Europe Immigration News

The European Commission plans to create a joint Mediterranean security force to clamp down on illegal immigration from North Africa.

The European Union's top justice official has stated that highly skilled foreign migrants should be offered Europe-wide "job seekers' permits", which would allow them to look for employment anywhere across the EU.

The permits would be comparable to the "Green Card" schemes that exist in the United States or Canada, giving immigrants the right to work and live in a new country. Unlike a work visa, such Green Cards are not attached to a specific job or employer.

Germany is set to be the first country in the European Union to introduce biometric passports, which will allow airport control devices to detect a small electronic tag concealed inside the passport cover.

The new biometric passport contains a paper-thin computer chip that holds a scan of the passport holder's picture. Developments are also being made for the chip to include fingerprint and iris scans.

German Interior Minister Otto Schily hails the new biometric passport as "a real security bonus."

There are as many as several hundred au pairs (nannies) working in families in Finland, and the Finnish tax authorities regard them as illegal labour. The problem is that Finland has not ratified the European Agreement on Au Pairs by the European Council, which stipulates that au pairs do not have to pay taxes.

According to the latest review of the Irish labour market, Ireland will need to recruit highly skilled workers from outside of Europe to meet skills shortages in the economy.

However, the report by Forfas and the Expert Group on Future Skills needs, says that most of the country's labour shortages in low skill sectors can be filled from the 10 new accession states.

The report backs a two tier immigration scheme - a permanent green card system for highly qualified workers, and a temporary work permit system for low skilled migrants.

The European Union needs substantial but controlled immigration, said Joaquin Almunia, the EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner. Mr Almunia, a Spanish socialist, called for active labour market policies, reform of its public finances, including changes to its tax base, pensions and healthcare systems, to cope with a rapidly ageing population to develop the greater economic growth that is needed in order to overcome the challenges caused by Europe's aging population.