TheEuropean Commissionis proposing a
"blue card" scheme for highly skilled migrant workers to help plug
Europe's IT skills gap.
The commission wants to make it easier for qualified migrants to
enter the EU through the fast-track entry and work permit scheme.
It said Europe desperately needed skilled IT workers and engineers
over the next two decades.
The scheme will be demand-driven, and migrants will have to
prove they have the offer of a job that could not be filled by a
national.
Vice-president Franco Frattini, commissioner for freedom,
security and justice, said, "We want Europe to become at least as
attractive as favourite migration destinations such as Australia,
Canada and the USA."
Carrie Hartnell, programme manager at Intellect, warned against
relying too much on migrant workers.
"Bringing in people from abroad is a short-term approach and we
must continue to putting as much effort as possible into training
and developing a larger IT-skilled workforce in the UK. We will
always need a flourishing, home-grown IT industry and we must do
our best to ensure that we always have one."
She said, "The UK does have a serious
IT skills shortage, even with the increasing use of
outsourcing, and there is some merit in exploring all options,
including the blue card proposal."