Blue card just for Asians or for everyone????????????

[petereliot1]

EU’s new ‘blue card’ scheme for migrants


A great opportunity awaits skilled workers, including engineers, IT experts, MBAs, and legal experts, with the European Union (EU) having devised the Blue Card scheme-- akin to Green Card in the US- to attract workers from outside EU, to work and settle in the member countries. The EU plans to bring an extra 20 million Asian and African workers into the Union in the next two decades.

The plan was unveiled by immigration commissioner Franco Frattini. He explained that the Blue Card, similar to the U.S. green card, would entitle migrants with more than three years' work experience or a university degree to work in a member state under "fast-track" immigration reforms. They would be able to bring in their families after six months.

Frattini described the scheme as a global job advertising blitz to attract engineers, doctors, nurses and IT workers from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Europe's economy has skills gaps caused by a declining, ageing population, but the US is currently a far more attractive destination for many qualified workers. EU hopes to divert the flow by the attractive offer through the Blue Card scheme.

The scheme, HT was told by a senior Brussels officer, is specially directed towards Asia and Africa as " we find that skilled people from these regions tend to go to America and Britain more".

He expects and "hopes" more Indians will qualify as the number of graduates and engineers in India have been coming out of universities in "huge numbers".

There has been an immediate outcry in Britain, because as it is predicted that the population because of the immigrants is slated to rise beyond 70 million. But, this is due to the flow from the European countries, which cannot be stopped under EU migration rules.

Britain has indicated that it would out of the scheme as it is not bound by EU policy on immigration and asylum. But blue card-holders would be allowed to enter the UK by the "back door" because the scheme allows workers and their families to move to a second EU country of their choice after two years. They can also apply to stay permanently after five consecutive years in any EU state.

[ EDIT : by Admin to fit the link better to our forum formatting. ]

link--
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage ... 0a3b2de1df

[johnsienk]

<original post deleted>

[joesoap101]

Well you would expect an Asian bias seeing that its an article from the Hindustan Times.

I remember an article about the proposed green card scheme in Ireland, written for an Indian publication- made it sound as if Indians would be the only group of people eligible.

[archigabe]

The E.U observer also seems to have an 'Indian' bias on the same story...Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's aimed exclusively at Indians or Asians.

EU proposes 'blue card' to attract skilled immigrants
http://euobserver.com/9/25029/?rk=1

the European Commission said the blue card would not be "a blank cheque" to all highly-skilled workers.

In practice, an Indian engineer will be allowed to come to an EU state after presenting a valid work contract or a binding job offer. At first, the work permit will be limited to a maximum two-years stay, followed by the possibility to move to another EU state, so long as there was a valid work contract available.

It will remain an exclusive competence of member states to set specific numbers of economic immigrants entering their territory in order to seek work.

[JAJ]

The E.U observer also seems to have an 'Indian' bias on the same story...Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's aimed exclusively at Indians or Asians.

EU proposes 'blue card' to attract skilled immigrants
http://euobserver.com/9/25029/?rk=1

It is ironic that just as public concern is increasing in the United Kingdom over increased immigration levels, the EU is coming up with new ways to increase the number of immigrants.

[Dawie]

The E.U observer also seems to have an 'Indian' bias on the same story...Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's aimed exclusively at Indians or Asians.

EU proposes 'blue card' to attract skilled immigrants
http://euobserver.com/9/25029/?rk=1

It is ironic that just as public concern is increasing in the United Kingdom over increased immigration levels, the EU is coming up with new ways to increase the number of immigrants.

Unfortunately public concern is misguided and does not take into consideration the economic and demographic realities that justify increased immigration.

As far as I can see public concern mainly revolves around Sun-reading, benefit-scrounging Brits scared they might actually have to go out and do an honest days work if immigrants come and steal their benefits.

[geoffsinclair]

The E.U observer also seems to have an 'Indian' bias on the same story...Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's aimed exclusively at Indians or Asians.

EU proposes 'blue card' to attract skilled immigrants
http://euobserver.com/9/25029/?rk=1

It is ironic that just as public concern is increasing in the United Kingdom over increased immigration levels, the EU is coming up with new ways to increase the number of immigrants.

Unfortunately public concern is misguided and does not take into consideration the economic and demographic realities that justify increased immigration.

As far as I can see public concern mainly revolves around Sun-reading, benefit-scrounging Brits scared they might actually have to go out and do an honest days work if immigrants come and steal their benefits.

It is doubtful that Sun/Daily Mail readers are simply paranoid. New figures show that over 40% of jobs created in the UK over the past 10 years have been filled by foreigners. The UK government has now underestimated their figures by 300,000 http://www.guardian.co.uk/immigration/s ... 86,00.html
It looks likely that restrictions on Romanians' and Bulgarians' access to the UK labour market will continue.

As much as I hate to admit the xenophobes might be right, 40% means that foreigners are taking British jobs - thats how it will be interpreted anyway.

[Administrator]

.

We have been covering this topic regularly. Just in the past two months:

• EU blue card - Developing countries concerned over 'brain drain' - 30 October 2007

• EU Commission President says immigrants 'welcome in the EU' - 25 October 2007

• EU's Franco Frattini to unveil 'blue card' immigration scheme - 23 October 2007

• European Union seeking skilled migrants with 'Blue Card' - 27 September 2007

• Frattini wants barriers to EU immigration torn down - 14 September 2007

• European Union hints at easier immigration rules - 04 September 2007

And we will continue to shamelessly promote it. Our only bias is that we are in favor of an EU Blue Card, and that the information on it should be accurate.

You can subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter by email; nearly every week we cover some aspect of EU immigration news.

http://www.workpermit.com/news/subscribe.htm

the Admin

[avjones]

At the moment the Blue Card isn't for anyone, Asian or otherwise - it's only a proposal, not a scheme which exists.

My personal guess is that it won' t happen, at least in the current proposed form. I think it's a very good idea, but I reckon it'll be veto-ed by one country or another.

[johnsienk]

<original post deleted>

[Dawie]

I suspect that countries like Germany, Austria and France which currently don't even allow the A8 countries to work without a work permit are likely to want to exploit labour from these countries first before signing up to scheme like this.

[sakura]

If the major EU economies opt-out, then what would be the point? It'll fail, right?

Most of the science, technology and engineering jobs are located in these places (meaning the UK, France, Germany) and they have the largest economies/labour markets to absorb the most migrants. Assuming the UK will already opt out, if either France or Germany chooses to, then the blue card will be a no-go, even if some of the other EU countries want it (e.g. Italy, Netherlands or Ireland).

Plus...is it only at the discussion stage, and appears to not be favoured by many?