A quarter of foreign workers want jobs for spouses
by Guneet S - August 24, 2010
United Kingdom, 24th August: A large number of skilled foreign workers want their spouses to be allowed to join them in the host countries in the EU, an expert and a board member at Permits Foundation has revealed.
Kathleen van der Wilk-Carlton said that Europe is depriving itself of a large number of skilled migrants from different countries since it does not allow their spouses to work in the same host nations in Europe.
As compared to 85 percent of unskilled immigrants moving to the EU for work, the percentage of skilled immigration to the EU is just around 5 percent, the findings of the recent survey reveal.
The survey by Permit Foundation stated that nearly one-fourth of the foreign workers do not accept offers of jobs in the EU as their spouses cant work along with them in the host nations.
It has been found that the EU needs more high skilled immigrants since the nation is experiencing acute shortage of skilled and professional workers in fields including informatics and engineering.
A large number of ICTs (Intra-Corporate Transferees) including high end managers and specialists consider the idea of being joined by their partners a crucial factor for accepting a job in EU. This is because being accompanied by their spouses helps them settle down in their new homes more easily. Also, it helps them to complete their contracts of jobs in overseas countries.
According to Van der Wilk-Carlton, the health of the transferee, his well-being and his integration are helped by their spouses accompanying them.
It is this reason why nations including Canada, New Zealand, US, Australia and Switzerland seem to be attracting a large number of high-skilled immigrants as compared to the EU, which, at present, does not such facility for skilled immigrant workers.
Due to this facility in Canada, US, New Zealand, Australia and Switzerland, a large number of skilled migrants hailing from the EU are migrating to the above nations either on a permanent basis or for a temporary period.
The number of highly skilled immigrants hailing from the EU immigrating to the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia was 300,000 in the year 2007.
»
- 1685 reads
