:: EU immigrant 'blue card' to attract skilled workers unveiled on Oct 23- Frattini
The EU's plan for a 'blue card' for immigrants, to be unveiled on Oct 23, seeks to attract qualified job-seekers to Europe, said Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini at an immigration conference in Lisbon.
Frattini said that the 'Blue EU Labour Card', inspired by the US 'green card' and taking its name from the EU flag, will entitle highly qualified third country nationals to various rights in any of the EU nations, and will later permit them to work in a second member state under certain conditions.
'The challenge is to attract the workers needed to fill specific gaps,' he said, highlighting that only five pct of immigrants coming to the EU are skilled workers, compared to 55 pct arriving in the USA, and that 18.5 mln third country nationals were living in the EU in January last year, about four pct of the bloc's population.
The EU's top justice official added that a fast-track system will allow the workers to enter the bloc, staying for an initial two-year period which will be renewable, and obtain longer-term residence status more quickly.
Frattini said he will also make a second proposal to boost legal immigrants' rights to be more comparable with those of EU citizens, notably in terms of social security and work conditions.
