRANSFERS or
workers assigned pursuant to a service agreement)
• Highly skilled workers: those who have a three-year University
diploma, are offered a minimum one-year contract and a salary of
not less €25,000/year can be hired directly in Italy and obtain the
Blue Card permit.
Employers must present a proposal for a residence contract to the One-
Stop-Shop-for-Immigration. When the employer's proposal is accepted,
the One-Stop-Shop For Immigration will communicate the decision to
the Italian embassy in the applicant’s country of origin and the visa will
be issued.
Labour Market
Test
Responsible body: Commission for Employment
Procedure:
• The employer must demonstrate that no suitable candidates from the
EU or EEA are available to fill the position. This is usually done
through advertising the job vacancy on national job boards and in
newspapers.
• Once it is established that no suitable EU/EEA candidates are
available, the employer must apply for the release of a "Nulla Osta"
(authorization) from the Immigration Office ("Sportello Unico per
l'Immigrazione") or relevant regional office.
• Documentation: Employers are required to submit various
documents along with the application, including the employment
contract, proof of advertising efforts, and company information.
• The "Commission for Employment" reviews the application and
assesses whether the employer has met the required conditions. If the
Commission believes the job can be filled by an EU/EEA candidate,
the application may be rejected.
• If the Nulla Osta is granted, the non-EU citizen can apply for a work
visa at the Italian Embassy or Consulate in their home country.
Exemptions:
• Researchers, scientists, professors
• Intra-corporate transferees
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ITALY
• Seasonal workers
• Candidates covered by international agreements
References https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/italy-highly-qualified-worker_en
https://www.lavoro.gov.it/temi-e-priorita/immigrazione/focus-
on/ingresso-e-soggiorno-per-lavoro-in-italia/pagine/ingresso-e-
soggiorno-per-lavoro-in-italia
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-26002-5_10
LATVIA
Key
measures
and
schemes
Work Permits: TCNs generally need a work permit to work in Latvia. The
work permit is issued by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs
(OCMA) and is granted based on the employer's application and labour market
considerations.
• Residence permit with the right to work – Applies to most jobseekers
o Length: 5 years
o Criteria:
▪ Contract from a Latvian employer
▪ Invitation submitted by the employer to OCMA
▪ 3 years of work or education experience
• Long term D visa for work – No residence permit, can be applied for
later
o Length: 1 year
o Criteria:
▪ Contract from a Latvian employer
▪ Invitation submitted by the employer to OCMA
▪ 3 years of work experience in the profession you have a
contract in
European Blue Card: The European Blue Card is a work and residence permit
issued to highly skilled non-EU nationals. It is intended to facilitate the
migration of professionals to the EU, including Latvia. To be eligible, applicants
must meet specific criteria, such as having a valid employment contract and
meeting certain salary thresholds.
• Length: 5 years
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LATVIA
• Criteria:
o Contract from a Latvian employer
o Invitation submitted by the employer to OCMA
o 5 years of work experience in the industry or 3 years of academic
experience in the industry
Highly Qualified Specialists: To attract skilled professionals from outside the
EU, Latvia has implemented a scheme for Highly Qualified Specialists. This
scheme allows employers to hire non-EU nationals in certain fields, such as IT,
engineering, and research, under simplified procedures. These professions are
chosen based on shortages in the labour force.
Seasonal Workers: A seasonal work permit scheme exists for non-EU nationals
who wish to work in seasonal industries, such as agriculture, horticulture, and
tourism. These permits are usually granted for a limited duration (6 months).
Intra-Corporate Transfers: Latvia, like other EU member states, allows for
intra-corporate transfers within multinational companies. This scheme enables
employees to be transferred from a company's non-EU branch to its branch in
Latvia without the need for a separate work permit.
Labor
Market
Test
Responsible body: State Employment Agency (SEA)
Procedure:
The employer has to register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency
(SEA); The recruitment procedure can be initiated if the vacancy has not been
filled within 10 working days.
Exemptions:
artists, composers, sportsmen/coaches, teachers and university professors,
potential EU Blue Card holders
Referenc
es
https://www.lm.gov.lv/en/employers?utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goo
gle.com%2F
https://investinlatvia.org/assets/upload/Relocation%20Guide-web.pdf
https://www.em.gov.lv/en/article/government-supports-application-simplified-
conditions-attraction-highly-qualified-foreign-
professionals?utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/sites/pmlp/files/pmlp2_eng_11.pdf
LITHUANIA
Key measures National Visa (D): granted usually for foreigners who arrive to work,
256
LITHUANIA
and schemes study conduct scientific research or to engage in legal activities
• Maximum duration of 1 year and the worker cannot be self-
employed or change employers
Residence permit in Lithuania: granted for longer-stay foreigners on
the basis of employment
• Issued for 1-3 years and the employee can be self-employed
Not only is a foreigner required to obtain a work permit, but also a
decision on the compliance of foreign work with labour market needs,
and a monthly salary not less than the last published average monthly
gross salary in the national economy. The decision on compliance
requires the vacancy to be given first priority to Lithuanian and EU
citizens or foreigners with a permanent residence in Lithuania. If there
are no applicants, compliance is given. The decision of compliance or
work permit is not required in specific instances:
• If the profession is included in the list of professions for which
there is a shortage of workers. These professions include quotas.
Once the quota has been depleted the foreigner must obtain a
work permit.
• If the salary is three times the average monthly gross wages
• Trainees and interns
• Remote work in Lithuania for a company operating in Lithuania
There exist several other labour migration scenarios for which there are
specialised permit requirements:
• High skilled workers – EU Blue Card: Lithuania introduces no
additional specific rules except for the period of validity which is
3 years
• Permanent employee of an EU company conducting temporary
work in Lithuania
• Students who have completed their studies in Lithuania and
intend to begin working in Lithuania
• Intra-corporate transferees
• Teachers
• Researchers
257
LITHUANIA
Job platform: Work in Lithuania380
– Initiative aimed at encouraging highly-skilled
professionals from abroad to establish their professional lives in
Lithuania. It is a job platform that provides guidance to employers and
future employees.
Labor Market
Test:
Responsible body: Lithuanian Labor Exchange (Lietuvos darbo birža)
The Labour Market Test does exist but only for non-highly skilled
vacancies and vacancies not on the list of professions for which there is a
shortage of workers.
• All such vacancies must first be registered with the Employment
Service
• If after 5 days no suitable applicant is found within the EEA, the
employer may apply for a decision from the Employment Service
on whether a foreign national would correspond to the labour
market needs.
The Employment Service posts all job vacancies on the EURES portal
unless explicitly asked not to by the employer
Exemptions:
• Highly Skilled Workers
• Intra-Corporate Transferees
• Researchers and Scientists
• International Agreements
References https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-09/202117_ad-
hoc_query_on_labour_market_test.pdf
https://www.startuplithuania.com/entry-to-lithuania/
https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/work-in-lithuania/
https://www.migracija.lt/noriu-gauti/pakeisti-leidima-laikinai-gyventi
https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/permanent-residence-permit/
https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/blue-card/lithuania_en
380
https://workinlithuania.com/about-us/
258
LUXEMBOURG
Key measures
and schemes
TCNs who would like to work in Luxembourg are required to apply
for a long stay (D) visa on the basis of their planned activity. These are
detailed below with the specific criteria for each scenario when
relevant.
• Salaried worker
• Self-employed worker
o Proof of required qualifications
o Proof of sufficient resources
o Proof that the activity serves the interest of
Luxembourg in terms of social, cultural, or economic
benefit
• Highly qualified worker (EU Blue Card)
o Employment contract for at least a year in a highly
qualified profession
o Salary of more than 1.5 times the national average (1.2
for certain professions)
o Proof of qualifications for the profession
• Researcher
o Hosting agreement with an approved institution
o Higher education diploma for doctorate programmes
• Athlete
o Employment contract with an approved federation of
club
o Salary of at least the minimum wage
• Au pair
o Written approval from the Ministry of Youth
o Signed au pair hosting agreement with the hosting
family
• Salaried worker posted by a company established outside the
EU
o TCN who usually works abroad, but on a contract to
work in Luxembourg for a fixed period of time
• Transferred salaried worker
o Employment contract with the transferring company
during their stay in Luxembourg
• Seasonal worker
o Regards harvesting, leisure, holiday, aviation, and other
activities
Labor Market
test
Responsible body: National Employment Agency (Agence pour le
développement de l'emploi - ADEM)
Requested for work permit
259
LUXEMBOURG
Exemptions: highly qualified workers (EU Blue Card)
References https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/immigration/cas-
specifiques/travailleur-frontalier-tiers/frontalier.html
https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/immigration/plus-3-mois.html
https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/immigration/plus-3-
mois/ressortissant-tiers/demarches-communes/entree-visa.html#bloub-
6
https://guichet.public.lu/en/entreprises/ressources-
humaines/recrutement/ressortissant-pays-tiers/raison-privees.html
MALTA
Key measures
and schemes
Standard work permit (Single permit)
Non-EU Nationals require a residence permit to be employed in Malta.
The first step in qualifying for employment is to have an employment
offer from an employer in Malta.
A residence permit on the basis of employment is issued and remains
valid if the main criteria upon which it was acceded to, continue to be
met, that is, the specific designation, employer and duration. This
information is also printed on the residence card issued and held by the
third-country national.
Procedure: Single Permit applications may only be submitted by the
employer through the Single Permit Online Portal. Once the employer
applies, the third-country national receives a link to confirm the
application and validate the data submitted. Once confirmation is
submitted, the employer will receive a notification for final submission
of application
Key Employee Initiative
Specific scheme for highly skilled workers and includes a fast
procedure.
• Eligibility: The program is open to highly skilled individuals who
possess specialised knowledge, expertise, or qualifications that are
deemed essential to the Maltese economy.
• Application Process: Employers in Malta who wish to hire non-EU
key employees must apply to Jobsplus, which is the government
entity responsible for labor and employment matters.
• Job Offer and Contract: The employer must provide a valid job
offer to the key employee, outlining the terms and conditions of
260
MALTA
employment.
• Minimum Salary: The Key Employee Initiative requires that the
key employee receives a salary >30,000 EUR
• Residence Permit: Once the application is approved, the key
employee is issued a residence permit, allowing them to legally
reside and work in Malta. The residence permit is typically tied to
the specific employment with the sponsoring employer
EU Blue Card
A secondary scheme for highly skilled workers exists through the EU
Blue Card system. Requirements include:
• Qualified for the position
• Annual salary >1.5 times of the Maltese average
Digital Nomad Visa
Designed for freelancers or for employees of companies outside of
Malta, to work remotely from Malta. Required monthly income of
>2,700 EUR.
Job platform Job Malta381
– managed by Malta’s Public Employment Service, this
website functions as a job platform and offers support for job
searchers and employers.
Labor market
test
Responsible body: Jobsplus (the national employment agency)
Mandatory for Single Permit Applications
Exemptions: health related professionals; technical and building
professionals, IT, finance, gaming and education professionals
References https://www.identitymalta.com/unit/non-eu-
nationals/?ver=1.01#1672848459556-10e93d82-413a
https://visaguide.world/europe/malta-visa/long-stay/work-visa/
NETHERLANDS
Key
measure
s and
schemes
Highly skilled migrant program
For employees with a job offer for which a high level of education is needed. A
salary requirement applies. The employer must be recognised by the IND to start
381
https://jobsplus.gov.mt/
261
NETHERLANDS
the visa procedure.
Requirements: A valid provisional residence permit (MVV) except for some
nationalities and a residence permit.
Income conditions: Income requirements apply and there are different income
categories (gross per month as of 2023):
• Highly skilled migrants reduced salary criterion: € 2,631.00
• Highly skilled migrants younger than 30 years: € 3,672.00
• Highly skilled migrants 30 years or older: € 5,008.00
• Researcher (without holiday allowance): € 2,321.28
• A medical doctor in training: at least equal to the minimum salary.
Conditions: This residence permit allows the holder to work as a highly skilled
migrant or as a self-employed individual, while for other types of work, the
employer would need to apply for a separate work permit (TWV).
Procedure: Application is submitted by employer (online or by post).
Duration: Determined by the employment contract and can last for a maximum
of 5 years. It is possible to extend this residence permit. There is a “search
period” of 3 months after the contract has ended
European Blue card
For employees with a job offer (contract duration of at least 12 months) for
which a high level of education is needed. A higher salary requirement applies
(€ 5,867.00). Recognition by the IND of the employer is not a requirement for
this permit, but it is faster and easier for a recognised sponsor to apply for a
residence permit for employees and their families.
Requirements: A valid provisional residence permit (MVV) except for some
nationalities and a European Blue card.
Advantages: Moving to another EU/EEA country is easier, and in some cases,
the applicant may apply for a permanent residence permit after less than 5 years.
A European Blue Card applicant, in addition, may work on a self-employed
basis.
Conditions: This residence permit allows the holder to work as a self-employed
individual in addition to the work for the employer, while for other types of
work, the employer would need to apply for a separate work permit (TWV).
Procedure: The application is submitted by the employer by post from the
Netherlands.
Duration: Permit is given for at least 12 months and for maximum 4 years.
There is a “search period” of 3 months after the contract has ended. An extension
262
NETHERLANDS
of the permit is possible.
Residence permit for work in paid employment
For employees who are going to work in paid employment. The employer’s
company or organization must be registered in the Commercial Register of the
Chamber of Commerce (some exceptions apply). The employer also must
arrange right housing for the employee.
Requirements: single permit (combines residence and work permits), also
referred to as the GVVA. Applying for a single permit for certain jobs or
conditions is impossible. Then the applicant must apply for a residence permit for
paid employment in the Netherlands (UWV) and then for a work permit (TWV).
Issuance of this permit depends on a labour market test.
Employers’ obligations: arranging housing.
Procedure: usually the employer applies for a single permit. If the applicant does
not require a single permit (e.g. employee has a valid residence permit), they are
free on the labor market.
Conditions: Holders of this permit are only allowed to work for the employer
through which they got the permit.
Special requirements apply for the following work categories: spiritual
counsellors, employees working in the supply of goods by foreign companies,
employees of international non-profit organizations, employees in art and culture,
and intra-company transferees.
Duration: In general, the single permit is issued for a maximum of 3 years. For
workers that have had a residence permit for work for 5 years the single permit
may be issued for a maximum of 5 years. There are some exceptions for
employees of an international organisation (issued for maximum 1 year) and for
employees in the Asian catering industry (issued for maximum 2 years). It is
possible to extend this residence permit.
Seasonal work
For seasonal work (up to 24 weeks) in the agricultural or horticulture sector.
Requirements: A valid provisional residence permit (MVV) except for some
nationalities and a residence permit for seasonal work. The permit is a single
permit for both residency and work (GVVA). This means that the Immigration
and Naturalisation Service must always ask the Employee Insurance Agency
(UWV) for a recommendation. Recognition by the IND of the employer as a
sponsor is not a requirement for this permit. The employer’s company or
organization must be registered in the Commercial Register of the Chamber of
Commerce (some exceptions apply). Issuance of this permit depends on a labour
market test.
263
NETHERLANDS
Employers’ obligations: arranging housing.
Procedure: The application is submitted by the employer by post from the
Netherlands.
Conditions: Holders of this permit are only allowed to work for the employer
through which they got the permit.
Duration: valid for up to 24 weeks
Other residence permits for work
• Residence permit for trainees or students on work placement
• Residence permit to gain work experience via an EU programme
• Residence permit for cross-board service providers
• Working holiday program (WHP): designed for people between 18 and 30
years or people from countries the Netherlands has an agreement with. This
permits only enables holders to do “occasional work” (term sassed on a case-
by-case basis).
Other key information
Free-to-work status
After having worked for 5 years in the Netherlands it is possible to apply for the
free-to-work status that allows the holder to work without requiring a work
permit (TWV). Furthermore, if the residence permit is valid for at least 4 months
it is possible to replace the residence document with a document with the work
status “free to work”.
Exceptions
• Different rules apply to Turkish citizens applying for a residence permit.
Because of the association law between the EU and Turkey, requirements
tend to be less strict for these applicants.
Job
platform
“welcome-to-nl”382 was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Climate Policy, in collaboration with other partners.
Labor
market
test
Responsible body: The Dutch labor authorities (UWV)
Requested for the work permit. It is up to the applying company to show that a
real effort has been made to find these priority-enjoying employees. If such
candidates are not considered available, the company can hire an employee from
outside the EU.
382
https://www.welcome-to-nl.nl/
264
NETHERLANDS
Exemptions:
teachers at international schools, religious leaders and artists
Referenc
es
Immigration and Naturalisation Service. (2022, May 25). Employing a foreign
national. IND. Retrieved June 22, 2023, from https://ind.nl/en/residence-
permits/work/employing-a-foreign-national#employee-visa-or-residence-permit
Immigration and Naturalisation Service. (2023, January 12). Turkish citizens and
living in the Netherlands. IND. Retrieved June 28, 2023, from
https://ind.nl/en/turkish-citizens-and-living-in-the-netherlands
https://www.gatewaytoholland.com/corporate/work-
permits/#:~:text=Labour%20market%20test,find%20these%20priority%2Denjoy
ing%20employees.
Netherlands, W. T. T. (2022). Working in the Netherlands. Welcome to the
Netherlands. https://www.welcome-to-nl.nl/
POLAND
Key measures
and schemes
1. Schengen Visa (Type C): This visa allows entry into Poland and
other Schengen Area countries for short-term stays of up to 90 days
within a 180-day period.
2. Airport Transit Visa (Type A): This visa is required for transiting
through the international zone of Polish airports without entering the
Schengen Area.
3. Transit Visa (Type B): This visa allows entry into Poland for transit
purposes, such as traveling to another country, and is valid for a
maximum of 5 days.
4. National Visa (Type D): This visa is for long-term stays in Poland
and allows the holder to enter and stay in the country for a period
exceeding 90 days. It is typically issued for purposes such as work,
study, family reunification, or residency. Under this visa:
• EU Blue Card: This visa is available for highly skilled workers
with a university degree or five years of professional experience.
It requires a job offer with a minimum salary threshold and
sponsorship from an employer. The EU Blue Card is valid for up
to four years and allows for free movement within the EU.
• Work Permit: For professions in demand or those requiring
specific qualifications, a work permit is required. The employer
must obtain a work permit on behalf of the foreign worker from
the local Labor Office. The worker can then apply for a National
Visa for the Purpose of Work (Type D) at the Polish consulate in
265
POLAND
their home country.
• Seasonal Work: Seasonal workers in sectors like agriculture,
tourism, or hospitality can apply for a seasonal work visa. The
employer must obtain permission from the local Labor Office,
and the worker can apply for a seasonal work permit via the
consulate.
• Sponsorship: In general, work visas require sponsorship from an
employer in Poland. The employer must prove that efforts to find
a suitable Polish or EU candidate were unsuccessful, justifying
the need to employ a third-country national
Labor Market
Test
Responsible body: Voivodeship Office
Requested for applicants to work permit.
Exemptions: highly qualified workers applying for work permit,
occupations in great demand, candidates covered by international
agreements
Procedure:
• The employer must publish a job offer in Poland's National
Employment Agency (PUP) for a specified period. The job offer
should outline the job requirements, including the skills,
qualifications, and experience needed for the position.
• If no suitable candidates from the local or EU labor market are
found, the employer can apply for a work permit for a non-EU
citizen. The employer must provide evidence, such as recruitment
records and documentation on unsuccessful attempts to find suitable
candidates, to confirm the unavailability of local and EU workers.
• The employer should submit a work permit application to the
appropriate regional office of the Voivodeship Office. The
application should include relevant documents, such as the job offer
publication proof, the employment contract, and supporting
documentation for the intended employee.
References https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/d-type-national-visa
https://www.migrant.info.pl/id-21-labour-market-test.html
PORTUGAL
Key measures
and schemes
Employed workers
For applicants with a job offer.
266
PORTUGAL
Procedure: Application can be made at any SEF’s directorate or
regional delegation.
Key conditions: Work contract, work promise or demonstration of
interest/
Duration: valid for 2 years it is renewable for successive periods of
three years
Seasonal work
Temporary stay visa for seasonal work for a duration of over 90 days. As
of 2023, seasonal work is allowed in the following sectors:
• Agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry and fishing
• Hospitality, restaurants and similar
• Food industry, liquor and tobacco industries
• Gross and Retail commerce
• Construction
• Land transport.
Duration: May be issued for maximum 9 months
Conditions: The employment relationship may involve more than one
company provided it is for seasonal work
Residence permit for highly qualified activity
Requirements: EU blue card
Needed documentation:
• Work contract invitation letter or similar.
Proof of salary requirements:
• Wage of >1.5 times the national average
• Wage of >1.2 times the national average for professions
designated as particularly deprived occupations as defined in the
International Standard Classification
Procedure: Application can be made at any SEF’s directorate or
regional delegation.
