Labour market performance and migration flows - European ...

Chapter IIIEU Migration Policy towards Arab Mediterranean Countries and its Impact on their Labour MarketsA major watershed in the EU strategy on economic immigration has been the new focus onhighly-skilled migration. Highly-skilled migration has to do not only with the EU’s needs forhighly-skilled migrants, but also with the EC’s attempt to address labour immigration in certainsectorial fields since previous proposals which targeted third-country immigrant labour 153 havenot been received with enthusiasm.In October 2007, re-emphasising the importance of fostering jobs and growth and the contributionof migration to EU economic competitiveness, the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on a EUBlue Card 154 has underlined the importance of highly-qualified employment and the necessity ofattracting highly-skilled migrants in the international competition for skills and talents. 155 Theproposal, which is anchored in the Lisbon Strategy as well as in the broader framework of the EUstrategy on economic immigration, adopts a “needs-based approach”. Its objectives are not only toenhance the EU’s economic competitiveness 156 and optimise the flexibility of labour markets, butto increase the positive impact of highly-skilled migration on developing countries. 1572. Instruments for implementing Global ApproachAfter having reviewed the policy developments in the EU’s labour migration framework andelaborated on the nexus between the latter and the Global Approach to Migration, we will now look atsome specific instruments designed to implement certain aspects of the Global Approach to see howand to what extent they are relevant to the Euro-Arab Mediterranean framework and to fostering asustainable migration partnership between the EU and Arab Mediterranean countries (AMCs). Thissection will particularly address highly-skilled migration and the Blue Card as well as the circularmigration schemes.2.1 Highly-skilled migration and the Blue Card in the Euro-Arab Mediterranean contextThis section will particularly address the Blue Card and its implications for Arab Mediterraneancountries. For this purpose, it will first look at highly-skilled migration in Europe, 158 and its patterns,and will elaborate on the factors that attract highly-skilled employment to the EU. For this purpose, itwill first examine the skill level of AMC migration in Europe, trends, locations and the reasonsbehind the successful attraction of highly-skilled migrants. Then this section will inquire into thepossible match of the labour demand in the North and the labour supply in the South so as tounderstand if the idea of the Blue Card originates from a real need derived from both labour markets inthe origin and host countries. Finally, it will describe the Blue Card’s contents and its variouscharacteristics in order to reach some conclusions as to whether the instrument is suitable andattractive enough to satisfy the need for highly-skilled migration to Europe and whether it will attracthighly-skilled migration from AMCs.153 For instance, the Commission proposed the adoption of a common set up of sanctions against employers recruiting third-country nationals without employment permission in 2007. Yetthis proposal faced strident objections. See Communication (2007) 247.154 The EU blue card is a special work and residence permit that could be acquired by highly-skilled migrants in the EU.155 The entry conditions are a work contract, a relevant travel document, sickness insurance, and for certain professions certain documents proving that the highly-skilled migrant meetslegal prerequisites and qualifications.156 See Memo 07/423, Brussels, 23 October 2007,http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=en&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2007&nu_doc=637.157 In order to avoid the negative effects of skill drain in origin countries, it proposes ethical recruitment procedures, limiting of active recruitment procedures in origin countries afflictedby brain drain, as well as encouraging circular, and thereby return migration.158 It is important to clarify that “highly-skilled” not only refers to the level of education and competences but also to the “actually degree of profit that the immigrant will bring to thereceiving state.” (Carrera 2007, 2).173