Struggling to get employees fast on the ground? Think creatively about recruitment in the EU!

Many EU-based employers recruit internationally to fill workforce voids, and, by doing so, face one overarching problem: slow and burdensome immigration processes. As immigration experts, our Fragomen teams hear the same question from clients time and time again: “How can I recruit and ensure employees are ‘work-ready’ faster?”

A quick and burden-free immigration process is always our goal. To this end, we recommend to employers that they think creatively about recruitment. This may help employers meet their workforce needs and onboard their international new hires in an expedited manner. What do we mean by taking a creative approach to recruitment? Instead of turning to the traditional pool of candidates located outside the EU, why not leverage talent, which is geographically closer—or already in the EU—and for whom immigration facilitations are already in place?

Students with part-time availability, and graduates or researchers

Based on EU law, foreign students can work up to a fixed number of hours per week while studying in an EU country. Hiring foreign students could help employers in need to fill in part-time vacancies quickly.

For those who have completed their studies, EU law grants the possibility to apply for a special visa allowing them to reside in the European country where they studied—generally, for at least nine months—upon the completion of studies or research. During this time, they can explore the labour market and convert the job-seeker visa into an employment-based permit once they find a job and a sponsor – sometimes even without needing to return to their home country. In some instances, they are even allowed to work while the status conversion is being performed.

An advantage of recruiting from this talent pool is that most candidates will have recently resided and conducted their studies in the same country where they are being employed (or, alternatively, another EU country). This means that some of the documents necessary for the application will be more easily and quickly obtained – for instance, there will be no need for a diploma equivalence process.

EU rules also facilitate mobility across different European countries, enabling employers to set up rotational graduate programmes in multiple jurisdictions. Although this comes with conditions and limitations, it provides a fertile legislative framework to enable creative ways of addressing the manpower needs of your business. To learn more about the Students and Researchers Directive, see Fragomen’s previous blog.

EU Blue Card holders

Processing times can decrease dramatically for foreigners who already hold highly skilled permits, such as the EU Blue Card. If an employer seeks to hire them in the same country, a change of employer notification to national authorities could be required, but slow work and residence permit applications can be skipped. Hiring an EU Blue Card holder from another EU country may also come with immigration facilitations.

The newly adopted version of the EU Blue Card Directive brings additional flexibility to EU Blue Card holders. For example, a change of employer will soon be possible in the first 12 months of the permit validity provided a labour market test is completed (no additional formalities needed). Businesses can explore these new provisions to overcome national immigration hurdles.

Beneficiaries of international protection

Access to the labour market is key for refugees, asylum seekers and temporary protection beneficiaries as it helps them integrate into their host societies. For employers, hiring from this unique talent pool can mean fewer administrative burdens and an opportunity to support the vulnerable, and often very qualified, group in our societies.

The effective right to work for these categories of international protection comes at different steps of their protection status (see, for instance, the previous Fragomen blog on beneficiaries of temporary protection). Thus, it is not always clear to an employer when they can hire them compliantly. Immigration advisors can help shed a light on these matters. It would be a missed opportunity not to take advantage of the potential and added value these individuals could bring to companies.

Long-term residents in the EU

Foreigners who have been legally residing in an EU country for an uninterrupted period of five years may have obtained a long-term resident status. This also grants them unrestricted access to the labour market in that country and some facilitations in other EU countries. The same applies to UK citizens who have obtained their ‘Article 50 TEU’ Residence Permit.

For employers, this means that such individuals (although non-EU citizens) can possibly begin working for them immediately.

Talent pools beyond the EU

Other bilateral and multilateral initiatives exist that help match talent in third countries with labour market vacancies in the EU. Some of these initiatives enable employers to recruit a pre-selected pool of candidates. Others, such as Talent Beyond Boundaries, provide an online platform where businesses target needed skills and recruit competent refugees. For more information, reach out to your Fragomen consultant, as the firm has a longstanding partnership with the organisation.

Need to know more?

While international immigration processes are a struggle for most employers and present an obstacle to quickly fill workforce gaps, recruiting regionally could satisfy workforce needs more efficiently. We invite employers to start thinking creatively with us about their future recruits. Instead of turning to the same origin countries, same citizenships, and same profiles that are commonplace, why not explore other pools of talent? Changing recruitment strategies is possible with professional immigration advice, and the potential value-add can be substantial.

Our Fragomen Consulting Group in Europe can advise on efficient recruitment strategies and right-to-work assessments. Please contact us at [email protected], or reach out to Business Immigration Manager Andreia Ghimis at [email protected] or Business Immigration Consultant Ines Julia Ramlau at [email protected].

This blog was published on 27 February 2023. Due to current circumstances, there are frequent legislative changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 site, subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.