Duration: valid for 2 years it is renewable for successive periods of
three years
Higher education teaching / Professorial activity
267
PORTUGAL
Requirements: EU blue card
Procedure: Application can be made at any SEF’s directorate or
regional delegation.
Duration: valid for 2 years it is renewable for successive periods of
three years
Sports activity
Temporary stay visa for amateur sports purposes.
Transfer of workers or service providers when the applicant has
been working for over one year
Temporary stay visa for transfer of workers purposes for state parties to
the WTO, for provision of services or professional training.
Job seeker visa
Entitles the holder to enter and stay in Portugal exclusively for the
purpose of job hunting. It allows them to engage in subordinate work
activities until the visa expires or a residence permit is granted.
Duration: 120 days. Reapplication for this permit is only possible after
one year of expiration of the previous visa.
Cultural activity
Recognised as of interest to the country by the member of the
Government responsible for the area of culture.
Needed documentation: work contract invitation letter or similar.
Duration: valid for 2 years it is renewable for successive periods of
three years
Highly qualified activity in certified companies (Tech Visa)
A program to make the process of qualified immigrants working in
Portugal more efficient in the technology, innovation, or other sector as
defined by the Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation.
*If the qualified activity is not carried out for a certified company, the
person concerned may always apply for a residence permit for highly
qualified work or a “EU Blue Card”.
Key requirements:
▪ Certain qualifications as defined by ISCED 2011
▪ Wage of >2.5 times the Index of Social Support
▪ Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, French, or English
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PORTUGAL
Procedure: Application can be made at any SEF’s directorate or
regional delegation
Duration: valid for 2 years it is renewable for successive periods of
three years
Other schemes:
• Workers of foreign employers establishing an office in Portugal
• Intra-corporate transferees
Job portals “Eportugal”383
is a portal that aims at facilitating interactions between
citizens, companies and the state. It includes a job search platform (in
Portuguese) and information on moving to Portugal for work purposes.
Labor Market
Test
Not required
References Portuguese Ministry of foreign Affairs. (n.d.). Type of Visa. Retrieved June
28, 2023, from https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/general-
information/type-of-visa#work
https://www.migrant.info.pl/id-21-labour-market-test.html
Portuguese Ministry of foreign Affairs. (n.d.-a). Residency.
https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/national-visas/necessary-
documentation/residency#for-the-exercise-of-a-professional-activity-
done-remotely-digital-nomads
Working in Portugal – The Official Website of Portuguese Immigration.
(n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2023, from
https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/solicitar/trabalhar/
383
https://eportugal.gov.pt
ROMANIA
Key
measures
and
Schemes
Standard work permit
Must be approved by the Romanian Inspectorate General for Immigration.
Eligibility is contingent upon either:
• Educational work at a Romanian institution
• Highly skilled work
• Work through a bilateral agreement
269
• As instructed by the Minister of National Education or Minister
of Culture
• Work in a ministry
• Head of the Romanian branch of a company headquartered
abroad
Employment categories
• Permanent employee: foreigner employed in Romania with individual
contract of indefinite duration or fixed term concluded with an
employer based on the work permit.
• Trainee worker: foreigner participating on an internship program of a
duration with a view to improving vocational training or obtaining a
vocational qualification as well as improving language and cultural
knowledge.
• Seasonal worker: foreigner who maintains his main residence in a
third country, but legally and temporarily lives in Romania, being
employed in seasonal activity.
• Cross-border worker: the foreigner, citizen of a state which has a
common border with Romania and lives in the border area of the
respective State, employed in a border town on the Romanian territory.
• Highly qualified worker: foreigner employed in Romania on a highly
skilled job, with individual contract of at least one year.
• Deployed worker: the qualified foreigner temporarily deployed from a
company established in a third country.
• ICT worker: person transferred within the same company.
• Au pair worker: foreigner temporarily employed by a host family on
the territory of Romania to improve their language skills and
competences in exchange for easy domestic and childcare.
Long stay visa for employment
For applicants with a job offer that can demonstrate professional training or
experience
Requirements: work permit issued by the General Inspectorate for
Immigration (or documents that demonstrate you fall into the categories of
foreigners who are exempt from requiring a work permit) and a single permit.
*Certain categories of foreigners may work in Romania without a work permit.
Procedure: employers apply first applies for a notice of employment from the
General inspector for immigration. Employees follow up the procedure in the
diplomatic mission of Romania. Once arriving to Romania the employee
270
obtains the residence permit from the General inspector for immigration.
Duration: The temporary residence permit for employment purposes can be
extended for a period equal to the validity of the employment contract, up to a
maximum of 1 year.
Conditions: Worker may only be employed by a single employer.
EU Blue Card – Highly skilled workers
For highly qualified applicants with a job offer.
Requirements: work permit issued by the General Inspectorate for
Immigration (or documents that demonstrate you fall into the categories of
foreigners who are exempt from requiring a work permit) and an EU Blue card.
Procedure: employers apply first applies for a notice of employment from the
General inspector for immigration. Employees follow up the procedure in the
diplomatic mission of Romania. Once arriving to Romania the employee
obtains the EU Blue card from the General inspector for immigration.
Duration: may be issued for a period equal to the validity of the work contract
plus an additional 3 months, with a maximum total duration of 2 years.
Conditions: Worker may only be employed by a single employer.
Seasonal work
For applicants conducting seasonal work with a registered employer ( at the
trade register office).
Requirements: Work authorisation for seasonal workers, a visa for work
purposes and a temporary residence permit. It is required to show a basic
knowledge of Romanian.
Conditions: Permit issued based on quotas established by the Romanian
government.
Specific conditions apply for nationals of Canada, Japan and the United States
of America based on bilateral agreements.
Procedure: Employer applies through the General inspectorate for
Immigration for work authorisation. Authorizations granted based on quotas
and a labour market test. Once the authorization is granted, applicant may
apply for a visa for work purposes and the residence permit.
Duration: valid for maximum 6 months within a 12-month period, under an
individual labour contract and in a specific seasonal sector.
Labor
market
Test
Not required
References https://visaguide.world/europe/romania-visa/long-stay/
271
SLOVAKIA
Key measures
and schemes
Temporary residence for employment
Requirements: a single permit (temporary residence for the purpose of
employment)
For candidates with a job offer.
Duration: May be issued for the duration of employment, maximum 5
years. Renewal is possible for a maximum period of 5 years.
Procedure: application may be submitted at a diplomatic mission of
Slovakia or the Foreign Police Department competent for the applicant’s
place of residence. The application must be submitted in person on the
official form and in the Slovak language.
Conditions: A person with a temporary residence can perform only
activities for which the
residence was granted or which the given type of residence allows.
Seasonal employment
Seasonal employment for a maximum of 90 days
For applicants with a job offer
Requirements: work permit and Schengen visa for the purpose of
seasonal employment (only if subject to the visa requirements to enter
Slovakia). There are specific requirements for the employer (e.g. having
fulfilled all the tax obligations). Granting of this permit depends on a
labour market test (also for the extension).
Duration: issued for a maximum of 90 days during 12 consecutive
months. Extension of the permit is possible.
Procedure: Application may be submitted by the employer or the
employee.
Inspectorate General for Immigration. (n.d.). Frequent questions. Retrieved
June 28, 2023, from https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/category/frequent-questions/
Inspectorate General for Immigration. (n.d.-b). Migration. Retrieved June 28,
2023, from https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/category/diverseen/migration/
Inspectorate General for Immigration. (n.d.-b). Long stay visa for employment
purposes. Retrieved June 28, 2023, from https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/long-stay-
visa-for-employment-purposes/
Inspectorate General for Immigration. (n.d.-a). Employment and posting.
Retrieved June 28, 2023, from https://igi.mai.gov.ro/en/employment-and-
posting/
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SLOVAKIA
Seasonal employment for more than 90 days
Requirements: temporary residence for the purpose of seasonal
employment. There are specific requirements for the employer (e.g.,
having fulfilled all the tax obligations). Granting of this permit depends
on a labour market test (also for the extension).
Conditions for the exception of a labour market test:
• If the type of work is included in the shortage professions
category in a district with an unemployment rate lower than 5%
• and the employer does not employ more than 30% of non-EU
nationals from the entire number of employees.
Duration: issued for a maximum of 180 days during 12 consecutive
months. Extension of the permit is possible.
Temporary residence – Special activity
Granted for: Lecturing activity; Artistic activity; Sports activity;
Internship during university studies outside Slovakia, or within two
years from completing university studies outside Slovakia; Activity
resulting from Slovak Government or EU programs; Fulfilling a
commitment of Slovakia arising from an International Treaty; Provision
of health care, or accompanying of a person who is being provided
health care, if necessary; Volunteering activity; Activity of a journalist
accredited in Slovakia. (different documentation may be needed for each
activity)
Procedure: application may be submitted at a diplomatic mission of
Slovakia or the Foreign Police Department competent for the applicant’s
place of residence. The application must be submitted in person on the
official form and in the Slovak language.
Conditions: A person with a temporary residence for the purpose of
special activity is entitled
to study, however not entitled to work or do business.
Duration: May be granted for a maximum period of 3 years.
Temporary residence – Eu blue card
For highly qualified employment. A key requirement is that applicant
has a job offer for at least 1 year and a salary offer of at least 50% more
than the wage in the Slovak economy in the relevant field. Granting of
this permit depends on a labour market test (also for renewal).
Duration: Issued for the duration of the contract plus 90 days, for
maximum 4 years.
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SLOVAKIA
Procedure: application may be submitted at a diplomatic mission of
Slovakia or the Foreign Police Department competent for the applicant’s
place of residence. The application must be submitted in person on the
official form and in the Slovak language.
Other initiatives in place for work migration (Based on EMN report
2021)
Recovery and Resilience Plan of the SR: Attracting and Retaining
Talent
A scheme that focuses on meeting labour market needs by highly
qualified workers in specific fields, such as health care, education, and
IT. Simplified access is granted to highly qualified university-educated
workers. The scheme will allow graduates from the top 500 universities
in the world and highly qualified experts in professions with a shortage
of labour to apply. The maximum quota is 3,000.
Labour Mobility Scheme
Designed to target professions with a shortage of labour. It aims to aid
and accelerate acceptance of TCN workers, but it has yet to be
implemented legislatively.
Other developments
Additionally, medical practitioners, teachers, researchers, and artists
have all had legislative changes to ease the process of gaining access to
work in Slovakia.
Labor market
test
Responsible body: Central Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family
(Ústredie práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny).
Requested for single permit. Although the Labour Office may issue a
Confirmation on the Possibility to Fill a Vacancy without assessing the
situation in the labour market (mainly in the case of shortage
professions).
References EMN National Report 2021
IOM Migration information centre. (n.d.). Temporary residence.
Retrieved June 28, 2023, from
https://www.mic.iom.sk/en/download/info-cards/itemlist/category/73-
temporary-residence.html
SLOVENIA
Key
measures
Schemes according to purposes of residence
274
SLOVENIA
and
schemes
Employment or work
Requirements: single residence and work permit
Procedure: Application may be submitted by employer or employee in a
diplomatic mission or in Slovenia.
Duration: Can be renewed for a maximum of two years
Key conditions: During the validity of the permit, holder of this permit can
change workplace with the same employer, change employers, or be employed
by two or more employers without having to change the permit. The only
requirement is that the employer files an application at the administrative unit.
Seasonal work
For applicants with a job offer in seasonal work for more than 90 days. It is
possible to extend the permit with the same or another employer or contracting
authority, but the total duration must not exceed six months or seven months in
exceptional cases.
Cross-border worker
Cross-border workers may obtain a single permit.
Posting
Single permit for employers sent to work or for training in a company in
Slovenia.
Key conditions: applicant must have social security in the country from which
they are sent, and this must also include health insurance.
Duration: The first permit is issued for the period specified in the posting
document, but not for more than one year. If the posting could not be fully
realised for justified reasons, the permit may be extended until the deadline for
the completion of the work or training Transfer withing a company.
Transfer within a company
For workers being transferred to a branch in Slovenia from a company they
work in another country.
EU blue card
For highly qualified employment.
Duration: issued for three months more than the validity of the employment
contract, but for a maximum of two years. It may be extended for a maximum
of three years.
Some conditions: During the initial two years of legal employment, the permit
holder has the option to select a new employer or a different workplace within
the same employer. In order to proceed with the change, an application must be
275
SLOVENIA
submitted to the administrative unit. However, once the initial two-year period
has elapsed, the permit holder is no longer required to apply to switch
employers. Instead, they are obligated to inform the administrative unit of their
decision to change employers.
Seeking employment or self-employment after completed studies in
Slovenia
Single permit for foreigners looking for employment or self-employment in
Slovenia and that have completed their studies at a higher vocational college or
higher education institution in the last two years and have obtained at least an
associate degree or bachelor’s degree in the Republic of Slovenia
Duration: Nine months.
Seeking employment or self-employment as a researcher
Single permit for foreigners looking for employment or self-employment in
Slovenia and that has completed your research work in the Republic of
Slovenia.
Duration: Nine months.
Labor
Market
Test
Not required
References EMN National Report 2020
Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Support and
Integration of Migrants. (n.d.). Purposes of residence. InfoTujci. Retrieved June
29, 2023, from https://infotujci.si/en/third-country-nationals/purposes-of-
residence/
SPAIN
Key measures
and schemes
Study and Internship Visa: for studies, training, internships, voluntary
work, au pair programmes, and conversation class assistants lasting longer
than 90 days
Researcher Visa: a visa for research, scientific, and technical staff carrying
out research, development, or technological innovation, or researchers and
teaching staff hired or hosted by public or private research bodies or
universities
Residence and employment work visa: this visa scheme covers most
general applications for work for Spanish employers. This visa scheme also
covers seasonal work activities. The employment permit can be exempted
for specific cases including technicians, scientists, teachers, researchers,
276
SPAIN
managerial staff, civil or military officials, correspondents of foreign media,
and religious ministers.
In order to hire a highly skilled professional, the company must be within
one of the following situations:
• Be a large company
• Being a company within a group of companies
• Being an SME within a strategic sector for Spain
• To be a company that develops a project of general interest for the
Spanish economy
Visa for highly qualified workers and for intra-company transfers: this
visa scheme addresses two types of labour migrants: highly qualified
workers and intra-company transferees. Highly qualified workers are
defined as highly qualified professionals or members of senior management
personnel or as a graduate or post-graduate of a prestigious university as set
forth by certain criteria. Intra-company transfers are defined as work
activity as an employee in Spain as a member of senior management
personal, specialist or a trainee, when a transfer is made within the same
company. Highly qualified workers may also apply for a residence and work
permit through the EU Blue Card scheme which does not impose any
additional requirements than the standard requirements.
Working visa for professionals in the audio-visual sector: Spain also has
a specialised visa for actors, musicians, dancers, and other audio-visual
technicians
Labor
Market
Test
Not required
Referenc
es
https://www.immigrationspain.es/en/highly-qualified-work-permit/
EMN National Report 2020 & EMN National Report 2021
https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/londres/en/ServiciosConsulares/Pagin
as/inicio.aspx
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-09/202117_ad-
hoc_query_on_labour_market_test.pdf
SWEDEN
Key measures The new model for legal work migration has been introduced in May
277
SWEDEN
and schemes 2023. A new international recruitment unit will be established with the
goal of providing better services to employers willing to recruit skilled
foreign nationals. The new work permits are divided into 4 categories of
professions and occupations:
Category A
Category A covers highly skilled occupations as defined by the Swedish
Standard Classification of Occupations. This will include managerial
occupations and occupations with requirements for advanced university
or higher education competence.
Category B
Category B covers occupations with specific rules such as:
• Seasonal occupations and berry pickers
• Intra-corporate transferees
• EU Blue Card permits
• Artists/athletes/coaches
• Researchers
• Au-pairs
• Trainees
• Applications to start business activities
Category C
Category C covers occupations that do not require a high level of
academic competence/non-highly qualified occupations that constitute
an important social benefit and applications for major new
establishments in growth areas.
Category D
Category D covers applications in industries that are demanding in terms
of case investigation. This includes cleaning, construction, personal
assistance, hotels, and restaurants.
Labor Market
Test
According to the EMN National Report of 2017, Sweden reformed its
labour migration policy in 2008, doing away with a previous agency-
based labour market test. However, there have been new calls to
reintroduce the labour market test and a current inquiry has been
commissioned by the migration minister.
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SWEDEN
Recognition of academic and professional qualifications
The Swedish Council for Higher Education evaluates foreign
qualifications for third country nationals looking to work in Sweden and
provides a Qualification Assessment Tool through the Department of
Qualifications Recognition. Professional qualifications are addressed by
the relevant authority for the profession. In some instances, this is the
Swedish Council for Higher Education, but other authorities that can
provide professional qualification recognition are:
• Financial Supervisory Authority
• Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency
• National Board of Health and Welfare
• National Board of Housing, Building and Planning
• National Electrical Safety Board
• Public Health Agency of Sweden
• Stockholm's County Administrative Board
• Swedish Bar Association
• Swedish Board of Agriculture
• Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
• Swedish Estate Agents Inspectorate
• Swedish Inspectorate of Auditors
• Swedish National Agency for Education
• Swedish Patent Attorneys Board
• Swedish Transport Agency
• Swedish Work Environment Authority
National arrangements for the validation of skills
As of 2014, the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational
Education along with concerned national agencies have developed
criteria for validation of prior learning for both educational and labour
market-oriented validation. The framework of qualifications is the
Swedish National Qualifications Framework which can then be
translated to European reference frameworks. Further, vocational
assessments and professional skills for a multitude of skills and
professions can be validated and obtained at the Swedish Public
Employment Service.
279
SWEDEN
References https://www.migrationsverket.se/English/About-the-Migration-
Agency/For-press/News-archive/News-archive-2023/2023-05-12-
Highly-qualified-workers-will-be-able-to-come-to-Sweden-more-
quickly.html
EMN National Report 2017
EMN Country Fact Sheet 2021
EURES Report on Labour Shortages and Surpluses 2022
https://www.enic-naric.net/page-Sweden
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/european-database-on-
validation-of-non-formal-and-informal-learning
https://www.thelocal.se/20220629/sweden-calls-for-return-of-labour-
market-testing-for-work-permits
https://www.myh.se/validering-och-seqf
280
ANNEX 9
ANALYTICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICY OPTIONS
1. ANALYTICAL METHODS
This Annex provides an overview of the analytical methods used to design and assess the
policy options.
1.1 Identification of the possible Policy Options
The following process was applied to determine the policy measures and the policy options
formed on the basis of these measures.
The full spectrum of possible EU intervention was considered: no action, non-legislative action
and legislative action. The POs range from non-legislative (PO1) to legislative actions (PO2
and PO3) either partially based on existing frameworks or envisaging stand-alone legislative
solutions.
With regard to the methodology used, the design of the policy options was determined
following a differed degree of intensity and ambition. In particular, the POs were designed to
cover the full spectrum of possible EU intervention while ensuring a balance between the need
to attract third country nationals to address labour shortages and the quality of these job
matches.
For this purpose, the rationale underlying the construction of the POs lays on two criteria:
1) The intensity of the intervention with regard to the available tools to facilitate the
recruitment: The POs were designed with a growing degree of intensity with regard to the IT
tools and other supporting measures available to third country nationals and employers such as
the pool of CVs and job vacancies, searching functionalities and matching tools, personalised
support and guidance, online information provision on recruitment and immigration processes.
While PO2 and PO3 have same functionalities, a higher degree of ambition is foreseen under
PO3 where the IT platform and related tools are developed with sophisticated IT solutions.
(PO1 with limited functionalities, PO2 with higher functionalities but limited in terms of IT
solution, PO3 with same functionalities than in PO2 and sophisticated IT solution).
2) The scale of the intervention ranging from a more targeted/focused approach to the labour
market needs to an open and wider (or demand-driven) action on the labour market: Under
these criteria, the POs were designed with a view to addressing labour and skills shortages in
the EU labour market to a different extent. While POs having an open approach would allow
international recruitment of third country nationals in all sectors and occupations, the PO with
a more focused scope would imply targeting those sectors and occupations which are suffering
of particular shortages that cannot be addressed by domestic workforce and are strategic for the
future prosperity of the EU and its Member States.
1.2 Design and description of the Policy measures
A wide range of policy measures were identified and grouped under each policy option. To
ensure a comprehensive assessment of all the possible scenarios, a number of alternative
policy measures were also identified.
281
To ensure more clarity in the construction of the legislative policy options, a number of
building blocks have been identified to group the relevant policy measures (e.g. scope of
application, governance, user journey, IT platform, additional components).
The table below provides an overview of the main building blocks identified.
