Europe Immigration News

The number of immigrants applying for permanent residency in the Czech Republic has been sharply increasing, according to Vit Dvoracek, head of the foreign residency section of the Interior Ministry's asylum and migration policy department.In the second quarter of 2012, the Interior Ministry registered more than two times the number of permanent residency applications compared to the same period last year. From April till the end of June last year, 4,331 foreigners applied for permanent residency in the Czech Republic, while this year it was 9,166.

A leading human rights organization has issued a report urging Greece to take "urgent action" to stop the "alarming" increase of attacks against Asian and African immigrants.The extensive report issued by US-based Human Rights Watch said xenophobic attacks, including stabbings and serious beatings, in Athens have increased over the past two years. They urged the Greek government to create a national strategy to combat race-related crime.

New immigration statistics have revealed that Germany and Spain have a greater population of immigrants than the UK. According to provisional data, from the EU statistics office Eurostat, the UK has an estimated 4.5 million foreigners living in the country, about 7 percent of the population. Included in this figure is 2.33 million immigrants that emigrated to the UK from other EU countries.

Germany has announced that they will begin accepting EU Blue Card applications for assignments having an effective start date of 1 August 2012. Applicants must have a job offer and work contract prior to applying for the EU Blue Card.

The European Union (EU) is looking into the possibility of easing visa requirements for Indian visitors in order to promote tourism."European Union wants more flexible (visa) rules for tourists coming from India", said Antonio Tajani, Vice-President, Industry and Entrepreneurship, European Commission.

From 12 June 2012 Poland has begun accepting EU blue card applications from highly-skilled third country nationals who have an employment contract in place with a Polish company and possess the required qualifications.

The EU Blue Card is still not implemented in all Member States.