BERLIN – The European Union is pushing for streamlined procedures to grant combined work and residence permits to foreign workers, in what could be a major relief for foreigners.
The measure is aimed at promoting legal migration and addressing labor shortages across the bloc. In this regard, the European Union Parliament has thrown its weight behind the simplification of rules governing the issuance of Single Permits, which allow holders to both work and reside in EU countries. As far as the numbers are concerned, 465 votes were cast in favor, 122 against, and 27 abstained.
The final approval depends on the Council’s endorsement before these changes take effect. According to the details, the recent revisions, largely supported by Parliament members, introduce key adjustments geared towards enhancing the efficacy and adaptability of the Single Permit system.
Among the most important amendments is the mandate for Member States to process Single Permit applications within a 90-day timeframe; the current waiting period is four months but in a few cases, an extra 30 days may be granted for processing.
Another important aspect of the legislation is that third-country nationals possessing valid residence permits within the EU will be eligible to apply for a Single Permit locally, without the need for them to return to their home countries for procedural formalities.
Additionally, under the new rules, single permit holders will have the liberty to change employer, occupation, and work sector and merely a notification from the new employer would serve the purpose. Consequently, national authorities will have 45 days to oppose the change.
It is to be kept in mind that EU states will have the option to require an initial period of up to six months during which a change of employer will not be possible. A caveat in this regard is that a change during that period would still be possible if the employer seriously breaches the work contract, for example by imposing particularly exploitative working conditions.
Moreover, if a single permit holder is unemployed, they will have up to three months –or six if they have had the permit for more than two years- to find another job before their permit is withdrawn, compared to two months under the current rules though EU states may choose to offer longer periods, European Interest reported.
It has also been debated that if a worker has experienced particularly exploitative working conditions, member states shall extend by three months the period of unemployment during which the single permit remains valid. Moreover, if a single permit holder is unemployed for more than three months, member states may require them to prove that they have sufficient resources to support themselves without relying on the social assistance system.