Policy options blocks
Legal instrument
Scope of application
Governance
IT platform
Interoperability
User-journey
Registration
Automatic pre-screening
Quality assurance checks employers
Search and matching
Validation of candidates’ profiles
Additional components
Online information
Personalised support
Facilitation measures (e.g. fast-track
immigration and recognition procedures and
exclusion from LMT)
1.3 First stage assessment (legal and political feasibility): POs discarded at an early
stage
The mapping stage included a first filter to identify the policy options to discard at an early
stage for legal and pollical feasibility considerations (Section 5.3 of the main report and Annex
9).
This preliminary assessment was based on current legal constraints limiting the viability of
certain solutions as well as the outcome of the extensive targeted consultation conducted with
regard to political considerations.
1.4 Description of policy measures retained in the mapping stage
The outcome of this preliminary assessment was a set of policy options and policy measures
retained for further elaboration and analysis (see section 5.4 of the main report and Annex 9).
282
1.5 Second stage assessment: Policy measure discarded, and mapping of the policy
measures retained for further assessment
This stage included a second filter to identify the policy measures to be discard due to political
and feasibility consideration. Only one policy measure alternative was discarded under PO2
(see section 5.4 of the main report).
All the other policy measures retained are therefore those that provide the alternatives that are
most feasible (legally, technically, and politically).
The outcome of this stage was the final set of policy measures under each PO as set out in the
table of section 5.4. of the main report.
1.6 . Assessment of the retained policy options
The retained POs and alternative policy measures are analysed in Section 6 the main report.
The assessment of the POs is based on a number of key assumptions that are explained in
detailed in Annex 10.
The POs retained for in depth analysis were assessed against a series of assessment criteria
covering specifically effectiveness, efficiency and coherence. A wide range of impact
categories was then screened in order to identify the key impact categories (e.g. economic,
social and fundamental rights, etc).
1.7 . The preferred option
The preferred was identified on the bases of the assessment above. Only those policy measures
having the higher positive impacts in terms of effectiveness and efficiency were retained for
the preferred PO. Therefore, a number of alternative policy measures were discarded for
effectiveness and efficiency considerations.
2 POLICY OPTIONS DISCARDED AT AN EARLY STAGE
As described above, certain POs were not retained for further in-depth assessment due to legal
and political feasibility considerations (see also Section 5.3 of the Report). These POs were
discarded at an early stage and are not described below in further detail. In addition, no
detailed assessment of their impacts is conducted in Annex 10.
2.1 Developing an EU Talent Pool by fully extending the existing EURES network for
international recruitment purposes
The EURES network/platform384
is the existing tool/system aimed at supporting the
recruitment of jobseekers within the EU for cross-border mobility, in particular by matching
the EU mobile workers interested in working in another Member States with job offers of the
EU employers. Given the similar objectives of the EU Talent Pool initiative, this option
considered the possibility to use the EURES network/platform to also facilitate the
recruitment of TCNs by EU employers. However, EURES is specifically conceived to
facilitate intra-EU mobility of workers and it does not cover situations of TCNs residing
384
EURES is based on Regulation No. 2016/589, amended by Regulation 2019/1149 setting up the European Labour
Authority (ELA).
283
abroad nor is devised as an international recruitment/legal migration tool. 385
Therefore, under
this option, the EURES scope of application should be extended to TCNs residing abroad.386
The option is discarded at an early stage since extending EURES beyond its objectives and
scope in order to cater for international recruitment of TCNs from outside the EU is not legally
feasible due to the non-compatibility of the two legal bases (Articles 79 and 46 TFEU) which
fall under two different Titles of the TFEU387
and cannot be combined.
2.2 Developing an EU Talent Pool open to third-country nationals already residing in
the Member States
The option of developing an EU Talent Pool open to TCNs already residing in the Member
States was discarded as it goes beyond the objective of this initiative which aims at designing
an international recruitment tool specifically conceived to improve legal migration by making
the EU more attractive for TCNs from abroad. Recruitment of TCNs already residing in the
EU falls under domestic or, in some specific cases, intra-EU recruitment. TCNs legally
residing in the EU can either rely on the support of the public employment services in the
Member State in finding a job locally or rely on EURES, in case they enjoy intra-EU mobility.
In addition, according to the EU legal migration directives and the majority of national work
permits, a person needs to reside outside the EU to be able to obtain a work permit on the basis
of a job offer.
2.3 Developing a mandatory EU Talent Pool for all Member States
This option was not retained for further in-depth/quality assessment due to political feasibility
considerations. The extensive consultations conducted with the Member States and other
relevant stakeholders, including economic and social partners, clearly shown the very low
political acceptance of this alternative as it would impose on Member States the use of the EU
Talent Pool platform to support international recruitment388
. While developing a mandatory
tool would still allow Member States to use their national international recruitment tools and
policies, employers established in each Member State would be able to register job vacancies
on the platform. This would have resource implications on the national authorities as Member
States would be required to designate National Contact Points responsible for the practical
implementation at national level. This initiative is conceived as a tool to provide support to
employers and Member States in attracting TCNs workers according to the labour market
needs rather than introduce a new legal pathway. Therefore, Member States consulted on the
initiative during the Labour Migration Platform were unanimously against the development of
a mandatory platform. Social and economic partners consulted, pointed out the need of
385
“The European Parliament and the Council shall, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and
after consulting the Economic and Social Committee, issue directives or make regulations setting out the measures
required to bring about freedom of movement for workers, as defined in Article 45 […]”.
386
EURES is in fact based on Regulation No. 2016/589386 establishing the framework for cooperation to facilitate the
exercise of freedom of movement for workers and it is complemented by six Commission implementing Decisions
covering governance and matching related aspects.
387
Title IV (Freedom of persons, services and capital) and V (Area of Freedom, Security and Justice) and title xx
388
[add information from consultation. Waiting for contractor synopsis report].
284
ensuring a flexible tool available to support international recruitment when considered
necessary and advantageous.
3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE POLICY OPTIONS
The policy options described in detailed below were retained in the mapping stage. wide range
of policy measures were identified and grouped under each policy option to ensure a
comprehensive assessment of all the possible alternative scenarios. Alternative policy
measures are also described below. A second stage assessment of the political and practical
feasibility of the policy measures was conducted (see discarded policy measure under PO2).
3.1 Option 1: Soft measures aiming at improving information provision and facilitating
identification and matching (non-legislative option)
This option would involve non-legislative actions aimed at enhancing information provision
on immigration procedures, the identification of candidates from third countries available for
the recruitment and partially support the matching between employers and TCNs. This
option partially builds on existing EU tools, and it would be open to all employers and TCNs
regardless their occupations.
Scope of application
This PO would be open to all TCNs and employers regardless their occupations as it would not
be targeting specific occupations of EU and national relevance. No specific measures
incentivising cooperation management with third countries, including in the context of the
Talent Partnerships
Governance
As described in more detail below the National Contact Points would be designated at national
level to implement this initiative. In particular, for the purpose of implementing the online
portal with a catalogue of profiles, the role of the National Coordinators would be to facilitate
the contact between employers and registered candidates (e.g. no registration of employers,
and personalised support).
Key policy measures
1. Improving the EU Immigration Portal
The EU Immigration Portal is hosted by the European Commission. It was launched in
November 2011 to provide hands-on information for TCNs interested in moving to the EU.
The website is also directed at migrants who are already in the EU and would like to move
from one Member State to another. It offers a general overview of immigration policy in the
EU and gives specific practical information about national procedures and migration profiles.
Currently information on the portal is translated in five languages (English, Spanish, French,
Portuguese, Arabic) and it is provided by the national authorities in the framework of the
European Migration Network (EMN). The information is periodically revised (every 6-7
months) by the Member States and the European Commission.
While the EU Immigration Portal represents a useful tool to support TCNs and employers in
understanding existing immigration procedures, it could be subject to further improvement.
The number of visits on the website shows that it reaches only a limited part of potential
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interested TCNs. This might be linked to the fact that, i) the website is not sufficiently known
by TCNs willing to find job opportunities in the EU, ii) it is not sufficiently user-friendly, iii)
information on immigration procedures at national level is not always updated, and iv)
translation is provided only in five languages. Therefore, employers and TCNs willing to move
to work in the EU might face difficulties in easily understanding and navigated the information
provided.
In order to ensure better information provision and access to immigration procedures, the EU
Immigration Portal website could be modernised and upgraded by:
• Ensuring more precise, clear and up-to-date information on immigration procedures
by making the updates more frequent;
• Transforming the website in a customised tool enabling TNCs and employers to
navigate towards the appropriate type of visa and work permit and related procedures on
the basis of their specific profiles. This could be achieved via a questionnaire guiding the
user in the identification of the relevant migration scheme;
• Adding additional information beyond immigration procedures (e.g. living and working
conditions, language classes, available trainings, resources on family integration, relevant
national platforms with job vacancies, as well as and information on the recognition of
qualifications)
• Translating the website in more languages;
• Making the website overall more user-friendly via IT developments to upgrade the user
experience (this would require redesigning the user interface, optimising navigation, and
enhancing usability through intuitive layouts and interactive elements)
The European Commission will continue hosting the tool (with the possibility to rely on an
external service provider for IT maintenance, information updates and translations) and
national authorities will provide regular updates existing procedures in the Member States.
While modernising and updating the EU Immigration Portal would ensure better information
provision and facilitate access to procedures, it would not have a direct impact on facilitating
the identification and matching between candidates from third countries and EU employers.
2. Organising job-matching events
This option could also include the organisation of job-matching events, to be advertised
and made accessible on the EU Immigration Portal website. These events could be
organised online or in presence and would facilitate the matching between TCNs workers and
employers as they would be able to get in contact, conduct interviews, assess candidates’ skills
and language knowledge as well as providing clear and precise information of working
conditions and salary levels. In addition, targeted events linked to particular shortage
occupations, or a specific Talent Partnership could be organised.
These events could be organised following the model of the European Job Days - an initiative
run by the European Labour Authority within the EURES framework. The European Job Days
cannot be extended as such to include TCNs workers due to legal limitations arising from the
EURES Regulation being the legal basis for these events.
The job-matching events would be organised by the European Commission. National
Coordinators would be designated in the Member States to support the organisation of the
events in terms of technical and logistical assistance. The National Coordinators would also be
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responsible to reach out employers at national level and conducting communication
campaigns.
3. Setting up an online portal with a catalogue of profiles
An EU Talent Pool would be developed via a non-legislative instrument. The catalogue would
be set up via a Commission Recommendation followed by intensive discussion and
cooperation between Member States for the operational development of the online catalogue.
The necessary arrangements, including for theprotection of personal data, would need to be
provided at national level by interested Member States in compliance with the EU data
protection acquis.
From a technical point of view, this option would envisage the development of an online
portal where TCNs residing abroad would be able to register their profiles. Profiles could be
created via a standardised format. However, some adaptations would have to be introduced to
ensure that candidates’ profiles are subject to pseudonymisation of personal data. Their
personal data would only be visible to the National Coordinators which would be established
in the interested Member States to facilitate the connection between interested employers and
candidates. The National Coordinators would also be responsible for outreach to employers at
national and local level.
The catalogue of registered profiles would be available to employers participating in the EU
Talent Pool. A search function would enable employers to search for candidates’ profiles via
filters.
Job vacancies would not be included in the pool and only employers would be able to
research relevant candidates’ profiles.
Quality assurances checks on employers would not be conducted prior to the matching with
interested TCNs.
3.2 Option 2: Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market needs
in key occupations (legislative option)
This legislative option would envisage the adoption of a new legislative act (based on
Article 79(2)(a) TFEU) regulating the scope of application, access criteria, governance,
specific features/components and functioning of the EU Talent Pool. The key policy measures
would include:
Scope of application
The EU Talent Pool would be a voluntary system in which only interested Member States can
decide to participate. Member States would notify the European Commission their interest to
take part to the EU Talent Pool. As a voluntary tool to facilitate international recruitment, the
EU Talent Pool would offer additional support at EU level. Hence, Member States would be
able to maintain their tools in place and complement them with the new platform. Similarly,
employers and third country nationals residing abroad remain free to decide whether to use this
tool for international recruitment (using this tool would not be a pre-requisite to obtain a work
permit as the EU Talent Pool does not constitute a new legal pathway). Only employers
established in the participating Member States would be able to register their job vacancies on
the portal and search for candidates. Conversely, TCNs registered would be able to search for
job vacancies only in the participating Member States.
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The EU Talent Pool would target occupations of EU and national relevance. For this
purpose, the European Commission would prepare a list of occupations of EU and national
relevance. The list would cover shortage occupations that are strategic for achieving EU goals
and objectives, mainly linked to promoting economic growth, innovation, sustainability, and
competitiveness. The identification of the targeted occupations would be based on a list of
occupations of EU and national relevance prepared by the Commission. In preparing the list
Member States’ labour needs at national and regional level will be taken into account. In
particular, the National Contact Points will share a list of national and/or, where relevant,
regional shortage occupations with the Commission. The shortage occupations which are
widespread in a significant number of Member States will be included in the list consolidated
by the Commission. Reports and data available at EU level on labour shortages in the Member
States will be taken into account when consolidating the list (e.g. the EURES Report on labour
shortages and Eurofound annual report). Once the most relevant shortage occupations in the
Member States have been identified, additional shortages occupations of EU relevance
would be integrated in the consolidated list (for instance, shortage occupations foreseen in the
long run and linked to the green and digital transition which are not already identified by the
Member States). These shortage occupations of EU strategic relevance would be linked to
economic growth, innovation, and sustainability considerations as well as strategic migration
management objectives (e.g. the occupations identified in the context of the Talent
Partnerships with third countries would be taken into account). The list would be constructed
in a flexible way to ensure that all Member States needs are adequately covered. Hence, the
final consolidated list might cover a wide range of shortage occupations. In addition, the list
would be subject to periodic revision to reflect evolving labour market needs. Relevant
stakeholders and industry representatives will also be consulted in the preparation of the
consolidated list.
Therefore, the EU Talent Pool would not be open to all job vacancies, but it would rather be
limited to those falling within the selected occupations. Only candidates having the right skills
and qualifications to perform a job in the targeted occupation would be admitted in the EU
Talent Pool following an automated pre-screening. Under this option, the alternative of
targeting the EU Talent Pool to only highly skilled related professions would also be assessed.
Under this alternative only highly skilled jobseekers would be allowed to register in the
platform. Highly skilled workers would be identified according to the criteria defined in the
EU Blue Card Directive and relevant national schemes for the highly skilled.
The EU Talent Pool would be a tool to facilitate the implementation of the Talent
Partnerships becoming the vehicle through which TCNs from the identified partner countries
are channelled to a job placement in the participating Member State. Talent Partnerships have a
targeted nature and relevant sectors are identified by common understanding between the
partner countries and the participating Member States. Hence, they follow a similar logic as set
out in this PO. In practice, the occupations identified as of relevance in the context of the
Talent Partnerships would largely overlap with the shortage occupations identified in the list of
shortage occupations relevant for the EU Talent Pool. Therefore, the EU Talent Pool would
offer an effective tool to also support the implementation of Talent Partnerships. All TCNs
who participated in activities in the context of a Talent Partnership would be registered on the
EU Talent Pool - with the support of liaison officers in the partner countries. This would allow
employers in the relevant Member State to identify, and recruit interested candidates.
Third country nationals participating in the Talent Partnerships receive support for skills
development and skills validation in a framework agreed between participating Member States
and partner countries. This framework allows for an enhanced level of trust from the EU
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employers in the skills of these third country nationals. Therefore, the skills developed or
validated in the framework of a Talent Partnership should be visible in the context of the EU
Talent Pool in the form of an ‘EU Talent Partnership pass’. For this purpose, a Talent
Partnership pass would be issued to certify that the third country national benefitted from a
training organised or supported by the Talent Partnership or had his/her skills and
competencies verified in this context. Once registered in the EU Talent Pool, the profiles
holding a Talent Partnership certificate would be flagged as certified (.
These profiles would be accessible, for a certain period of time (e.g. 1 year) to employers
established in a Member State participating in a Talent Partnership. This would allow
employers in the relevant Member State to identify, and recruit interested candidates who
participated in a Talent Partnership. Therefore, the EU Talent Pool would become the tool to
ensure job placements in the context of a Talent Partnerships. If third country nationals holding
the Talent Partnership pass are not recruited by employers established in a Member State
participating in the Talent Partnership after a certain period of time, all employers having a
registered job vacancy in the EU Talent Pool would be able to search, contact and recruit them.
Third country nationals having obtained an ‘EU Talent Partnership pass’ would have a
simplified access to the EU Talent Pool. In particular, they would be exempted from the
automated screening carried out in the context of the EU Talent Pool IT platform, as the ‘EU
Talent Partnership pass’ already guarantees the relevance of their profile for the EU job
market.
While the EU Talent Pool would represent a tool to support job placements in the context of
the Talent Partnerships, it does not constitute the only way to implement those partnerships. As
the two initiatives remain separate, Member States participating in a Talent Partnership would
not be obliged to participate in the EU Talent Pool and vice versa. As the EU Talent Pool
would be a voluntary tool aimed at supporting Member States international recruitment
without replacing existing national tools or talent attraction policies, Member States remain
free to decide whether they want to participate. This also applies to Member States
participating in a Talent Partnerships.
On the other hand, third country nationals who received support under a Talent Partnership
should always have the possibility to register in the EU Talent Pool as any other third country
national. In such case, the third country national would register without a Talent Partnership
pass and would be visible to employers established in all Member States participating in the
EU Talent Pool.
Governance
Under this PO, the following actors would be responsible for the EU Talent Pool governance:
i) The EU Talent Pool Secretariat within the European Commission would be responsible for
the overall management of the EU Talent Pool. In particular, it would be setting up and
managing the common IT platform and overseeing the overall implementation of the tool.
ii) The EU Talent Pool Steering Group composed by Member States representatives from the
immigration and employment authorities would be responsible for discussing strategic
orientations relevant for the EU Talent Pool implementation and providing support to the EU
Talent Pool Secretariat on a number of aspects such as the definition of the list of EU and
national relevance and the annual work programme.
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iii) The EU Talent Pool National Contact Points (NCPs) would be designated by each
participating Member State and would be responsible for the practical implementation of the
EU Talent Pool at national level, including the coordination with relevant national authorities
and the promotion of the EU Talent Pool in the Member States. In particular, it would be
responsible for registering job vacancies of employers in the EU Talent Pool, and providing
personalised assistance throughout the recruitment process as described below. A greater
involvement of the national authorities is expected due to the targeted nature of this PO. In
particular, NCPs would be required to contribute in the identification of the targeted
occupations by providing a list of shortage occupations at national and regional level (where
applicable). The NCPs would also be responsible for checking whether the job vacancy fall
within the list of relevant occupations (specific tools would be envisaged to support in this
process: see below under registration). In addition, NCPs would provide tailored support to
users when online information and standard guidance are not sufficient. (See below for more
information on the role of NCPs).
iv) The Talent Partnerships liaison offices may be established in third countries with which
the Commission has launched a Talent Partnership. The liaison offices would be responsible
for supporting the access of TCNs to the EU Talent Pool, delivering the ‘EU Talent
Partnership pass’ and ensuring the observance of fair recruitment practices.
IT Platform
This PO would require the development of an IT platform. The platform would bring together
profiles registered by job seekers from outside the Union and job vacancies of employers
established in the Member States in the Member States participating in the EU Talent Pool and
falling within the shortage occupations identified in the list of Eu and national relevance. The
platform would integrate specific features to facilitate the identification and matching as well
as the provision of online information and personalised support throughout the recruitment
process before starting the immigration procedures.
The EURES IT solution would be partially re-used (e.g. job vacancies database, single
coordinated channel, search engine, automatic matching tool). Those components that cannot
be re-used from EURES would be developed from scratch (e.g. interface, CVs database).
As certain elements of the EURES IT solution would be re-used, the EU Talent Pool would
automatically be interoperable with EURES and the national platforms. Member States
having in place national recruitment platforms or other online tools specifically targeted to
international recruitment would be able to complement them with the EU Talent Pool as
technical interoperability with the national systems would be ensured via an application
programming interface (API). Therefore, the competent authorities in the Member States (such
as the Public Employment Services) would be able to access in one go job vacancies and
jobseekers’ profiles registered in the national and EU databases. This would ensure access to a
wider pool of profiles while avoiding duplication and proliferation of platforms. The partial re-
use of the EURES IT solution under this PO would allow to re-use the already existing
interoperability structure and only small adaptations would be required.
The visual and the table below provide an overview of the EU Talent Pool platform
functioning from an IT point of view highlighting which IT elements from EURES would be
re-used.
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Feature Application of the feature Existing or new
Dedicated entry point
with EU Talent Pool
branding
A single-entry point for TCNs using the EU Talent Pool
should be created, using the EU Talent Pool branding.
