Skilled jobs/conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals

EESC opinion: Skilled jobs/conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals

Key points

The European Economic and Social Committee believes that there should be a common, fast, transparent procedure for admitting workers, in line with the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty regarding the Member States' right to define the number of immigrants that they will admit.

The EESC considers that, in line with the principles and values of the EU, immigration legislation should comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and anti-discrimination legislation.

The EESC believes that the European Commission's proposal to offer preferential conditions to highly qualified immigrant workers, by allowing them more favourable treatment than established in Directives 2003/86 (family reunification) and 2003/109 (status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents), could lead to different categories of immigrants being treated differently. It must be ensured that these exceptions do not affect the overall consistency of European immigration policy and the principle of equal treatment.