As part of the Innovations in Migration series, the European Migration Network has published a new inform Exploring Legal Pathways to Fulfil Labour Needs. The inform maps the Member States’ initiatives to support labour migration, mobility and to cover labour shortages and develop skills.
Developing legal pathways is one of the key pillars of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum published by the European Commission. The Pact foresees a reinforced and more comprehensive approach of cooperation with key partner countries in the area of international mobility and migration in the form of Talent Partnerships. Another way of legal migration supported by the Pact are complementary pathways. They include programmes and initiatives that facilitate access to legal pathways to the EU for those in need of international protection. According to UNHCR, complementary pathways represent safe and regulated avenues and complement rather than substitute refugee resettlement.
The inform maps sectors of economy and partner countries targeted by the Member States in existing or planned partnerships, schemes, agreements etc. It also explores how skills shortages that cannot be filled with the nationals and legally staying migrant workers already available in EU countries are taken into account in the development of such measures by the Member States.
With regard to complementary pathways for those in need of international migration, the inform specifically focuses on work-related initiatives and projects. For the time being, most Member States do not implement this kind of activities.