New development
Dedicated entry point
with the EU Talent Pool
branding
A single-entry point for employers using the EU Talent Pool
should be created, using the EU Talent Pool branding.
New development
Profile registration Profile registration should be created to allow TCNs to
create their profile in the tool
New development
Europass CVs Europass should be adapted in order to allow for TCNs to
create and manage their CVs in Europass.
Adaption from existing
feature
Automated pre-screening
tool
The pre-screening tool would verify a number of standard
information for each TCN registering in the EU Talent Pool.
Some of the standard information to be checked would be,
identity, sector of occupation, education level, completed
application and others to be specified at a later stage.
New development
CVs TCNs A database should be created to store the CVs of TCNs
registered in the EU Talent Pool.
New development
Search Engine The existing search engine for EURES should be adapted to
be re-used for searches within the EU Talent Pool.
Adaption from existing
feature
Job Vacancies The existing EURES database with job vacancies should be
adapted in order to allow for the addition of a “flag”
indicating that a job vacancy is open to TCNs. The job
vacancies database should be modified, no new job
vacancies database should be created for the EU Talent Pool
Adaption from existing
feature
Interoperability with
national platforms
The currently existing application programming interface
(API) that allows NCPs to upload job vacancies to EURES
should be adapted to allow the registration of job vacancies
accessible to TCNs on the EU Talent Pool
Adaption from existing
feature
User journey
1) Registration of job vacancies and TCNs profiles:
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• TCNs would be able to directly register their profile on the EU Talent Pool. Profiles would
be created using the EUROPASS profile builder tool and would include relevant information
such as personal details, academic and professional qualifications, work experience, micro
credential, and language knowledge. TCNs registering their profiles would also have the
possibility to upload documents certifying the declared skills and qualifications. The
possibility of exporting job vacancies from existing national job portals as well as other IT
support tools would be envisaged to support in this process. Only job vacancies falling within
the targeted occupations and open for the recruitment of TCNs following the labour market test
would be made available on the EU Talent Pool platform.
• Job vacancies of employers would be registered by NCPs.
The format of jobseekers' profiles and job vacancies would be built using the existing
European classification of occupations, skills, competencies and qualifications (ESCO), which
stands as the basis for further matching via the EU Talent Pool IT platform.
2) Pre-screening of TCNs:
As this PO would target certain occupations, an automated pre-screening of TCNs would
allow to check whether the skills and qualifications declared in the profile correspond to those
normally required to work in one of the targeted occupations. An IT automated tool would be
developed for this purpose. These checks would not entail an assessment of the quality and
authenticity of the declared skills and qualifications. The pre-screening would be based on the
qualifications and skills declared by the applicant at the moment of the profile registration.
Only profiles successfully pre-screened against the job vacancies available in the platfom
would be visible to employers.
The possibility to also conduct ID security checks on TCNs profiles prior the admission into
the EU Talent Pool would also be assessed.
3) Safeguards for fair recruitment: Employers using the EU Talent Pool would be required
to comply with the relevant European legislation and national labour standards to third-country
nationals’ protection against unfair recruitment and inadequate working conditions.
Employers’ access to the platform would be suspended and their job vacancies removed by the
EU Talent Pool National Contact Poinsin case a breach is notified by the relevant national
authorities. NPCs conduct such monitoring activities in accordance with their national rules
and practices. Therefore, checks on additional aspects going beyond the provisions of the
Charter may be conducted in case more protective rules are foreseen in the national legislation.
4) Search and matching: Once admitted in the EU Talent Pool employers will be able to
search and contact candidates. Candidates will be able to search for job vacancies. A search
functionality via filters and a semi-automatic matching tool would facilitate the
identification of candidates and job vacancies. The semi-automatic matching tool would show
the list of candidates who better match with the job vacancy requirements by providing a rating
for each profile. In addition, personalised support would be provided by NCPs throughout the
entire recruitment process including with regard to the identification of suitable candidates and
job vacancies.
5) Validation of candidates’ profiles: Third-country nationals skills and qualifications
obtained in third countries could be validated under this option. Two alternatives would be
assessed:
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i) The validation of candidates’ profiles is conducted at national level by the relevant actors
(e.g. NARICs centres at national level) when considered necessary by the TCN or the
employer. While information and guidance would be provided in the platform on existing
validation procedures in the Member States, the individual skills would not be validated by the
EU Talent Pool platform itself. However, by facilitating third country nationals’ access to
information on the relevant recognition and validation procedures at national level they would
have more clarity on the different requirements, hence making their access to this process
easier and faster. In particular, the targeted nature this PO2 would allow to ensure more
specific guidance on validation of skills required in the relevant occupations;
ii) The alternative of developing a mandatory validation process of all TCNs profiles
conducted at EU level prior the admission to the EU Talent Pool would also be assessed.
Under this option, an EU level validation procedure for skills and qualifications obtained in
third countries should be developed by harmonising existing divergent practices in the Member
States. This alternative would also entail the identification of the relevant actor to conduct the
validation of skills and qualifications. This could be done by entrusting existing EU agencies
or establishing an external third-party validator. The third-party assessment could involve
private recruitment agencies offering candidates the validation of the self-declared information
and issuing an assessment. The option of multiple accredited trusted parties depending on the
specific occupation related credentials could also be explored.
Additional components
1) Provision of online information
Provision of online information on recruitment, immigration procedures and
validation/recognition of qualifications and skills obtained in third countries as well as living
and working conditions would be available on the EU Talent Pool. This would facilitate the
understanding of existing rules in the different Member States and facilitate access to
procedures. To avoid excessive burden on the national authorities, standard guidance and
FAQs would be developed.
For this purpose, the online information already available on the EURES portal would be re-
used, in particular with regard to living and working conditions in each Member State.
Similarly, information on immigration procedures provided on the EU Immigration Portal
would be embedded in the EU Talent Pool platform or a link to the relevant website would be
provided.
In addition, specific information on recognition and validation procedures in the Member
States would be accessible on the platform. The EU Talent Pool platform would also provide
links with relevant transparency and comparability tools developed at EU level, therefore
improving their visibility.
Information available at national level to facilitate TCNs’ integration in the host Member
Sate such as language courses, vocational training and support with integration would also be
provided as well as specific guidance on family reunification procedures and family
members’ rights.
2) Personalised support and guidance
Upon request from TCNs and employers participating in the EU Talent Pool, the NCPs would
provide personalised support and post-selection assistance in particular with regard to
information on family reunification procedures and family members’ rights; information
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available at national level to facilitate third-country nationals’ integration in the host Member
State such as language courses, vocational training and other integration measures; and where
available, the contact details of organisations which offer post-recruitment assistance for third
country nationals.
3) Measures facilitating the recruitment process
The possibility for Member States to introduce facilitation measures aimed at making the
recruitment process easier and faster would also be envisaged. In particular, facilitation
measure may include the possibility to set up fast-track immigration procedures to obtain
visa and work permits as well as accelerated procedures for the recognition of qualifications
obtained in third countries. In addition, exclusions from the labour market test could be
foreseen for job vacancies falling within the list of occupations of EU and national relevance
targeted by the EU Talent Pool.
Policy measure discarded at an early stage
Mandatory pre-admission validation of all TCNs at EU level by a third-party validator
This policy measure implies that a profile of a TCN cannot be visible for employers in the EU
Talent Pool, until his/her skills and qualifications are validated by an EU validator. This would
require the development at EU level of a harmonised procedure to validate skills and
qualifications obtained in third countries which is recognised in all Member States. While the
validation of all candidates’ profiles prior the admission would ensure the development of a
highly trusted pool of candidates, hence, improving the quality of matches, this option
appeared problematic for the following reasons:
• First, validation procedures are currently conducted at national level and widely differ from
one Member State to another (see Section 2.2.2). At this moment in time it is not
practically and politically feasible to harmonise such processes. In addition, it would
require the identification of a responsible actor at EU level to conduct such validation.
Existing EU agencies could not be tasked with this new responsibility without requiring an
extension of their current mandate. Tasking an EU agency with this responsibility or
establishing a new entity in charge of validation of skills and qualifications at EU level
would require extensive resources.
• Imposing the validation of all profiles prior the admission into the pool would appear
disproportionate and counterproductive as it would create bottlenecks, high costs and long
waiting times for TCNs to access the tool. As validation is not always a mandatory
requirement to obtain a work permit and it is not considered necessary by all employers,
this solution would run against the need of ensuring a flexible tool making easier and faster
to recruit internationally. In addition, only a limited number of candidates who have been
successfully validated would be admitted to the platform entailing a smaller pool of
candidates to which employers can rely on.
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Option 2: Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market needs in key occupations (legislative option)
Scope of application
• Voluntary system (only interested Member States decide to participate and notify to the European Commission their interest); or
• Mandatory system for all Member States [discarded alternative]
• Targeted to occupations of EU and national relevance (all skills levels); or
• Targeted only to highly skilled occupations [alternative]
Tool to facilitate the implementation of Talent Partnerships (vehicle through which TCNs from the identified partner countries are channelled to a job placement in the participating Member
State). Specific rules on registration, participation and validation [additional facilitations]
Governance
i) Secretariat within the European Commission;
ii) Steering Group (Member States representatives from the immigration and employment authorities);
iii) National Contact Points (NCPs) designated by each participating Member State;
iv) Talent Partnerships liaison officers in partner countries.
IT platform
IT solution EURES IT solution partially re-used
Interoperability Automatically interoperable with EURES platform and national system since same IT solution (only small adaptations required)
User journey
Third-country nationals Employers
Registration Direct registration of the profile on the EU Talent Pool Registration of job vacancies by NCPs
Pre-screening and Safeguards for fair recruitment: Automated pre-screening via-à-vis list of relevant occupations Employers’compliance with European legislation and
national labour standards
Search and matching Candidates can search for job vacancies via filters Employers can search (via filters) and contact candidates
Semi-automatic matching tool facilitating the matching (re-using EURES tool) + personalised support by NCPs
Validation of candidates’ profiles TCNs’ profiles validation (either upon request at national level or mandatory for all at EU level)
Additional components
Online information Online information on recruitment, immigration procedures and validation/recognition etc.
Personalised support and guidance Personalised assistance by NCPs to TCNs and employers (information on recruitment, immigration procedures and validation/recognition of
qualifications and skills, working and living conditions as well as tailored assistance on matching process)
Facilitation measures Option for Member States to introduce fast-track immigration and recognition procedures and exclusion from LMT
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3.3 Option 3: Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool (legislative
option)
This option envisages the adoption of a new legislative act (based on Article 79(2)(a) TFEU)
regulating the scope of application, access criteria, governance and functioning of the EU
Talent Pool.
Scope of application
As a voluntary tool to facilitate international recruitment, the EU Talent Pool would offer
additional support at EU level. Similarly, employers and third country nationals residing abroad
remain free to decide whether to use this tool for international recruitment (using this tool would not be
a pre-requisite to obtain a work permit as the EU Talent Pool does not constitute a new legal pathway).
The EU Talent Pool would not be targeting certain shortages occupations. Thus, EU
employers would be able to register their job vacancies on the platform regardless of their
specific sector or occupations. Conversely, all TCNs would be able to register on the EU
Talent Pool without any limitation in terms of specific skills or qualifications required.389
While TCNs and employers from partner countries and Member States participating in a Talent
Partnership would be allowed to register in the EU Talent Pool as any other users, this PO
would not foresee the platform as a tool to specifically implement the Talent
Partnerships. Therefore, additional facilitations would not be included, and the EU Talent
Pool would not be the channel for job placements in this context.
Governance: Whilst not necessarily building on the EURES governance model, PO3 would
still require the running of the platform at EU level by the EU Talent Pool Secretariat. The
Steering Group composed by Member States’ representatives from the immigration and
employment authorities would define operational objectives at higher political level. As per
PO2, National Contact Points (NCPs) would be designated in the Member States. However,
while the involvement of the Member State would be lower due to its open and fully demand-
driven nature (e.g. no list of shortage occupations at national level, no registration of
employers), a greater involvement of the National Contact Points would result from the higher
number of users potentially requiring their support. This could also result in increased efforts
linked to the monitoring activities.. However, as no special link with Talent Partnerships would
be included, this PO would not envisage the establishment of Liaison offices in partner
countries.
IT platform
As per PO2, this PO would require the development of an IT platform bringing together
profiles registered by jobseekers from outside the Union and job vacancies of employers
established in the Member States participating in the EU Talent Pool.
Under this PO, a completely new IT solution would be developed via a job-matching system
that it is fully based on AI-based algorithms inspired by existing private sector platforms. A
completely new IT solution is envisaged due to the wider scope of this PO which would cover
all range of possible occupations, and therefore would require cutting-edge technologies
389
Leaving the EU Talent Pool open would imply a more demand-based approach able to better address the actual
recruitment needs of EU employers.
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allowing to better identify and match job vacancies and profiles (e.g. such as advanced
language programs, and AI driven algorithms) (see Annex 9 for a more detailed description of
the IT solution). Under Option 3, there is an intention to incorporate cutting-edge technologies,
including advanced language programs, AI-driven algorithms, and an enhanced user
experience. The development of a new IT architecture would require the design of the relevant
functionalities in order to allow the effective functioning of the EU Talent Pool and make it fit
to its purpose. While the IT components and functionalities would be similar to those described
under PO2, this PO would not foresee the re-use of certain EURES elements. Unlike PO2,
where the use of existing EURES resources could potentially limit the inclusion of state-of-the-
art solutions, PO3 is strategically positioned to maximize the benefits of the latest technology
available. PO3 would not use the pre-existing infrastructure and EURES components. This
opens the way to innovation but requires greater development and maintenance efforts. It also
guarantees the assimilation of the most advanced technological tools available.
Advanced programming languages enhance the capabilities of programming features (e.g.,
object-oriented programming (OOP)390
, event-driven programming391
, multithreaded
programming392
) that enable developers to create highly efficient code compared to lower-level
programming languages, on which the platform would partly depend in the case of PO2.
These capabilities can enhance the development process, potentially enabling the creation of a
very user-friendly interface, optimising the platform for high performance, and ensuring code
modularity and maintainability over time.
The incorporation of AI-driven algorithms significantly amplifies the platform’s capabilities.
This includes the integration of an AI-driven matching tool for enhanced accuracy, the
inclusion of analytics for data-driven insights, the provision of personalised recommendations
for a tailored user experience, and the utilisation of chatbots for efficient information sharing
and counselling.
The use of AI-driven algorithms in the process of job search and matching offers the
possibility to use data with greater efficiency and expediency. They can continuously learn and
refine their capabilities thanks to ongoing interactions with users and the assimilation of new
data, mainly through dynamic functions, including machine learning techniques to perform
more precise matching.
Advanced algorithms have the capacity to operate across a broader spectrum of data used
during the matching process. In contrast to traditional algorithms, which demand structured
data (standardised data formats for instance jobseeker data gathered via online forms), AI
algorithms can process unstructured data393
, such as the free-textual content or images within a
job seeker's CV (that is not in the Europass format) or a job vacancy’s description. The key
principle here is the analysis of unstructured data and its transformation into a structured
format. This again enables a more precise matching.
390
A programming model that organises related data variables and functions into single units, known as objects, to
reduce source-code complexity and increase its reusability.
391
This feature allows events, such as a user’s mouse click, to determine a program’s actions.
392
This feature llows central processing units (CPUs) to execute multiple sets of instructions concurrently as part of a
single process.
393
Structured data is information that is organised and formatted in a consistent, predefined manner. It follows a
specific data model or schema, which means that data elements are clearly defined, labelled, and arranged in a
predictable format. Unstructured data, in contrast, does not follow a specific format or data model.
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In addition, advanced algorithms can analyse the behaviour of jobseekers when they are
searching for a job. For instance, they can analyse users’ browsing habits to identify offers
similar to those they have already consulted.
Advanced algorithms employed by job search and matching platforms can delve into the
behaviour of both jobseekers and employers. When it comes to jobseekers, these algorithms
can analyse their browsing habits, tracking the job listings they explore and engage with, and
the specific search criteria they employ. This behavioural analysis allows the algorithms to
gain valuable insights into jobseeker preferences and interests. An application of this analysis
is the delivery of highly personalised job recommendations. When a jobseeker interacts with a
particular job listing, the algorithm can identify similar opportunities based on diverse criteria,
such as job title, skills, and location. This not only widens the jobseeker's search but also
enhances user engagement and job matching precision, benefiting jobseekers. Simultaneously,
from the employer's perspective, this means better connections with candidates who are
genuinely interested and well-suited for their job listings. It streamlines the recruitment
process, improves the quality of applicants, and reduces time-to-hire.
In addition, an AI algorithm might analyse data on job vacancies and hiring trends over time to
identify patterns in the types of skills that are in demand. It could then use these patterns to
predict future trends, such as which skills are likely to be in high demand in the future.
Moreover, AI algorithms can model various scenarios based on this analysis. For example, it
could simulate the impact of a new technology on the labour market, predicting how it might
change the demand for certain skills.
In this way, AI can provide valuable insights into labour market dynamics. It can help
anticipate labour shortages and skill requirements arising from the integration of emerging
technologies. This information can be used by policymakers, educators, and businesses to
make informed decisions about education and training programs, recruitment strategies, and
other initiatives.
Furthermore, leveraging advanced techniques and methodologies (including deep learning), AI
can provide personalised training and skills development recommendations.
A detailed comparison between advanced algorithms functionalities and traditional ones is
provided in the table below:
Traditional algorithms Advanced algorithms
Data type used for
matching
Primarily use structured data
(e.g., location, skills, and
experience) to match CVs with
job vacancies
Process both structured and
unstructured data, such as free text
in CVs or job descriptions, and
analyse user behaviour to identify
similar job offers
Learning Static, based on predefined rules
and parameters
Dynamic, capable of continuous
learning and refinement through
ongoing interactions with users
and assimilation of new data
Analytics: Limited capability, if any, for Leverage advanced optimisation
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predictive
inferences
predictive inferences techniques to make predictive
inferences with implications for
labour market dynamics
Analytics: training
and skills
development
recommendations
Limited capability, if any (based
on predefined rules)
Can provide personalised and
dynamic training and skills
development recommendations
tailored to the individual’s specific
needs and preferences
Information sharing Limited rule-based chatbots Intelligent chatbots (conversational
chatbots)
As a completely new IT solution would be developed, interoperability with EURES and the
national platforms should be created from scratch via the development of dedicated
application programming interfaces (APIs). As under this PO a completely new IT solution
would be developed, interoperability with the national platforms would be created from scratch
via the development of dedicated application programming interfaces (APIs). As per PO2,
interoperability with national systems would allow the competent authorities in the Member
States (such as the Public Employment Services) to accessjob vacancies and jobseekers’
profiles registered in the national and EU databases in one go.
In addition, interoperability with private platforms (e.g. LinkedIn) would also be ensured.
In practice, , this would entail:
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) integration: LinkedIn, like many other
online platforms, shall offer APIs that allow external systems to interact with its data
and services.
• Data mapping: data mapping involves defining how data fields in the EU Talent Pool
align with those in LinkedIn. For example, mapping the "Skills" section in a LinkedIn
profile to the "Skills and Qualifications" section in the EU Talent Pool. This ensures
that the imported data is structured correctly.
• Data synchronisation: the systems would need to periodically synchronise data to
ensure that profiles on both platforms remain up to date. For example, changes made to
a job vacancy on LinkedIn should be reflected in the EU Talent Pool, and vice versa.
• User experience: from a user perspective, this interoperability would mean that TCNs
can seamlessly register and update their profiles on the EU Talent Pool using data from
their LinkedIn profiles. It simplifies the registration process and reduces redundancy.
User journey
1) Registration of job vacancies and TCNs profiles:
• TCNs would be able to directly register their profiles on the EU Talent Pool under
the same conditions and requirements described under PO2.
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• By contrast to PO2, employers would be allowed to directly register their vacancies on
the platform without any involvement of the national authorities as it would be open to
all occupations and, hence all type of job vacancies. Under this PO, an online
registration form would be developed. The job vacancies format would be built using
the existing European classification of occupations, skills, competencies and
qualifications (ESCO).
2) There would not be any pre-screening of TCNs profiles.
3) Safeguards for fair recruitment: Under this PO three alternatives would be considered:
i. No quality assurance checks on employers would be conducted following their direct
registration on the platform;
ii. Same as per PO2;
iii. A new tool allowing the automated pre-screening of employers’ profiles and job
vacancies would be developed. Use of advanced matching algorithms would be
considered under this PO. A semi-automatic matching tool would assist in the matching
process, with personalised support provided by NCPs.
Employers would adhere to the Chart for Fair Recruitment defined by the participating
Member States on the basis of EU and international standards.
