Labour migration is increasingly recognised as a key strategy to tackle persistent labour shortages across EMN Member and Observer Countries, driven by challenges in recruitment, demographic changes, economic transitions and the lingering impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
EMN Member Countries also highlighted challenges and risks associated with labour migration such as recruiting over-qualified foreigners, language and cultural integration hurdles, heightened risks of exploitation, poor working and living conditions and added pressure on housing and public services.
Across EMN Member Countries labour shortages are often defined as an imbalance between vacancies and available workers - assessed through quantitative metrics and qualitative evaluations of skills mismatches. Extensive legal and policy reforms have been implemented since 2021. Many EMN Member Countries combine demand-driven with mixed approaches and have implemented practical changes including digitalisation and fast track procedures to better align migration with labour market needs.
National practices for attracting and recruiting foreign talent predominantly rely on initiatives led by employers and private recruitment agencies, which include bilateral agreements, quality-assurance measures and diverse advertising strategies. EMN Member Countries rely, to some extent, on EU initiatives and instruments on labour migration developed since 2021, such as the EU Talent Partnerships as well as the EU-funded projects under the Migration Partnership Facility supporting the implementation of Talent Partnerships.
Scope and aim of the study
This study provides an overview of labour migration laws and policies, as well as initiatives and practices of EMN Member Countries targeting third-country nationals between January 2021 and June 2024. It complements the 2024 EMN inform on ‘New and Innovative Ways to Attract Foreign Talent into the EU’, and explores how EMN Member and Observer Countries and non-EU OECD Countries, use labour migration to address current labour shortages and prevent future ones.
This includes an update on the context, the main countries of origin and crucial labour migration sectors. It also provides an overview of legislative and policy developments, and an analysis of best practices, lessons learned and challenges with regard to labour migration.
The study looks at labour shortages and labour migration at all skill levels and includes all third-country nationals moving to an EMN Member or Observer Country for the purpose of employment.
Full study can be found
here.
Shorter inform can be found
here.
Flash info on the study can be found
here.
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