Immigration Updates – 6th of October

Belgium

Updated shortage occupation list in Wallonia

Effective 1 October 2023, the shortage occupation list in Wallonia has been updated, with seven occupations removed: carpenter, cook, chef cook, credit analyst, fountain maker, glass maker and speech therapist.

Applicants for work permits in occupations on the list are not required to fulfil labour market testing requirements.

The new list will be in effect until 30 September 2024.

Denmark

Updated Positive List for people with a higher education

SIRI has updated the Positive List for people with a higher education. The updated job titles on the list are based on the Regional Labour Market Councils additions. The new list is applicable from 1 October 2023. 

The Positive List is a list of professions experiencing a shortage of qualified professionals in Denmark. Those offered a job included in the Positive List can apply for a residence and work permit in Denmark based on the scheme. To qualify, applicants must have a suitable educational background.

A job title can appear in the list, if there is a regional or national shortage of qualified professionals for the position. A job title can be added to the Positive List if:

• Ongoing labour market monitoring (the Labour Market Balance Model) shows that there is a national shortage of qualified professionals for a job title (twice a year – 1 January and 1 July);
• Profession specific unemployment insurance funds (a-kasser) assess that there is a national shortage of qualified professionals for a job title (1 October and 1 April); or
• The Regional Labour Market Councils assess that there is a regional shortage of qualified professionals for a job title (1 October and 1 April).

The added job titles on The Positive for people with a Higher Education are added by the Regional Labour Market Councils and they will be on the list until at least 30 September 2025.  The profession specific unemployment insurance funds has not added any job titles to the list that will be applicable from 1 October 2023.

The job titles will only apply for the geographical area (municipalities) each council covers. No job titles are taken off the Positive List for people with a Higher Education as a result of this update.

Another list – the Positive List for Skilled Work – is updated twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July.

Italy

2023-25 quota decree passes into law

The Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of 27 September 2023 “Programming of legal entry flows into Italy of foreign workers for the three-year period 2023-2025” was published on 3 October 2023 in the Official Gazette.

The decree establishes a three-year immigration plan with a quota of 452,000 non-EU nationals permitted to enter for work between 2023 and 2025. In the past, quota decrees have been issued annually.

The 2023-25 quota (“Flussi”) decree increases the entry quotas for work and extends the professional categories and production sectors involved. Moreover, the quotas increase in each of the three years.

The 2022 quota decree allowed 82,705 entries: The proposed decree allows for 136,000 entries in 2023, 151,000 in 2024 and 165,000 in 2025.

For the 2023 quotas, applications may be submitted as follows:

• from 2 December 2023, for non-seasonal employees from countries that have cooperation agreements with Italy;
• from 4 December 2023 ,for other non-seasonal employees;
• from 12 December 2023, for seasonal workers.

For 2023, the 136,000 quotas are to be allocated as follows:

• 82,550 quotas for seasonal work in agriculture, hospitality and tourism, reserved to certain nationalities;
• 52,770 for non-seasonal work as an employee.
  • In freight transportation, building, hospitality and tourism, mechanics, telecommunications, food, shipbuilding, transportation of passengers by bus, fishing, hairdressing, electricians, plumbers:
    • 2000 for citizens of countries that promote media campaigns regarding the risks resulting from involvement in irregular migration;
    • 25,000 for the following nationalities. Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Philippines Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Jordan, Japan, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Republic of North Macedonia, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine;
    • 12,000 for citizens of countries with which Italy has cooperation agreements;
    • 100 (employed or self-employed) reserved for foreign nationals who have Italian ancestry and reside in Venezuela;

• 200 (employed or self-employed) reserved for stateless persons and refugees;
• 9500 quotas for workers in the family care and support services;
• 500 quotas for self-employment for:
  • Entrepreneurs intending to implement an investment plan of interest for the Italian economy, involving an investment of at least EUR 500,000 and creating at least three new jobs in Italy;
  • Freelancers/independent contractors who intend to practise regulated or controlled professions;
  • Chairman, CEO, director or auditor in an Italian company, active for at least three years;
  • Foreign citizens who intend to set up innovative start-up companies and who have a self-employment relationship with the start-up;
  • Internationally well-known artists, artists of recognised high professional qualification or artists who are hired by well-known Italian theatres, important public institutions, public television or well-known national private television;
• 4000 quotas for conversion from seasonal to standard work permits, for non-EU nationals already in Italy/EU.

United Kingdom

New report on shortage occupation list

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published a report recommending the abolition of the shortage occupation list (SOL).

In the interim, the MAC has recommended including only eight occupations on the SOL and a further two occupations on the Scotland-only SOL.

The Mac also recommends that, while the SOL continues, the going rate discount for occupations on the list should be removed; that asylum seekers be given the right to work in any job, not just in occupations on the SOL; and that the Creative Worker (CW) visa route be opened up to any occupation without a labour market test.

The MAC also recommends that, if the SOL is retained, the Government changes the name of the SOL to the Immigration Salary Discount List (ISDL) to correctly reflect its function in the immigration system.