4) Search and matching: Same as PO2. By contrast to PO2, a new search by filters
functionality and semi-automatic matching tool would be developed as the existing EURES
components would not be re-used.
Additional components
Same as PO2 but Member States would be obliged to introduce facilitation measures aimed
at making the recruitment process easier and faster.
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Option 3: Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool (legislative option)
Scope of application
• Voluntary system (only interested Member States decide to participate and notify to the European Commission their interest); or
• Mandatory system for all Member States [alternative]
Open to all sectors/occupations
No specific rules on Talent Partnerships supporting their implementation
Governance
Similar to PO2 (but no EURES model and greater involvement of NCPs)
IT platform
IT solution New IT solution (no re-use of EURES)
Interoperability Interoperable with EURES, national and private platforms (newly developed)
User journey
Third-country nationals Employers
Registration Direct registration of the profile on the EU Talent Pool Direct registration of job vacancies
Pre-screening and safeguards for fair
recruitment
No pre-screening of TCNs • No checks on employers
• Same as PO2 [alternative]
• Automated checks on employers [alternative]
Validation of candidates’ profiles No validation of TCNs’ profiles
Search and matching Candidates can search for job vacancies via filters Employers can search (via filters) and contact candidates
Semi-automatic matching tool Semi-automatic matching tool facilitating the matching (newly developed) + personalised support by NCPs
Additional components
Online information Same as PO2
personalised support and guidance Same as PO2
Facilitation measures Obligation for Member States to introduce fast-track immigration and recognition procedures and exclusion from LMT
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ANNEX 10
ASSESMENT OF COST AND BENEFITS OF THE POLICY OPTIONS394
The key assumptions underlying the assessment of costs and benefits are described in detail in
Annex 4. As different scenarios of the initiative uptake by the Member States are envisaged (11
Member States participating or 20 Member States participating), the costs and benefits described
below are indicated in ranges depending on the number of Member States participating.
1. ASSESSMENT OF THE COSTS AND BENEFITS
Each policy option is expected to generate costs and cost-savings.
The costs are related to the development and implementation of the EU Talent Pool and are
primarily borne by the European Commission and Member States authorities395
. These costs fall
into several categories, such as governance, IT platform, user journey, and additional components,
which are further detailed below. The costs associated with the different options vary according to
the number of potential users and Member States participating in the Talent Pool (as described
above in Annex 4).396
IT costs associated with each policy option were determined using a parametric estimation
approach. This methodology relied on several key proxies, including historical cost breakdown
data from existing platforms like EURES, full-time equivalent (FTE) costs based on eu-LISA's
Maintenance Working Order (MWO) contracts and projections for the quantity of job offers and
CVs. Additionally, considerations regarding the number of participating Member States and
development efforts estimated in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including private IT
service providers and local public employment services (PES), as well as the size of the
development team, were taken into account to estimate IT costs.
Non-IT costs (e.g. governance costs) associated with each policy options were calculated on the
basis of a number of sources. Overall, the governance costs were estimated by considering the
current costs associated with the EURES network governance and adjusting these figures (i.e.,
staff costs and budget for activities) on the basis of the expected successful matches under each
policy option. In particular, costs for the governance at EU level was based on the experiences of
the European Coordination Office within the European Labour Authority which is in charge of
managing EURES397
. Similarly, with regard to the costs associated with the governance at
national level, the experience of the National Coordination Offices implementing EURES at
394
Costs in this Annex that refer to the period after 2027 are indicative and do not prejudge the available budget under the
next MFF.
395
Costs for EU employers and jobseekers are minimal (e.g., costs of registering the vacancy or creating the profile) and not
significant enough to require estimation. Additionally, there are also costs for employers that do not require estimation
because not directly impacted by the Talent Pool initiative. For instance, the administrative preparation of the vacancy
notices is considered as baseline as it is a recurrent cost for employers also in current employment practices (i.e., without
the Talent Pool initiative).
396
The cost estimates have been adjusted by using the expected numbers of profiles admitted to the Talent Pool and of
successful matches under the different policy options, as well as the estimated number of job openings.
397 Figures on this are taken from ELA’s Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews with ELA
and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
302
national level was used as a proxy398
. More details on the sources and methodologies to calculate
the costs are explained under each policy option.
On the other hand, the cost-savings for TCNs and employers arise from streamlining the standard
steps of international recruitment.
Cost-savings should be assessed against a baseline. The latter is given by the current costs and
length of a standard international recruitment process. Costs depend on a number of factors,
including different national contexts (e.g. national labour laws), the sectors/occupations involved
(e.g. whether they are in shortage, if they are regulated or non-regulated professions), type of TCN
(e.g. seasonal worker, highly-qualified worker, researcher), the worker’s level of education, the
worker’s country of origin and whether bilateral partnerships exist with the EU Member State, the
size of the hiring firm (e.g. SMEs, multinational). Given the large number of variables that can
affect cost estimates, the recruitment process for an average employed worker was considered as a
baseline399
.
Therefore, to estimate the savings, the monetary and time costs associated with the standard
international recruitment process were analysed and compared with the ones expected by
using the EU Talent Pool.
These cost-savings are grouped into three categories: employment-related steps, immigration-
related steps, and opportunity costs. The latter category evaluates the potential gains in wages
and revenues that jobseekers and employers can achieve by utilising the Talent Pool instead of
following standard procedures. In the context of the EU Talent Pool initiative, opportunity costs
are particularly relevant when comparing the benefits of using the Talent Pool for international
recruitment against the traditional recruitment procedures (i.e., business as usual). For employers,
the opportunity cost lies in the potential gain in turnover (or productivity), while for TCNs it
relates to the potential gain in wages, that could be achieved when going through a more
expedient process via the Talent Pool, rather than following normal procedures.400
The main categories used for this assessment are outlined in the table below:
Category Subcategory Type of cost/cost-
savings
Stakeholders bearing
the cost/ benefitting
from cost-savings
398
Estimates on the costs of the NCOs come from the ad-hoc survey to NCOs conducted by the contractor, triangulated with
ex-post EURES evaluation.
399
The average time needed for international recruitment ranges between 2-3 months for employers and TCNs. To this,
additional 2-3 months should be added for immigration procedures (i.e. LMT and obtaining and visa/work permit),
bringing the total duration of international recruitment to around 4-6 months on average. The costs associated with
international recruitment are normally borne by employers. The average cost to employers of recruiting a third country
national can be between EUR 1 500 and EUR 2 500 per candidate (excluding relocation costs). This cost can rise to EUR
8 500-10 000 when adding services of international recruitment agencies. However, these represent very specific cases
(e.g. highly specialised or technical skills needed, high level positions) and have therefore not been included in the
calculation of cost-savings.
400
Opportunity costs are the potential benefits or gains that are forgone or sacrificed when choosing one course of action
over another. In the context of the EU Talent Pool initiative, opportunity costs become particularly relevant when
comparing the benefits of using the Talent Pool for international recruitment against the traditional steps. The time used
by employers in looking for candidates, and by TCNs in looking for a job, entails losses in turnover (for employers) and
wages (for TCNs). By accessing the Talent Pool, employers and TCNs will cut the time needed to recruit or find a job,
thereby reducing their losses in turnover and wages.
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Costs associated with the implementation of the EU Talent Pool
Governance EU and national level One-off and recurrent EU Commission,
National authorities
IT platform Development and
maintenance
One-off and recurrent
User journey • Profile registration
• Quality
assurance
employers
• TCNs pre-screening
• Validation (optional)
• Search and matching
One-off and recurrent
Additional
components
• Information provision
• Targeted support by
NCPs
• Facilitation measures
Recurrent
Cost-savings stemming from streamlining current steps of international recruitment
Employment-related
steps
• Advertising the
vacancy
• Screening and
interview
• Validation (optional)
• Matching and selecting
Recurrent Employers
• Creating a CV
• Finding opportunities
• Compiling information
• Selection and matching
process
Recurrent TCNs jobseekers
Immigration-related
steps
• Conducting labour
market test
• Obtaining visa /
permits
Recurrent Employers and TCNs
jobseekers
Opportunity cost Gain in turnover Recurrent Employers
Gain in wages Recurrent TCNs jobseekers
The advantages for employers will be particularly significant during the candidate
identification and selection phases, as the EU Talent Pool would offer a large pool of
candidates interested in working in the EU and potentially suitable for the job requirements.
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Additionally, PO2 and PO3 would provide for additional IT tools (e.g. automatic matching tool)
and support services further facilitating international recruitment. For TCNs, one of the main
benefits offered by the implementation of the Talent Pool is the convenience of having a single
portal to access job opportunities in the Member States. Under PO1 job vacancies will not be
included in the platform, however, the organisation of job-matching events and the support of
National Contact Points (‘NCPs’) in matching employers and jobseekers will provide similar
added value. Therefore, the development of an EU-wide platform avoids the need to rely on
multiple platforms and streamlines the job search process. In addition, by providing online
information and personalise guidance on immigration and recruitment procedures, the initiative
offers further support to users to better understanding the job matching processes. Moreover,
under PO2 and PO3 the EU Talent Pool ensures protection against unfair recruitment, enhancing
the overall job-seeking experience for TCNs. A detailed explanation is provided below under
each PO.
It is important to consider that the benefits stemming from the initiative are difficult to quantify
and they are mainly considered qualitatively in the comparison of the POs (e.g. personalised
support provided by NCPs and information provision).
The visual below provides an overview of the main benefits and their different degree of intensity
of the initiative throughout the recruitment process.
305
In addition, indirect benefits are foreseen under each option. These benefits include the increase
GDP resulting from an additional number of TCNs working in the EU. This would also result in
additional fiscal contributions as well as in increased remittances for third countries.
The increase in the GDP was calculated by following an income-based approach: the additional
wages that would result from the arrival of new migrants workers via the Talent Pool was taken
into account [Median wage of TCNs in EU] * [Number of expected successful matches]. Statistics
concerning the median income of TCNs in the EU were extrapolated from the Eurostat survey of
income and living conditions (EU-SILC), on the basis of a customized extraction, and entails the
median equivalised net income for the working-age population (20-64 years) by group of
citizenship (PPS adjusted) for 2022. As the additional GDP increase would vary depending on the
number of participating Member States (11 or 20), indicative brackets of EU GDP increase were
identified taking into account the potentially different expected possible results of the initiative.
The additional fiscal contributions were calculated on the basis of the following formula:
[percentage of taxes paid on gross income] * [EU-average gross wages and salaries] * [Number
of expected successful matches]. This calculation is based on the assumption that TCNs workers
matched by the EU Talent Pool would be regularly employed and will pay taxes on their gross
income. As these job vacancies may remain unfilled without the intervention of the EU Talent
Pool, and hence additional to the existing resident workforce, it is assumed that tax revenues
would increase proportionally to their earned wages following the tax rates structure. The share of
taxes paid on gross wages and salaries is based on Eurostat experimental statistics
(ICW_TAX_01) modelled following the distribution of VAT paid by households as a percentage
of their gross income. The average at EU level was calculated by using available statistics
306
provided by Eurostat. For approximating the gross wages and salaries to be taxed in 2030, the EU
labour costs (TPS00173) for 2022 were considered.401
With regard to the estimation of additional remittances to third countries the following formula
was used: [proportion of income sent as remittances]*[EU-average annual median
income]*[Number of expected successful matches]. The average share of income which third-
country nationals send home is estimated at 15% following UN online publication402.
This
represents a global, not EU-specific share, in absence of a EU-specific estimate .403
The median
income of TCNs in the EU was derived by Eurostat survey of income and living conditions (EU-
SILC404), which was the object of an ad-hoc extraction made by Eurostat tailor-made for this
impact assessment, in relation to the median equivalent net income for the working-age population
(20-64 years) by group of citizenship (PPS adjusted) for 2022.
A detailed assessment of the costs and benefits under each PO is described below.
2.1 Option 1: Soft measures aiming at improving information provision and facilitating
identification and matching (non-legislative option)
Governance costs
The different soft measures within PO1 will require some level of horizontal coordination and
management at the EU level, operational contact points at national level.
Governance costs are linked to the new responsibilities and tasks stemming from the envisaged
policy measures which are detailed in the table below:
Policy measure Responsibilities at EU level Responsibilities at national level
Improving the EU
Immigration Portal
Coordination with the National
Coordinators in the Member States;
Review the content provided by
national authorities;
Maintenance and update of the portal
on the IT-side.
Gathering and providing information on
procedures at national level;
Organising job-
matching events
Management and coordination for the
organisation of job-matching events.
N/A
Setting up an online
portal with a
catalogue of profiles
Coordination with the National
Coordinators;
Maintenance of the web-portal on the
Reach out to employers to facilitate the matching
with interested candidates.
401
We considered only wages and salaries of the labour cost structure and multiplied the hourly gross wage to the estimated
number of hours a person works over the year. The latter is taken from European Commission (2019), H2020
Programme User's Guide for the Personnel Costs Wizard, p. 13.
402
UN, Remittances matter, Remittances matter: 8 facts you don’t know about the money migrants send back home | UN
DESA | United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
403
This estimate should be taken with caution because it is based on a world-wide sample and the patterns of remittances
may vary markedly across continents and type of migrants.
404
EU-SILC EU statistics on income and living conditions - Microdata - Eurostat (europa.eu)
307
IT side.
On the basis of the abovementioned tasks to be performed by EU and national staff, the table
below provides an overview of the estimated governance costs.
The aggregated governance costs at national level depend on the uptake of the initiative by the
Member States. The average cost per National Contact Point is EUR 153 000, this entails a total
budget at national level of EUR 1 683 000 when 11 Member States participate in the initiative,
and of 3 060 000 when 20 Member States participate in the initiative.
Costs at EU level do not depend on the number of Member States participating in the initiative;
therefore no range is provided.
Governance costs (staff and other costs)
Policy measure Costs at EU level Costs at national level
Improving the EU Immigration
Portal
11 FTEs405
: EUR 707 000
Organisation of the job-matching events: EUR
1 362 000406
1 FTE per Member State (10 – 20 FTE
for 11 – 20 Member States
participating): EUR 683 000 – 3 060
000407
(to be covered by AMIF)
Organising job-matching
events
Setting up an online portal with
a catalogue of profiles
Total governance costs
(recurrent)
EUR 2 069 000 EUR 1 683 000 – 3 060 000
Improving the EU Immigration Portal entails a fully-fledged revamp and update of the existing
portal. Therefore, additional resources at EU level would be required for this purpose. In
particular, under the current management of the EU Immigration Portal, a coordination manager is
allocated for on average around 30% per week. Improving the portal would require a coordination
manager working full time (100%) to cover the additional work linked to more frequent updates
that would take on an annual basis instead of every 3-4 years as under the current portal. In
addition, six additional FTEs (experts on migration) are currently supporting the management of
the portal by providing expertise on immigration aspects to review the content provided by the
405
One coordination manager and 6 administrators (10% of their time) for improving the portal, 2 staff members for
organising job-matching events and 1 staff member for managing the online catalogue (one business manager dealing
with the IT portal).
406
This is the average cost for 60 events per year. Costs associated to each event have been estimated according to the
current costs incurred by the European Coordination Office (ECO) of the EURES network within ELA for the European
(Online) Job Matching events. Information comes from the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs
from interviews with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
407
Estimates are based on the costs associated with the current EURES NCOs (for activities related to matching and
information provision) and adjusted by the expected number successful matches associated with PO1. Estimates on costs
associated with current EURES structure come from the ad-hoc survey to NCOs conducted by the contractor,
triangulated with ex-post EURES evaluation. In particular, EURES NCOs allocate around 35% of their budget to
matching and recruitment. A similar share can be foreseen in case of Talent Pool contact points as the outreach to
employers and matching with candidates is expected to be time consuming (especially considering that processes will not
be automatised as in the case of the two legislative options).
308
national authorities. Under the improved Immigration Portal six experts on migration would be
involved 10% of their weekly time for six months every year. For the remaining six months of the
year (when work on updates is more limited and it is merely a matter of maintenance), the
workload of the experts is assumed to decrease to around 2-3% of their time (or 1 hour per
week).408
Based on these considerations, the total staff incremental staff cost at the EU level is
estimated to be approximately EUR 183 000 per year409
.
With regard to the organisation of job-matching events, two FTEs at EU level (for a total of
staff costs of EUR 182 000) are envisaged for the organisation and management of the events,
including administrative and logistic tasks such as the preparation of the agenda, promotion
activities, cooperation with stakeholders410
. Additional costs for the organisation of the events are
foreseen for the promotion material, relevant equipments, translation and venues’ logistic. To
estimate the budget required for the organisation of the event, the European (Online) job days
organised in the framework of EURES have been taken as a model. In 2022, a total of 44 events
across the EU/EFTA were organised, with each job matching event including an average of 52
employers and 163 total positions advertised. The average number of jobseekers was around 276.
The total budget for the European Coordination Office (ECO) within ELA for European (Online)
Job Days was of approximately EUR 1 000 000 EUR, i.e. EUR 22 700 per event in 2022.411
Using
these figures as a proxy for the organisation of job-matching events in the context of the EU
Talent Pool and assuming an average of 60 events per year, the average budget required would be
EUR 1 362 000.
Setting up an online portal with a catalogue of profiles would require two additional FTEs
working within the Commission to manage the web portal with the catalogue of profiles and
coordinate with the National Coordinators in the Member States (for a total staff costs of around
342 000 per year).
At national level, the overall governance foresees the appointment of one National Coordinator
per Member State (EUR 153 000 for staff costs and related activities).412
408
Currently, the time invested by the subject matter expert is very low over the span of the year; therefore, costs associated
with the time needed from them under PO1A will be assumed to be incremental costs.
409
This is the incremental cost of increasing the time allocated to the coordination manager (i.e., EUR 119 700) plus the
incremental cost of the 6 subject matter experts, working 10% on the portfolio for the 6 months of the update and 2/3%
for the remaninig 6 months (i.e, EUR 63 300).
410
Two contract agents (for a total staff cost of EUR 182 000).
411
Based on ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews with ELA and the European
Commission conducted by the contractor.
412
Those figures were estimated by taking the number of National Coodinator Offices in the context of EURES (i.e., 3-5
people on average across NCOs), and budget (i.e., EUR 1 200 000 on average across NCOs) and adjusting them to the
context of PO1 according to:(i) the number of potentially interested jobseekers (i.e., 3 305 500 – 3 468 366) and expected
vacancies (i.e., 3 830 000 – 5 100 000) under this policy option relative to the same figures within EURES (i.e., 1 000
000 CVs online and 5 000 000 posts ), and (ii) the specific activities envisaged under this PO in comparison with those of
the NCOs in the context of EURES. The number of National Coordinators was reduced as less activities would be
conducted in comparison with NCOs under EURES (no specific guidance and post-recruitment assistance (, network
management (e.g., of EURES Members and Partners), reporting and communication). Under this option the National
Coordinators’ activities would be limited to support the matching between employers and TCNs and providing
information for the EU Immigration Portal. With regard to the estimation of costs linked to each National Coordinator,
the budget used for NCOs under EURES was taken as a proxy (EUR 1 200 000 covering staff costs and activities for 3-5
FTEs). This would entail a budget of around EUR 300 000 to cover staff costs and activities for 1 FTE under PO1.
However, considering that range of activities conducted by NCOs under EURES, this budget was reduced considering
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Additional costs linked to the IT development are explained below.
IT costs
Under this PO, a number of costs linked to IT developments are foreseen. In particular, IT costs
are linked with the improvement of the EU Immigration Portal, the IT developments required for
advertising the job-matching events, and the development of an online portal with a catalogue of
profiles.
An overview of the estimated IT costs it provided below. As one-off costs (development and
infrastructure for Y1 and Y2) and recurrent costs (maintenance, infrastructure onwards Y3 and
additional features for the implementation) are foreseen, the estimation of costs is provided over a
10 year period.
the limited activities of the National Coordinators under this PO (50% of the total budget estimated above (EUR 300
000).
413
Maintenance costs encompass ongoing activities including bug fixes, updates, security enhancements, and system
support. In initial stages, these costs can be higher due to bug fixing and system stabilisation. However, as the system
matures, maintenance costs become more predictable and stable, with routine maintenance activities decreasing over
time.
PO 1
Total
over 10
years
Y1-Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10
Development
3,749,98
8€
3,749,98
8€
Development
for improving
the EU
Immigration
Portal
645,829
€
645,829
€
Development
for organising
job-matching
events
41,666€ 41,666€
Development of
an EU Talent
Pool through
non-legislative
instruments
3,062,49
3€
3,062,49
3€
Operations413
(maintenance)
3,937,48
8€
0€
562,498
€
562,498
€
468,749
€
468,749
€
468,749
€
468,749
€
468,749
€
468,749
€
Infrastructure
1,599,47
2–
1,678,28
0€
€319,89
4 -
€335,65
6
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
€159,94
7 -
€167,82
8
Additional
features
2,860,00
0€
0€
715,000
€
715,000
€
238,333
€
238,333
€
238,333
€
238,333
€
238,333
€
238,333
€
310
Infrastructure costs have been estimated according to the take up of the initiative across Member
States. Ranges are provided according to whether 11 or 20 Member States are assumed to
participate in the initiative. All associated costs will be at the EU-level, and there will be no
expenses incurred at the Member States' level. Those costs were a range is not provided do not
depend on the take up of the initiative among Member States.
Total costs
Category Sub-category Type of cost
Stakeholders
bearing the cost
Associated costs (EUR)
[for 11 – 20 Member States participating]
Y1 Y2
Each subsequent
year
Governance
EU level Recurrent EU Commission
EUR 2
069 000
EUR 2
069 000
EUR 2 069 000
National level Recurrent
National public
authorities (from
AMIF)
EUR 1
683 000 –
3 060
0004
EUR 1
683 000 –
3 060 000
EUR 1 683 000 –
3 060 000
IT platform
and other
IT-related
costs
EU level
Recurrent/One-
off
EU Commission
EUR 4 779 986 – 4
814 767
EUR 1 542 789 –
1 550 179
National level
Recurrent/One-
off
National public
authorities
EUR 0 EUR 0
Total costs
For EU Commission:
EUR 4
103 941 –
4 111 822
EUR 4
103 941 –
4 111 822
EUR 3 078 633 –
53 086 514
For 11 – 20 Member States national public authorities:
EUR 1
683 000 –
3 060 000
EUR
1,683,000
– 3 060
000
EUR 1 683 000 –
3 060 000
414
It covers the development of new functionalities or features for the system. These costs can vary based on the complexity
of the additions and are typically higher during the early stages when new features are being integrated. As the system
evolves, these costs might stabilise, with a more predictable budget for incorporating new functionalities. The
implementation of additional features involves various activities, which are planned to be outsourced to a contractor.
Typically, these activities would require a total of 5 full-time equivalents (FTEs) encompassing different roles. This
distribution would include 1.0 FTE for Business Analysis, 1.0 FTE for project management, 1.0 FTE for development,
0.5 FTE for quality assurance, 1.0 FTE for technical experts, and 0.5 FTE for testing.
implementation
414
Total Cost
€12,146,
948-
€12,225,
756
€4,069,8
83 -
€4,085,6
44
€1,437,4
45 -
€1,445,3
26
€1,437,4
45 -
€1,445,3
26
€867,02
9 -
€874,91
0
€867,02
9 -
€874,91
0
€867,02
9 -
€874,91
0
€867,02
9 -
€874,91
0
€867,02
9 -
€874,91
0
€867,02
9 -
€874,91
0
311
Benefits
• Direct benefits
The benefits associated with PO1 are predominantly qualitative and they cannot be easily
quantified. These savings arise primarily from the time saved by both employers and TCNs at
various steps of the international recruitment process and are summarised in the table below:
Steps Qualitative benefits
Identifying
candidates and
finding job
opportunities
The catalogue of TCNs CVs would provide with a wider pool of candidates from all
third countries by creating a centralised platform for employers (rather than having to
access several portals and platforms). This would facilitate the identification of
potential candidates, reducing the need for extensive search and screening. The
implementation of job-matching events and the involvement of NCPs in facilitating the
matching process will increase the chances of TCNs finding suitable job opportunities.
Matching vacancies
and candidates
The organisation of job-matching events would enable employers from EU Member
States to make direct contact with jobseekers from third countries, thus streamlining
the recruitment process and saving on related costs. This aspect is particularly
beneficial for SMEs, which may have limited resources compared to multinational
companies when it comes to engaging with TCNs. For TCNs, job-matching events
provide a direct opportunity to interact with potential employers from EU Member
States, making job opportunities more accessible and reducing the financial burden
associated with seeking employment abroad. Similarly, the catalogue of TCNs CVs,
would allow employers to access a pool of jobseekers and match those with available
vacancies, saving them the time and costs associated with traditional recruitment
processes (e.g. advertising vacancies, conducting extensive screening, and handling
numerous applications)
Immigration
procedures
Updated and clear information provision on immigration procedures on the improved
EU Immigration Portal will save employers and TCNs time otherwise spent searching
for relevant details online or seeking assistance from third-party services. Additionally,
the inclusion of additional languages will greatly facilitate the understanding of the
information for TCNs.
Recognition of skills
and qualifications
The inclusion of information on recognition procedures in the Member States would
allow employers and TCNs to save time by reducing the efforts of having to retrieve this
information independently
Although the soft measures mentioned above could support and facilitate several steps of the
international recruitment process, their impact in terms of time- and cost-savings is expected to be
relatively smaller compared to the two legislative policy options, described below. For
instance, PO2 and PO3 envisage more advanced IT solutions that automate some of the manual
processes foreseen for PO1 (e.g search and matching tools, which will streamline identification
and selection phase). The two legislative options also include more targeted and personalised
support, which will further cut down on time and costs.
Due to the fact that only qualitative benefits were identified for PO1, no opportunity costs can be
estimated for this policy option.
• Indirect benefits
As mentioned above the following indirect benefits are estimated under this PO. A range of
benefits is provided depending on the number of Member States participating (11 or 20).
312
Indirect benefit Estimated value
Increase in GDP (benefit for EU) EUR 235-260 million
Increase in fiscal contribution (benefit for EU) EUR 56-59 million
Increase in remittances (benefit for third countries) EUR 44-46 million
313
Cost-benefits comparison415
EU / EU Commission National Authorities Employers TCNs / third countries
Estimate Comment Estimate Comment Estimate Comment Estimate Comment
Direct costs R: EUR 3 078
633 – 3 086 514
O: EUR 4 799
986 – 4 814 767
R: includes
staff costs and
budget for
operational
activities; and
IT costs for
maintenance,
infrastructure
O: includes IT
development
costs
R: EUR 1 683
000 – 3 060 000
R: includes
staff costs (to
be covered by
AMIF) and
budget for
operational
activities
n/a No significant
costs were
identified.
n/a No significant
costs were
identified.
Indirect
costs
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
Direct
benefits
n/a No direct
benefits are
identified for
EU
Commission.
Benefits for the
EU are
described
below.
n/a No direct
benefits are
identified for
National
Authorities.
n/a Employers
would benefit
from the wider
pool of
candidates
accessible via a
centralised
platform.
Additionally,
n/a TCNs will have
the opportunity
to make direct
interactions
with employers,
making job
opportunities
more accessible
and saving time
415
“R” refers to recurrent, while “O” refers to one-off costs.”n/a” indicates that the cost or benefit for that stakeholder group could not be quantified and is only assessed
qualitatively or that no significant costs/benefits were identified.
314
the
identification of
potentially
suitable
candidates will
be simplified
via the
implementation
of job-matching
events and the
intermediary
role of contact
points at
national level.
Information
provision will
further reduce
the time needed
to look for
information
online.
and costs
associated with
seeking
employment
abroad.
Information
provision will
further reduce
the time needed
to look for
information
online.
Indirect
benefits
R: EUR 235-
260 million
(increase in
GDP);
R: EUR 56-59
million
(increase in
fiscal
contribution);
Benefits for the
EU as a whole
entail an
increase in
GDP and in
fiscal
contribution.
n/a No indirect
benefits were
identified for
National
Authorities
n/a No indirect
benefits were
identified for
employers.
R: EUR 44-46
million
(increase in
remittances)
Benefits for
third countries
entail an
increase in
remittances.
315
2.2 Option 2: Developing an EU Talent Pool targeted to address labour market needs in
key occupations (legislative option)
Governance costs
Under PO2 the establishment of an EU Talent Pool Secretariat within the European Commission
is foreseen. In addition, under this PO a Steering Group composed of national representatives
from participating Member States (including immigration and employment authorities) to take
high-level decisions would be set up together with National Contact Points in the Member States.
As PO2 also includes the links with Talent Partnerships, the governance foresees the
establishment of Liaison Offices in third countries participating in Talent Partnerships.
The table below provides an overview of governance costs and the related assumption. The costs
have been estimated according to the uptake of the initiative across Member States. At the
national level, ranges are provided for aggregated staff FTEs and budget according to whether 11
or 20 Member States are assumed to participate in the initiative. For EU level costs, a similar
range is provided for horizontal coordination and training budgets as those depend on the number
of Member States participating. Those costs where a range is not provided do not depend on the
take up of the initiative among Member States.
Governance costs (staff and other costs)
Type of costs Costs at EU level Costs at national level
Staff EU Talent Pool Secretariat
(13 FTEs including one
business manager responsible
for the IT platform
coordination)
EUR 1 903 000
National Contact Points416
(33 – 60 FTEs per
11 – 20 Member States participating:
EUR 8 000 000 – 14 600 000 (to be covered by
AMIF)
Liaison Offices in partner countries (2 FTEs for
each partner country, hence, 20 FTEsin case of
10 Talent Partnerships) (to be covered by AMIF)
EUR 1 440 000
Other activities Horizontal coordination417
EUR 97 000 – 176 000
Training418
416
Estimates are based on the costs associated with current EURES National Coordination Offices (NCOs) and adjusted by
the expected number of successful matches under this policy option. Information on current EURES NCOs costs and
FTEs was collected via an ad-hoc survey to NCOs conducted by the external contractor, triangulated with the EURES
ex-post evaluation.
417
The costs associated to horizontal coordination depend on the number of NCPs. Therefore, a range is provided depending
on the Member States participating 11 or 20. The base to calculate these costs is provided by the number of NCOs within
the EURES network (i.e., 34 NCOs) and related budget for horizontal coordination accrued by the European
Coordination Office (ECO) within the ELA. The latter has been estimated by considering the ELA Single Programming
Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the
contractor.
418
The cost on training depends on the aggregated number of FTEs in the NCPs (i.e., 33 FTEs per 11 NCPs and 60 FTEs
per 20 NCPs), therefore a range is provided according to weather participating Member States are assumed to be 11 or 20
by 2030. The base to calculate the budget is given by the training budget of the European Coordination Office (ECO)
316
EUR 582 000 – 1 060 000
Communication419
EUR 487 500
Translation420
EUR 1 300 000
Online information provision EUR 1 057 000421
Optional facilitation
measures
Additional costs for national authorities if fast-
track procedures are set up by MS
Fast-track immigration procedures:
EUR 46 000 000 – 48 000 000
Fast-track recognition procedures:
EUR 16 000 000 – 17 000 000
Annual total governance
costs (recurrent)
EUR 5 426 500 – 6 000 000 EUR 9 440 000 – 16 040 000
[additional costs for facilitation measures not
included as optional for MS]
At the EU level, the overall governance structure foresees: 7 administrators, 4 contract agents and
2 secretaries. The staff costs were calculated based on average personnel costs: EUR 171 000 per
year for administrators and secretaries and EUR 91 000 per year for contractual agents. When it
comes to the Secretariat within the Commission, this is expected to consist of 13 staff members.
Roles and responsibilities are outlined in the table below.
Staff members Tasks
Administrators - Support to negotiations
- Preparation ahead of entry into force
- Drafting delegated and implementing acts + negotiations over years 2026 - 2027
- Setting up governance structure and comitology
- Annual Work Programme
- Data protection (including drafting and finalising controllership agreements)
- Contract management of service providers and IT coordination (internal IT Steering Group
and submission to IT board)
- National Contact Points related activities (operating procedures, charter, funding support,
set up of the NCPs Network, training and capacity building activities)
- Coordination with Talent Partnerships Liaison Officers
- Support to Member States participating in Talent Partnerships
within ELA. The latter has been estimated by considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and
inputs from interviews with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
419
This budget depends on the number of occupations envisaged by the policy option (i.e., 13 under PO2) and was
estimated by considering the communication budget of the ECO within ELA. The latter has been estimated by
considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from ELA and the European Commission
conducted by the contractor.
420
This cost is estimated on the base of the translation budget of the ECO within ELA. The latter has been estimated by
considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from ELA and the European Commission.
421
Estimates of this budget were based on the estimation of the option envisaging the improvement of the EU Immigration
Portal.
317
- Specific regime for Talent Partnership (pass requirements, information campaign)
Contract Agents - Support to negotiations + preparation ahead entry into force
- Preparation of training needs and capacity building modules
- Indicators framework, monitoring and evaluation
- Communication strategy and organisation of events, networking
Secretaries - Administrative support (coordination and organisation of meetings)
The budget at EU level for operational activities covers horizontal coordination, training,
communication and translation. Estimations of the budget for each activity depend on a number of
factors:
- Horizontal coordination entails the management of the overall EU Talent Pool structure at
national level. Therefore, costs of horizontal coordination depend on the number of NCPs
foreseen. To estimate budget was based on the allocated budget for horizontal coordination
activities of the European Coordination Office (ECO) within the EURES structure under
ELA, which amounts to around EUR 300 000 per year,422
for 34 NCOs across Member
States. Considering that under the Talent Pool, we envisage between 11 and 20 NCPs, the
total budget ranges between EUR 97 000– 176 000.423
- Training entails the organisation of trainings session for NCP personnel across all
participating Member States. As above, to estimate the required budged, we looked at the
allocated budget for training activities of ECO within ELA, which accounts for around
EUR 3 000 000.424
Considering that under PO2, we envisage 3 FTEs per NCP (for a total
of 33-60 FTEs across 11-20 NCPs), the total budget ranges between EUR 582 000– 1 060
000.
- Communication entails activities to promote the initiative and enhance its visibility. As
communication campaigns will be targeted to the occupations included in the initiative,
this budget depends on the number of occupations envisaged under the policy option. The
EURES ECO budget for communication amounts to EUR 1 500 000 and the EURES
system includes all occupations across the EU.425
Under PO2, the scope will be targeted to
those occupations of strategic relevance (i.e., 13 occupations at ISCO 2-digit level).
Therefore, the final budget amounts to EUR 487 500.
- Translation entails not only translation services related to the IT platform but also
translation of information materials and campaigns or interpretation services when it
comes to communications with third countries’ authorities or cross-border initiatives.
422
This has been estimated by considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews
with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
423
This is the result of the following : 300 000*11/34 and 300 000*20/34. The same approach was used to calculate the
budget for the other operational activities.
424
This has been estimated by considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews
with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
425
This has been estimated by considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews
with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
318
- This budget was kept the same as it currently is under the ECO within ELA, as the types of
services will be very similar. The budget is thus EUR 1 300 000. 426
Member States participating might also envisage the creation of Liaison Offices in third countries
to facilitate the implementation of Talent Partnerships (ten Talent Partnerships are assumed to be
operational 10 Talent Partnerships by 2030). Two staff members per Liaison Office would be
required to support the registration of TCNs participating in a Talent Partnership and the delivery
the ‘EU Talent Partnership pass’. Salaries were estimated at around EUR 72 000 per year,
approximating to the average salary of embassy staffin third countries. The total therefore
accounts to EUR 1 440 000 per 10 Talent Partnerships.
The National Contact Points would be responsible for the practical implementation of the
initiative at the national and local level (for a detailed description of the NCPs tasks see Annex 9
on the description of the policy options).427
Activities of the NCPs will be related to the
management of the IT platform, the registration of employers’ vacancies on the IT platform,
provision of information and personalised support and, when a breach is reported, the monitoring
of the employers’ compliance with the Chater for Fair Recruitment.
With regard to the online information provision, the costs associated with the gathering and
provision of information online ware based on the assusment provided under PO1 with regard to
the improvement of the EU Immigration Portal. It is reasonable to assume similar costs as a
similar process would be followed: the involvement of NCPs to gather information and a similar
manual process.Therefore, the total cost associated with this measure amounts to around EUR 1
057 000 per year.
Facilitation measures foresee the possibility for Member States to waive the labour market test
or to use fast-track immigration and recognition procedures.428
These would result in time-savings
which are included in the cost-savings section described below. However, fast track procedures
entail also higher monetary costs for the Member States. It is estimated that the difference in fees
between a normal and a fast-track procedure is of around EUR 60 per application for recognition
procedures429
and EUR 170 per application for immigration procedures.430
It was assumed that the
426
This has been estimated by considering the ELA Single Programming Document 2023 – 2025 and inputs from interviews
with ELA and the European Commission conducted by the contractor.
427
At the national level, NCPs entail 3 FTEs per Member States, for a total of 33-60 FTEs per 11-20 Member States. The
budget is estimated to be around EUR 727 000 per NCP, for a total of EUR 8 000 000 – 14 600 000 across 11-20 NCPs.
As under PO1, those figures were estimated based on the number of NCOs staff and budget under the EURES network
adjusted by the number of potentially interested jobseekers and expected vacancies under PO2, relative to the same
figures within EURES. As activities foreseen for NCPs will be relatively more similar to those of NCOs, compared to
those under PO1, no specific adjustment was made on the estimates, as it was instead necessary for PO1 estimations.
428
In both cases, estimations of fast-track procedures were taken from current practices in Member States that implement
them. Although it may slightly differ based on the context, a fast-track procedure is a streamlined and expedited process
that can involve reduced processing times, simplified documentation requirements and fewer bureaucratic steps
compared to the standard procedures. Fast-track processes generally entail higher costs to cater for these benefits.
429
Information on fast-track procedures for recognition of qualifications is scant. To estimate the costs and duration of a
potential fast track procedure we considered cases of urgency. In Italy for instance, urgent applications follow a faster
process (normally 1 month faster than the normal procedure) and imply higher costs (around EUR 100 more than for a
normal procedure).
430
Fast-track for immigration procedures is in place in a number of Member States. To estimate the difference in costs and
duration between a fast track and a normal procedure we considered Finland, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania. The
average cost for a normal procedure in those countries is of around EUR 200 for employers and average duration is of
319
fees paid to public authorities for the recognition/validation of qualifications and for visas and
work permits correspond to the cost of the time spent by public authorities on these procedures,
provided that the fees charged by them do not exceed the recovery costs of providing these
services. In other words, it was assumed that public authorities do not derive any benefit from
these services. In this sense, the extra fees can be considered as additional costs on public
authorities. To get the aggregated final amount, the extra fees were multiplied by the expected
number of successful matches under this PO, resulting in EUR 46 000 000 – 48 000 000 for fast-
track immigration procedures and EUR 16 000 000 – 17 000 000 for fast-track recognition
procedures.
IT costs
This option forsees the partial re-use of the EURES IT solution and the use of EUROPASS431
.
Following consultation with relevant stakeholders including the European Labour Authority and
the Public Employment Services (PES), the four main adaptations envisaged would include:
1. The modification of EUROPASS to enable TCNs to create and manage their CVs in the
EUROPASS system, which will then be reflected in the TCN CV database,
2. The adjustment of the existing search and matching engine to ensure that, when
searches are carried out in the EU Talent Pool, only job offers available to TCNs are
displayed from the jobseeker's point of view,
3. The adaption to the existing EURES job vacancy database to include an additional
"flag" that employers can use to indicate whether a vacancy is open to TCNs or not,
4. The adaptation of the currently existing exchange systems at national level that allows
National Contact Points to upload job vacancies to EURES to transfer job vacancies
accessible to TCNs.
The reuse of the above listed components would minimise costs and technical impact as it would:
• Avoid the proliferation of IT systems and hence minimise the costs (development,
maintenance, infrastructure) in comparing with the option of developing a new
code/stand-alone IT systems,
• Avoid double registration of job vacancies also open to third-country nationals,
• Avoid double registration of third-country nationals by transferring profiles from
EUROPASS to the portal,
• Ensure interoperability with national systems.
An overview of the estimated IT costs provided below. As one-off costs (development and
infrastructure for Y1 and Y2) and recurrent costs (maintenance, infrastructure onwards Y3 and
additional features for the implementation) are foreseen, the estimation of costs is provided for a
ten year-period.
around 2.5 months. With fast-track, the costs increase to approximately EUR 370 (around EUR 170 extra) and average
duration drops to around 1 month.
431
The estimated cost of adapting and integrating EURES components, including the adaptation of national exchange
systems (depending on the number of participating Member States) and EUROPASS, could vary from €1.4 to €1.6 M.
This estimate was made using a parametric approach and estimates of T-shirt sizing effort, carried out in consultation
with the relevant stakeholders.
320
A few cost elements will depend on the number of participating Member States:
• At EU level, the infrastructure costs associated with higher numbers of CVs and job offers;
• At national level, the development costs required to integrate national systems into the
EUTP (exchange system), as well as the costs associated with its maintenance.
PO 2
Total
over 10
years
Y1-Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10
Development
€8,847,
377 -
€10,350
,602
€8,847,
377 -
€10,35,
602
EUROPASS
adaptation and
integration
174,99
9€
174,99
9€
Pre- screening
tool creation
224,99
9€
224,99
9€
TCN CVs' DB
creation
224,99
9€
224,99
9€
EURES job
vacancies' DB
adaptation and
integration
599,99
9€ 599,99
9€
EURES
search/matching
engine
adaptation and
integration
449,99
9€
449,99
9€
Core system
4,349,9
84€
4,349,9
84€
Integration of
EU Talent
Platform with
other systems
149,99
8€ 149,99
8€
Member States
integration
€2,672,
400 -
€4,175,
625
€2,672,
400 -
€4,175,
625 - - - - - - - -
Operations
(maintenance)
9,268,
326 –
10,83
4,663
€ 0€
1,324,0
47
-
€1,547,
809
1,324,0
47
-
€1,547,
809
1,103,3
72-
€1,289,
841
1,103,3
72-
€1,289,
841
1,103,3
72-
€1,289,
841
1,103,3
72-
€1,289,
841
1,103,3
72-
€1,289,
841
1,103,3
72-
€1,289,
841
Contractor
operations for
baseline
6,483,7
26€
0 €
€926,24
7
€926,24
7
€771,8
72
€771,8
72
€771,8
72
€771,8
72
€771,8
72
€771,8
72
Member States
integration
operations
€2,784,
600 -
€4,350,
938 0 €
€397,80
0 -
€621,56
3
€397,80
0 -
€621,56
3
€331,50
0 -
€517,96
9
€331,50
0 -
€517,96
9
€331,50
0 -
€517,96
9
€331,50
0 -
€517,96
9
€331,50
0 -
€517,96
9
€331,50
0 -
€517,96
9
Infrastructure 2,735, 547,07 273,53 273,53 273,53 273,53 273,53 273,53 273,53 273,53
321
394 –
3 147
812 €
9 – 629
562€
9 – 314
781€
9 -314
781€
9 - -314
781€
9-314
781€
9-314
781€
9-314
781€
9-314
781€
9-314
781€
Additional
features
implementation
432
€6,578,
000
€0
€1,644,
500
€1,644,
500
€548,16
7
€548,16
7
€548,16
7
€548,16
7
€548,16
7
€548,16
7
Total Cost for
EU Talent Pool
€27,429
,097-
€30,911
,078
€9,394,
456 -
€10,980
,164
€3,242,
086-
€3,507,
090
€3,242,
086-
€3,507,
090
€1,925,
078-
€2,152,
789
€1,925,
078-
€2,152,
789
€1,925,
078-
€2,152,
789
€1,925,
078-
€2,152,
789
€1,925,
078-
€2,152,
789
€1,925,
078-
€2,152,
789
Total estimation of costs
Category
Sub-
category
Type of cost
Stakeholders
bearing the
cost
Associated costs (EUR)
[for 11 – 20 Member States participating]
Y1 Y2
Each
subsequent
year
Governance
and other non-
IT related
costs
EU level Recurrent EU Commission
EUR 5 426
500 – 6 000
000
EUR 5 426
500 – 6 000
000
EUR 5 426 500
– 6 000 000
National
level
Recurrent
National public
authorities
(from AMIF)
EUR 9 440
000 – 16 040
000
EUR 9 440
000 – 16 040
000
EUR 9 440 000
– 16 040 000
IT platform
and other IT-
related costs
EU level
Recurrent/On
e-off
EU Commission EUR 6 722 056 – 6 804 539
EUR 1 906 255
– 1 947 497
National
level
Recurrent/
National public
authorities (for
maintenance of
interoperability
of their systems)
EUR 2 672 400 – 4 175 625
EUR 348 075 –
543 867
Total costs*
For EU Commission:
EUR 8 787
528 – 9 402
269
EUR 8 787
528 – 9 402
269
EUR 7 332 755
– 7 947 497
For 11 - 20 Member States participating:
EUR 10 776
200 – 18 127
812
EUR 10 776
200 – 18 127
812
EUR 9 788 075
– 16 583 867
* The Total costs estimation does not include additional costs on national authorities to set up facilitation measures as it is an
optional component.
432
These activities would typically involve a total of 11.5 full-time equivalents (FTEs) across various roles. The allocation includes
2.0 FTEs for Business Analysis, 1.0 FTE for project management, 2.5 FTEs for development, 0.5 FTE for quality assurance, 3.5
FTEs for technical experts, and 2.0 FTEs for testing.
322
Benefits
• Direct benefits
(1) The implementation of PO2 can lead to a number of benefits for both employers and TCNs. As
per PO1, the benefits associated with PO2 are predominantly qualitative and they cannot be
easily quantified. These savings arise primarily from the time saved by both employers and
TCNs at various steps of the international recruitment process. Those time savings can stem from
the provision of information and personalised support offered that can speed up the process by
centralising information, matching and searching tools that can fasten the identification and
selection of potentially suitable candidate. The table below provides an overview of these benefits
at each step of the recruitment process:
Steps Qualitative benefits
Employers
Publishing the
vacancy and
identifying
candidates
Employers would have access to a single platform with a wider pool of candidates from all
third countries. The search and matching tools would significantly reduce the time
required to find potential candidates by allowing employers to search based on specific
criteria and being matched accordingly. This feature will be especially beneficial for SMEs
as they often lack resources to go through a recruitment process involving a high number of
applicants. In addition, personalised support will be available to employers during the
matching process, further reducing time and resources needed.
Screening
candidates
The standardised use of EUROPASS format by candidates when registering their profiles
would streamline the information presented in CVs, making it easier for employers to scan
relevant profiles and identify the right skills, thereby saving time. Pre-screening for
profile completeness and for profiles relevant to the sectors/occupations of strategic
importance will reduce the time needed for employers to screen applications and would
ensure better quality of available candidates’ profiles.
Validating and
recognition of
skills and
qualifications
The integration of information on recognition procedures as well the personalised
support provided by the NCPs, would improve the understanding of candidates’ skills and
qualifications as well as facilitate access to validation and recognition procedures (thereby
saving additional time). This is particularly advantageous for SMEs, which may not have in-
house departments to assess and verify credentials.
Obtaining
visa/permits
The integration of information on immigration procedures would save employers time
otherwise spent searching for relevant details online or seeking assistance from third-party
services.
TCNs
Finding
opportunities
TCNs will have access to a single platform that provides comprehensive job opportunities in
EU Member States, significantly reducing the time required for job searching. The
standardised use of EUROPASS format together with search and matching tools and
personalised support would reduce the time required to TCNs for identifying suitable
job opportunities. In addition, it would avoid the risk of mismatches and
overqualification.
Recognition and
validation
procedures
Same as for employers.
Obtaining
visa/permits
Same as for employers.
Completing post- Information provision on work and living conditions in EU Member States, coupled with the
support provided by NCPs, will facilitate the integration of TCNs into the local labour
323
arrival process market and society. Moreover, specific support will be available to ensure the integration
and well-being of the migrant worker’s family.
With regards to cost savings resulting from this PO, employers would benefit from costs savings
linked to the publication of job vacancies via social media and job boards. Therefore, employers
could save up to EUR 150-400 per vacancy433
, reducing the cost of recruiting international
workers from an upper-bound of EUR 2 500 to around EUR 2 100-2 350 per vacancy, by
lowering costs associated with the publishing of vacancies. This would result in around EUR 74
500 000 – 77 700 000 total savings across EU employers434.
Additional time savings are envisaged in case facilitation measures aimed at streamlining the
immigration and recruitment procedures are put in place by the Member States (e.g. fast-track
immigration and recruitment procedure, exclusion from the labour market test (LMT), etc.).
However, under PO2 the possibility to introduce such measures is left to the Member States
discretion. The table below shows the additional potential time savings for employers and TCNs
deriving from the introduction of facilitation measures by the participating Member States:
433
This estimation is based on the average cost of job boards and social media. The cost of publishing a job on recruitment
platforms can vary depending on the platform and the specific features and options chosen. Most platforms offer the
possibility to publish the job post for free, while allowing employers to pay a fee for broader visibility or additional
promotional features. Fees are normally on a pay-per-click basis, meaning that employers pay each time a job seeker
clicks on their job post. A daily budget is normally set by the employer, after which the platform will stop displaying the
listing. This implies that costs vary depending on wide range of variables including e.g. the size and turnover of the
company, the level of the position being advertised, the industry in which the company operates in, the general
recruitment strategy of the employer. However, assuming a daily budget of EUR 5-13, and considering that job
advertisements typically stay active for 30 days, the total estimated cost ranges between EUR 150-400 per vacancy. The
assumption of a EUR 5-13 daily budget will result in around 115 clicks (as the average cost per click is around EUR 1.3)
after 30 days. Assuming that only half of those will actually submit the application, a receipt of 50-60 CVs is in line with
inputs provided by recruitment agencies and employers during consultation activities.
434
As per above, this range is estimated according to whether 11 or 20 Member States are joining the initiative.
Steps Current costs Relevant measure(s)
of PO2
Cost-savings
Monetary Time
Conducting
labour market
tests
(employers)
n/a 3-4 weeks on
average per vacancy
Possibility to skip the
LMT as part of
facilitation measures
3-4 weeks when deciding to skip
LMT, otherwise no impact.
Recognition of
skills and
qualifications
(employers and
TCNs)
n/a Normal procedure:
52 days per
application
Fast track
procedure: 26 days
per application
Possibility to activate
fast-track procedures
as part of facilitation
measures
26 days for recognition procedures
per application
Obtaining
visa/permits
(employers and
TCNs)
n/a Normal procedures:
9 weeks
Fast track
procedures: 3 weeks
Possibility to activate
fast track procedures
as part of facilitation
measures
6 weeks for immigration procedures
per application
Total time saving: 2-3 months for each recruitment process
324
Qualitative benefits. Besides quantifiable cost-savings, the measures associated with PO2 can also
result in a number of qualitative benefits. Those are described in the table below. While difficult
to quantify, those qualitative benefit can also result in additional savings for employers and TCNs.
Opportunity costs
While accounting cost-savings may be limited as only linked with employers’ savings from
avoiding to the publication of job vacancies via social media and job boards (EUR 150-400 per
vacancy), the EU Talent Pool could have relatively stronger financial impact in terms of
opportunity costs.
As mentioned above, the standard international recruitment process typically takes around 6
months. However, the process via the Talent Pool could cut down time to 3,5 months.435
In this
context, opportunity costs can be calculated for TCNs (in terms of lost wages) and employers
(in terms of lost revenue) when conducting international recruitment with and without the use of
the Talent Pool. The difference between the two will give the cost-savings associated with using
the Talent Pool.
For TCNs, the average wage in Europe is estimated to be around EUR 1 500 per month.436
Under
the standard recruitment process, TCNs would experience a loss in wages of approximately EUR
9 000 during the 6-month period. In contrast, by using the Talent Pool and opting for facilitation
procedures, the loss in wages would decrease to around 5 250 EUR. The difference of EUR 3 750
per TCN represented the cost-savings associated with using the Talent Pool instead of standard
procedures. Considering that 271 000 – 282 500 successful matches are expected under this PO,
the maximum total gain in wages would reach around EUR 1 044 065 000 – 1 088 370 000.
The same reasoning can be applied to EU employers in terms of lost revenue. To estimate the
average revenue per worker for employers, we take the average wage and multiply it by three,
following the standard approaches to measuring the cost of a vacancy.437
The total revenue loss
for international recruitment without the Talent Pool is around EUR 28 000 per employer.
However, when using the Talent Pool, this amount is reduced to around EUR 16 000, resulting in
a turnover gain of EUR 11 500 per employer. Considering the expected number of vacancies that
will be filled, the total revenue gain from PO2 is of around EUR 3 132 195 000 – 3 265 111 000
across all employers.
• Indirect benefits
As mentioned above the following indirect benefits are estimated under this PO. A range of
benefits is provided depending on the number of Member States participating (11 or 20).
Indirect benefit Estimated value
Increase in GDP (benefit for EU) EUR 3.855-4.255 billion
435
The time needed to recruit could be even smaller if considering qualitative benefits, however the latter cannot be
quantified.
436
Eurostat, survey of income and living conditions (SILC), Median equivalised net income in purchasing power parity,
customised extraction.
437
DJS, Cost of Vacancy Formulas for Recruiting and Retention Managers, available at:
https://drjohnsullivan.com/uncategorized/cost-of-vacancy-formulas-for-recruiting-and-retention-managers/
325
Increase in fiscal contribution (benefit for EU) EUR 918-957 million
Increase in remittances (benefit for third countries) EUR 712-748 million
326
Cost-benefits comparison438
EU / EU Commission National Authorities Employers TCNs / third countries
Estimate Comment Estimate Comment Estimate Comment Estimate Comment
Direct
costs
R: EUR 7 332
755 – 7 947
497
O: EUR 6
722 056 – 6
804 539
R: includes
staff costs
and budget
for
operational
activities, and
IT costs for
maintenance,
and additional
features
implementati
on costs
O: includes
IT
development
costs
R: EUR 9 788
075 – 16 583
867
O: EUR 2
672 400 – 4
175 625
R: includes
staff costs (to
be covered by
AMIF) and
budget for
operational
activities and
maintenance
costs related
to Member
States’
integration
O: includes
IT
development
costs
n/a No significant
costs were
identified.
n/a No significant
costs were
identified.
Indirect
costs
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were
identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were
identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were
identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were
identified.
Direct n/a No direct n/a No direct R: EUR 3 206 Cost-savings R: EUR 1 044 Opportunity
438
“R” refers to recurrent, while “O” refers to one-off costs.”n/a” indicates that the cost or benefit for that stakeholder group could not be quantified and
is only assessed qualitatively or that no significant costs/benefits were identified.
327
benefits benefits are
identified for
EU
Commission.
Benefits for
the EU as a
whole are
indirect.
benefits are
identified for
National
Authorities.
695 000 – 3
342 811 000
on publishing
the vacancy
for all
employers
plus
opportunity
cost savings.
The latter
refers to the
additional
turnover
thanks to the
time saved
when
recruiting via
the Talent
Pool.
065 000 – 1
088 370 000
cost savings
in terms of
additional
wages thanks
to the time
saved when
finding a job
via the Talent
Pool.
n/a Employers
would benefit
from the
wider pool of
candidates
accessible via
a centralised
platform. The
search and
matching
tool, pre-
screening,
information
provision,
standardisatio
n/a TCNs would
benefit from
having access
to a single
platform
reducing the
time needed
to identify
suitable job
opportunities.
Additional
time savings
will come
from search
and matching
328
n of templates
(e.g.,
EUROPASS
CV) and
personalised
support will
all reduce the
time required
to find a
suitable
candidate
abroad and
ensure a best
match
between job
requirements
and candidate
profile.
tools,
information
provision and
personalised
support
available.
Those
features will
also smooth
post-arrival
integration.
Indirect
benefits
R: EUR
3.855-4.255
billion
(increase in
GDP);
R: EUR 918-
957 million
(increase in
fiscal
contribution);
Benefits for
the EU as a
whole entail
an increase in
GDP and in
fiscal
contribution.
n/a No indirect
benefits were
identified for
National
Authorities
n/a No indirect
benefits were
identified for
employers.
R: EUR 712-
748 million
(increase in
remittances)
Benefits for
third
countries
entail an
increase in
remittances.
329
2.3 Developing an EU Talent Pool as a fully demand-driven tool (legislative option)
The governance at EU level envisaged under PO3 is equivalent to PO2. Therefore, for a detailed
description of the assessment of these costs see Section 2.2. above.
With regard to the national governance additional National Contact Points (in comparison with
PO2) are foreseen due to its open nature and, hence, the expected higher number of employers and
TCNs using the platform. As no specific link with Talent Partnerships is foreseen under this PO,
the setting up of Liaison Officers is not included in the assessment below. (For more details see
Annex 9).
The table below provides an overview of the associated costs. As before, costs have been
estimated according to the take up of the initiative across Member States. At the national level,
ranges are provided for aggregated staff FTEs and budget according to whether 11 or 20 Member
States are assumed to participate in the initiative by 2030. For EU level costs, a similar range is
provided for horizontal coordination and training budgets as those depend on the number of NCPs
assumed. Those costs where a range is not provided do not depend on the take up of the initiative
among Member States.
Governance costs
Governance costs (staff and other costs)
Type of costs Costs at EU level Costs at national level
Staff EU Talent Pool Secretariat
(13 FTEs, including one
business manager responsible
for the IT platform
coordination)
EUR 1 903 000
National Contact Points439
(5 FTEs per Member
State: 55 – 100 FTEs per 11 – 20 Member
States assumed participating) (to be covered by
AMIF)
EUR 17 600 000 – 32 000 000
Other activities Horizontal coordination
EUR 97 000 - 176 000
Training
EUR 970 600 – 1 765 000
Communication
EUR 1 500 000
Translation
EUR 1 300 000
Online information
provision
EUR 1 057 000
439
Estimates are based on the costs associated with current EURES NCPs and adjusted by the expected number of expected
successful matches under the policy option. Information on current EURES NCPs costs and FTEs come from the ad-hoc
survey to NCOs conducted by the contractor, triangulated with the EURES ex-post evaluation.
330
Mandatory facilitation
measures
Additional costs for Member States to set up
facilitation measures
Fast-track immigration procedures:
EUR 47 430 000 – 50 320 000
Fast-track recognition procedures:
EUR 16 740 000 – 17 760 000
Annual total governance
costs (recurrent)
EUR 6 827 600 – 7 700 000 EUR 81 770 000 – 100 000 000
[additional costs for facilitation measures
included as mandatory for MS]
The roles and responsibilities evisaged for the governance at EU and national level as well as
other costs mentioned in the table above, including online information provision and facilitation
measures are explained in detailed under Section 2.2. While under PO2 the facilitation measures
are foreseen as optional, those facilitation measures are mandatory for the Member States
participating and therefore, they are included in the total governance costs at national level.
IT costs
Under this option, the IT platform and functioning of the EU Talent Pool would involve the
development of a completely new IT solution with relevant functionalities tailored to its purpose.
This option includes creating a new automatic matching tool without reusing components from
EURES.
PO3 envisages higher development costs compared to PO2 as the re-use of EURES IT
components is not foreseen (therefore, the new development of off all IT components is would be
required) and more advanced functionalities are foreseen (See Annex 9 for a detailed
description).440
Administration costs encompass activities directly related to managing and maintaining the IT
systems and infrastructure supporting the EU Talent Pool. These costs primarily consist of
recurring development expenses, including the need IT staff to implement additional features that
may be necessary in the years following the initial development phase. Consequently,
administration costs are estimated to be higher for PO3.
An overview of the estimated IT costs it provided below. As one-off costs (development and
infrastructure for Y1 and Y2) and recurrent costs (maintenance, infrastructure onwards Y3 and
additional features implementation) are foreseen, the estimation of costs is provided over a 10
year period.
Similar to PO2, several cost elements will depend on the participation of Member States:
440
In addition to development and maintenance costs, PO3 also entails higher infrastructure costs because it lacks
mutualisation with EURES. Hosting costs rise as well, owing to the increased number of CVs and job vacancies.
331
• At national level, the development costs required to integrate national systems into the EU
Talent Pool (exchange system), as well as the costs associated with its maintenance,
• At EU level, the infrastructure costs associated with fluctuating numbers of CVs and job
offers.
PO 3
Total
0ver ten
years
Y1-Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5 Y6 Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10
Development
€15,897
,975 -
€20,256
,225
€15,897
,975 -
€20,256
,225
EUROPASS
adaptation and
integration
€224,99
9
€224,99
9
TCN CVs' DB
creation
€374,99
9
€374,99
9
Job vacancies'
DB creation
€899,99
9
€899,99
9
Search/matchin
g engine
integration
€749,99
9
€749,99
9
Employer
registration –
Direct
registration
without
screening
€449,99
9
€449,99
9
Core system
€5,249,
983
€5,249,
983
Integration of
EU Talent
Platform with
other systems
€199,99
7
€199,99
7
Member States
integration
€7,748,
000 -
€12,106
,250
€7,748,
000 -
€12,106
,250
- - - - - - - -
Operations
(maintenance)
€16,692
,874 -
€21,269
,036
€0 €2,384,
696 -
€3,038,
434
€2,384,
696 -
€3,038,
434
€1,987,
247 -
€2,532,
028
€1,987,
247 -
€2,532,
028
€1,987,
247 -
€2,532,
028
€1,987,
247 -
€2,532,
028
€1,987,
247 -
€2,532,
028
€1,987,
247 -
€2,532,
028
Contractor
operations for
baseline
€8,557,
474
€0 €1,222,
496
€1,222,
496
€1,018,
747
€1,018,
747
€1,018,
747
€1,018,
747
€1,018,
747
€1,018,
747
Member States
integration
operations
€8,135,
400 -
€12,711
,563
€0 €1,162,
200 -
€1,815,
938
€1,162,
200 -
€1,815,
938
€968,50
0 -
€1,513,
281
€968,50
0 -
€1,513,
281
€968,50
0 -
€1,513,
281
€968,50
0 -
€1,513,
281
€968,50
0 -
€1,513,
281
€968,50
0 -
€1,513,
281
Infrastructure
€10,627
,171 -
€12,486
€2,125,
434 -
€2,497,
€1,062,
717 -
€1,248,
€1,062,
717 -
€1,248,
€1,062,
717-
€1,248,
€1,062,
717-
€1,248,
€1,062,
717-
€1,248,
€1,062,
717-
€1,248,
€1,062,
717-
€1,248,
€1,062,
717-
€1,248,
332
,341 268 634 634 634 634 634 634 634 634
Additional
features
implementatio
n441
€11,440
,000
€0 €2,860,
000
€2,860,
000
€953,33
3
€953,33
3
€953,33
3
€953,33
3
€953,33
3
€953,33
3
Total Cost for
EU Talent
Pool
€54,658
,020-
€65,451
,602
€18,023
,409 -
€22,753
,493
€6,307,
413 -
€7,147,
068
€6,307,
413 -
€7,147,
068
€4,003,
297 -
€4,733,
996
€4,003,
297 -
€4,733,
996
€4,003,
297 -
€4,733,
996
€4,003,
297 -
€4,733,
996
€4,003,
297 -
€4,733,
996
€4,003,
297 -
€4,733,
996
Total estimation of costs
Category
Sub
category
Type of
cost
Stakeholders
bearing the
cost
Associated costs (EUR)
[For 11 – 20 Member States participating]
Y1 Y2
Each
subsequent
year
Governance
and other non-
IT-related costs
EU level Recurrent
EU
Commission
€6,827,600 –
€7,700,000
€6,827,600 –
€7,700,000
€6,827,600 –
€7,700,000
National
level
Recurrent
National
public
authorities
(from AMIF)
€81,770,000 –
€100,000,000
€81,770,000
–
€100,000,000
€81,770,000 –
€100,000,000
IT platform and
other IT-related
costs
EU Level
Recurrent/
One-off
EU
Commission
€10,275,409 – €10,647,243
€3,562,401 –
€3,748,318
National
level
Recurrent/
National
public
authorities (for
maintenance
of the
interoparabilit
y of their
systems)
€7,748,000 – €12,106,250
1,016,925€ -
1,588,945€
Total costs*
For EU Commission:
€11,965,304 –
€13,023,621
€11 965 304
– €13 023
621
€10,390,001 –
€11,448,318
For 11-20 Member States participating:
€85,644,000 –
€106,053,125
€85,644,000
–
€106,053,125
€82,786,925 –
€101,588,945
441
These activities would typically involve a total of 20 full-time equivalents (FTEs) across various roles. The allocation includes
4.0 FTEs for Business Analysis, 1.0 FTE for project management, 4.0 FTEs for development, 1.0 FTE for quality assurance, 6.0
FTEs for technical experts, and 4.0 FTEs for testing.
333
Benefits
• Direct benefits
PO3 would lead to the same qualitative benefits of PO2 (see table above). Similarly, cost saving
for employers would be the same as those foreseen under PO2 (EUR 150-400 per vacancy)
reducing the cost of recruiting international workers from an upper-bound of EUR 2 500 to around
EUR 2 100-2 350 per vacancy. This results in around EUR 76 725 000 – 81 400 000 total savings
across EU employers442
.
However, under this PO Member States would be mandatorily required to introduce measures
aimed at fastening immigration and recognition procedures (e.g. fast-track immigration and
recruitment procedure, exclusion from the labour market test (LMT), etc.). Therefore, while under
PO2 time savings resulting from such measures would depend on whether Member States decide
to set up faster procedures, under this PO all job placements taking place in the EU Talent Pool
would benefit from these facilitation measures, therefore, entailing a reduction of 2-3 months for
each recruitment process.
Opportunity costs
As per PO2, opportunity costs can be calculated in the context of PO3, assuming that the standard
international recruitment process typically lasts around 6 months and the process via the Talent
Pool approximately 3.5 months.
For TCNs, the average wage in Europe is estimated to be around EUR 1 500 per month.443
Under
the standard recruitment process, TCNs would experience a loss in wages of approximately EUR
9 000 during the 6-month period. In contrast, by using the Talent Pool and opting for facilitation
procedures, the loss in wages would decrease to around 5 250 EUR. The difference of EUR 3 750
per TCN represented the cost-savings associated with using the Talent Pool instead of standard
procedures. Considering that 279 000 – 296 000 successful matches are expected under this PO,
the maximum total gain in wages would reach around EUR 1 074 886 000 – 1 140 380 000.
The same reasoning can be applied to EU employers in terms of lost revenue. To estimate the
average revenue per worker for employers, we take the average wage and multiply it by three,
following the standard approaches to measuring the cost of a vacancy.444
The total revenue loss
for international recruitment without the Talent Pool is around EUR 28 000 per employer.
However, when using the Talent Pool, this amount is reduced to around EUR 16 000, resulting in
a turnover gain of EUR 11 500 per employer. Considering the expected number of vacancies that
will be filled, the total revenue gain is of around EUR 3 224 658 000 – 3 421 143 000.
• Indirect benefits
As mentioned above the following indirect benefits are estimated under this PO. A range of
benefits is provided depending on the number of Member States participating (11 or 20).
442
As per above, this range is estimated according to whether 11 or 20 Member States are joining the initiative.
443
Eurostat, survey of income and living conditions (SILC), Median equivalised net income in purchasing power parity,
customised extraction.
444 DJS, Cost of Vacancy Formular for Recruiting and Retention Managers, available at:
https://drjohnsullivan.com/uncategorized/cost-of-vacancy-formulas-for-recruiting-and-retention-managers/
334
Indirect benefit Estimated value
Increase in GDP (benefit for EU) EUR 3.968-4.458 billion
Increase in fiscal contribution (benefit for EU) EUR 945 million – 1 billion
Increase in remittances (benefit for third countries) EUR 739-784 million
335
Cost-benefits comparison445
EU / EU Commission National Authorities Employers TCNs / third countries
Estimate Comment Estimate Comment Estimate Comment Estimate Comment
Direct costs R: EUR 10 390
001 – 11 448
318
O: EUR 10 275
409 – 10 647
243
R: includes staff
costs and budget
for operational
activities and IT
maintenance,
infrastructure
and additional
features
implementation
costs
O: includes IT
development
costs
R: EUR 81 876
178
O: EUR 7 748
000 – 12 106
250
R: includes staff
costs (to be
covered by
AMIF) and
budget for
operational
activities
O: includes IT
development
costs
n/a No significant
costs were
identified.
n/a No significant
costs were
identified.
Indirect
costs
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
n/a No significant
indirect costs
were identified.
Direct
benefits
n/a No direct
benefits are
identified for EU
Commission.
Benefits for EU
as a whole are
indirect.
n/a No direct
benefits are
identified for
National
Authorities.
R: EUR 3 301
383 000 – 3 502
543 000
Cost-savings on
publishing the
vacancy for all
employers plus
opportunity cost
savings. The
latter refers to
the additional
turnover thanks
to the time saved
when recruiting
via the Talent
R: EUR 1 074
886 000 – 1 140
380 000
Opportunity cost
savings in terms
of additional
wages thanks to
the time saved
when finding a
job via the
Talent Pool.
445
336
Pool.
n/a Qualitative
benefits under
PO2 apply.
n/a Qualitative
benefits under
PO2 apply.
Indirect
benefits
R: EUR 3.968-
4.458 billion
(increase in
GDP);
R: EUR 945
million – 1
billion (increase
in fiscal
contribution);
Benefits for the
EU as a whole
entail an
increase in GDP
and in fiscal
contribution.
n/a No indirect
benefits were
identified for
National
Authorities
n/a No indirect
benefits were
identified for
employers.
R: EUR 739-784
million (increase
in remittances)
Benefits for
third countries
entail an
increase in
remittances.
337
ANNEX 11
SME TEST
The EU Talent Pool is highly relevant for SMEs, as the “availability of skilled staff or
experienced managers” was the most important issue faced by SMEs in 2022446
. An initiative such
as the EU Talent Pool, helping EU employers to identify much needed talent and skills for their
business from outside the EU, is going to benefit SMEs much more than large companies, who
can resort to international recruitment independently either with their own Human Resource
Department or using an external agency to proceed to identify and hire TCN workers. Moreover,
SMEs are also less able, in general, to compare and evaluate foreign country diplomas and
qualifications of candidates from outside the EU and to assess opportunities beyond their
immediate circle or contacts, to find new employees or to replace old workers who leave. This is
particularly relevant for start-ups who are growing fast and need to expand their workforce. SMEs
are also less likely to post an on-line vacancy for international recruitment without help or
assistance from a service provider.
1. Identification of affected businesses
SMEs are the backbone of the EU economy. In 2022, there were approximately 24.300.000
companies in the EU. Only 0,2% of them - 43112, had more than 250 employees. Always in 2022,
99,8% of companies were SMEs, accounting approximately for two thirds of employment in the
EU: 84.9 million of employees447
. In terms of employment, micro enterprises account for a greater
share of total SME employment than small SMEs (30%), and small SMEs account for more
employment than medium-sized SMEs (24%). Since early 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic,
the 24 million EU-27 SMEs have faced unprecedented economic uncertainty and turmoil.
Moreover, through part of 2021 and 2022, SMEs experienced difficulties in hiring new staff to
meet an unexpectedly strong rebound in demand448
.
The different Policy options under the EU Talent Pool, therefore, are likely to benefit more SMES
than large companies, to provide a helpful assistance and structured platform for recruiting skilled
staff at all levels.
2. Consultation of SME stakeholders
2.1 SME stakeholders provided feedback to the Impact Assessment and participated in the
open public consultation through EU-level organisation such as SMEunited;
2.2 And direct consultation of individual enterprises: 3 companies out of 82 business involved
in stakeholders’ consultation.
3. Measurement of the impact on SMEs
The different measures have been found to have the following impacts on SMEs:
446
Annual Report on European SMEs, 2022/2023, SAFE Survey conducted in the period of 7 September to 26 October
2022, p. 30.
447
SME performance Report 2023, SME Performance Review (europa.eu) Calculations of the JRC based on Eurostat
Structural Business Statistics, Short-Term Business Statistics and National Accounts Database.
448
Annual Report on European SMEs, 2022/2023, pp. 13.
338
Baseline Scenario
The baseline scenario is not conducive to improving the conditions for international recruitment
from EU SMEs. The projections for 2023 paint a challenging picture for SMEs in the EU. It is
expected that inflation-adjusted SME value added in the NFBS will decrease by 1.2%, while SME
employment is projected to fall by 0.2%. These forecasts reflect a difficult environment for SMEs
in the near future449
.
Non Legislative measures
Given that the practical measures are largely raising from the current situation, SMEs could
participate where they deem the measures to be cost-effective in view of their individual business
model, economic conditions specific to their sector and other factors. The economic impact of the
practical measures contained in PO1, however, is likely to be negligible for SMEs, as there is no
dedicated and specialized support and assistance for the recruitment needs of SMEs.
Legislative measures
All the legislative options (PO2 and PO3) would have a positive impact on SMEs. SMEs are
likely to benefit disproportionately more than larger companies from standardised processes,
improved feedback mechanisms and dedicated communication channels as well as practical
support in the form of assistance and support for international recruitment.
Legislative measures (PO2 and PO3) would provide greater legal certainty for SMEs in terms of
data protection who wish to engage through the EU Talent Pool.
PO2 and PO3 are both contributing to ensure a level-playing field with larger companies as many
measures will alleviate some costs associated to international recruitment for SMEs. Indeed, the
two legislative options are expected to have stronger positive impacts on SMEs, in respect of
PO1. However, PO2 with its targeted and focused approach is going to have a more concentrated
sectoral impact, benefitting SMEs in occupations of EU and national relevance.
This is mainly due to the higher added value of the search and matching tools offered, as
substantiated by the figure below. In particular, for SMEs the value of automatic (under PO3) and
semi-automatic (under PO2) tools is greater relative to large firms. Similarly, a greater benefit for
SMEs is that only candidates with relevant profiles can apply to the vacancy. Searching for and
screening candidates from third countries typically involve significant costs, which are often
difficult for SMEs to bear. The ability to access a list of profiles, especially if they have been pre-
screened under PO2, would be of great benefit to SMEs, by reducing the search costs and
providing a streamlined and efficient process for identifying suitable candidates. In general, SMEs
more likely to lack the in-house expertise and resources required to compare and assess
applications from third country nationals, and resources, which are more commonly available to
multinational corporations. However, the importance of supporting procedures is high among both
clusters of firms, thereby leaning towards stronger preference for PO2.
449
Annual Report on European SMEs, 2022/2023, pp. 50-53.
339
Figure 1: Extent to which following features would change the likelihood of registering on the platform, mean by firm
size
Source: Contractor survey on EU employers.
Note: Range goes from 1 [strongly decrease it] to 7 [strongly increase it] with 4 being representing no effect.
The results from the employers’ survey are also reflected in the outcomes of the broader
stakeholders’ survey results (see figure below).
Figure 2: Impact of the different policy options on SMEs in EU Member States according to survey respondents
Source: Contractor survey on a broad range of stakeholder groups.
The implementation of the EU Talent Pool is expected to benefit hiring practices of SMEs by
giving them access to a wider pool of jobseekers and creating a critical mass of employees. Large
companies already enjoy relatively easier access to international talent due to their well-developed
human resources departments and subsidiaries and branches in third countries. Conversely, SMEs
4.40 4.60 4.80 5.00 5.20 5.40 5.60 5.80 6.00 6.20
Sharing of job postings between the EU Talent Pool and national job portals
Only candidates with required profiles can apply to your job postings (e.g.
qualifications, language proficiency...)
Candidates self-declare that the information they provide in their profiles is
correct and accurate
Candidates are required to submit supporting documents during the profile
creation
Authenticity and correctness of supporting documents submitted by the
candidate is verified by an external validator
A semi-automatic matching tool provides a shortlist of candidates who match job
requirements (structured data)
An automatic matching tool provides a ranked shortlist of candidates, also
processing CVs and documents (unstructured data)
Fast-track administrative procedures for selected candidates
Quality checks of employers when registering (legal compliance, bankruptcy)
Large firms SMEs
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
PO1a PO1b PO1c PO2 PO3
-3 [negative impact] -2 -1 0 [no impact] 1 2 3 [positive impact] Don't know
340
often face higher barriers to entry due to the increased transaction costs and risks associated with
international recruitment. It is not possible to quantify further these perceived benefits since they
would depend on the level and intensity of international recruitment to which the SMEs would
engage into. This depends on the sector as well as their business model and the size of the
company. Given that the success of SMEs as companies is often strongly related to their degree of
legitimacy as perceived by their local community, the acceptance of migrant workers by SMEs is
found to be driven by owner-managerial values, as well as the perceived skill level and necessity
of migrant labour.450
Similarly, research shows that the career experience of migrant SME owner-
managers influence their behaviour in recruiting and retaining international staff: a more positive
experience is likely to encourage foreign-born SME owners to also recruit internationally.451
By 2023, SMEs are expected to have recovered to their 2019 employment level, or to have
surpassed it in six industries: ‘water supply, sewerage, waste management, remediation sctivities’,
‘electricity, gas, steam, air conditioning supply’, ‘construction, informationa and communication’,
‘real estate activities’ and ‘professional, scientific and technical activities’. It is important to note
that, because SME value added is measured in current prices, the sharp increases in commodity
and raw materials prices in 2022 are projected to boost the growth of value added in the mining
sector from 2019 to 2023, even if employment in the industry is expected to remain slightly lower
in 2023 than in 2019. The largest increases in SME employment are expected in two industries
which are also forecast to experience strong information and communication (111%) and
construction (107%) of its 2019 level. The number of SMEs is expected to be lower in 2023 than
in 2019 in only one industry electricity, gas, steam and air condition supply 98% of its 2019
level). Among all the remaining industries in which the number of SMEs is expected to be greater
in 2023 than in 2019, the increase in SMEs is expected to be 115%).452
However, it appears from the literature that while facilitated access to a TCNs labour pool may be
expected to allow SMEs to recruit workers at a lower cost, the literature suggests several
additional benefits of attracting TCNs as migrant workers and possibly becoming self-employed
themselves later on. For instance, employed third-country migrants are on average more likely to
start a new business than natives, creating between 1.4 and 2.1 additional jobs in OECD countries
(slightly less than their native counterparts, who create 1-8-2.8).453
This is a growing trend: figures
for 2020 show that around 11% of the self-employed people in the EU are TCNs, an increase of
5% increase from 2011.454
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the European Union are encountering
significant challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled staff. A recently released Flash
Eurobarometer455
sheds light on the demands and obstacles faced by SMEs in relation to their
450
Lähdesmäki, Merja and Suutari, Timo, 'Good workers, good firms? Rural SMEs legitimising immigrant workforce',
Journal of Rural Studies, Vol. 77, 2020, pp. 1-10.
451
Crowley-Henry, Marian, O'Connor, Edward P and Suarez-Bilbao, Blanca, 'What goes around comes around. Exploring
how skilled migrant founder–managers of SMEs recruit and retain international talent', Journal of Global Mobility: The
Home of Expatriate Management Research, Vol. 9, 2, 2021, pp. 145-165.
452
SME Performance Review 2022/2023, p. 40.
453
OECD, Migrant Entrepreneurship in OECD Countries, International Migration Outlook, 2011.
454
OECD, The Missing Entrepreneurs 2021 : Policies for Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment, 2021.
455 European Commission, Flash Eurobarometer 529: European Year of Skills: Skills shortages, recruitment and retention
strategies in small and medium-sized enterprises, 2023. The number of SMEs respondents is around 13 000 SMEs.
341
recruitment and retention efforts. The survey underscores the crucial role skilled workers play in
the success of SMEs in Europe, with a staggering 95% of all SMEs expressing that having
employees with the appropriate skills is of paramount importance to their business model.
Specifically, 82% find it "very important," while 13% consider it "moderately important."
However, three-quarters (74%) of SMEs in Europe currently struggle with concrete skills
shortages for at least one job role within their organisation. This pressing issue was also
acknowledged by President Von Der Leyen in her 2023 State of the Union Address, where she
highlighted examples such as hospitals delaying treatments due to a shortage of nurses and two-
thirds of European companies desperately seeking IT specialists without success.456
This situation
hampers the overall business activities of nearly two thirds (63%) of companies. Furthermore,
nearly half of them (45%) also report hindrances in their efforts to embrace or use digital
technologies, and four in ten (39%) face challenges in transitioning to more environmentally
sustainable business practices.
Facilitating access to a larger pool of jobseekers is likely to alleviate the challenges faced by
SMEs when it comes to international recruitment and identifying suitable candidates, thereby
allowing SMEs to broader their search for skilled professionals beyond local borders. As reported
by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in its latest Annual Report on
European SMEs, hiring new skilled staff is one of the four major obstacles for SME employers.457
Research shows that the more difficult it is for enterprises to find skilled labour, the more often
SME employers recruit skilled workers from abroad: a 2017 study from Germany shows that
while only 11% of SMEs targeted their hiring efforts at third-country nationals in the past five
years, that proportion was expected to more than double (24%) over the following five years.458
Research however indicates that SME employers may lack awareness and training in managing
diversity. This may lead to the (unintentional) adoption of practices and policies which make it
more difficult for foreign workers to integrate into the workforce; this is particularly the case for
employees who originate from countries outside the EU and whose cultural distance is higher.459
Moreover, from a practical perspective, SMEs may face difficulty in accommodating workers who
speak their language poorly, especially in countries with limited or no recruitment basin outside
their territory of candidates mastering the official language of the concerned country.460
456
The speech can be consulted here : https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/ov/speech_23_4426
457
Di Bella, L., Katsinis, A., Lagüera-González, J., SME Performance Review 2022/2023, 2023, ISBN 978-92-9469-591-8,
doi: 10.2826/69827.
458
Arne Leifels and Michael Schwartz (2017). Foreign workers in German SMEs: Focus on Economics, a strong plea for
free labour markets. KfW Research, No. 154 https://www.kfw.de/About-KfW/Newsroom/Latest-News/News-
Details_394113.html
459
Suban, R., & Zammit, D. E. (2019). Promoting the integration of third-country nationals through the labour market :
combating discrimination in employment : the case of third-country nationals in Malta. Mediterranean Human Rights
Review, 1, 98-117.
460
Ramasamy, S. (2016), “The Role of Employers and Employer Engagement in Labour Migration from Third Countries to
the EU”, OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 178, OECD Publishing, Paris.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jlwxc0366xr-en