Mantas Jersovas Overview of the Lithuanian immigration policy

Mantas Jersovas Overview of the Lithuanian immigration policy 2013 – 06 – 26 www. emn. lt

Starting points • High emigration: creates imbalances in the national labour market • High expectations on return migration: creates a vicious circle (zero-sum game) • Low immigration flows (including intra-EU mobility) • High unemployment: but unemployed people cannot be easily included into the labour market • Xenophobia and distrust into immigration control, lack of good examples www. emn. lt

Main policy documents Economic Migration Regulation Strategy (2007): ensure that Lithuania does not lack qualified labour force as the economy grows. Terminated in 2009 Immigration Guidelines (2008): immigration as a temporary and secondary measure to fill existing labour shortages from priority regions Internationalization of Higher Education (2008, 2011): attraction of foreign students in order to promote the internationalisation of higher education Global Lithuania strategy (2011): how to include dispora into state’s development; diaspora engaged while abroad Lithuania 2030 (2012): implement a purposeful immigration policy Lithuanian Migration Policy Guidelines (2013): prepare comprehensive migration policy guidelines Main drivers: employers’ interests and EU directives www. emn. lt

Development of immigration policy Law on the legal Status of Aliens (2004): one immigration scheme for all labour immigrants; only qualified workers can be addmitted List of understaffed occupations (2007): simplified immigration procedures for TCNs who have a profession in demand in Lithuania (work permit, D visa and residence permit after 1 year), 2008 – 60, 2012 - 4 • D visa (2011): possibility to arrive with the national visa for all groups of workers and students (work permit, D visa, residence permit after 1 year) • Blue Card (2013): a special residence permit, facilitated arrival • Business: liberal scheme → cases of abuse → changes in legislation • • www. emn. lt

Immigration schemes Criteria Workers Blue card Business Students Prerequisite Vacancy (1 month), average salary (≈580€) Vacancy (21 days), 2 xsalary (≈1160€) edu. /exp. Head and owner of a company, 14. 500€ capital + 3 work places Mediation letter, resources (≈150€ per month), language Entry Work permit, D visa/ Decision on needs, D Residence permit residence permit visa / residence permit D visa Residence permit Average time 3 -4 months 1 month Flexibility D visa /no possibility D visa / possibility to to change employer, change employer leave 2+2 years (after 2 years) Flexible, stricter D visa / working 20 requirements discussed hours after 1 st year; no possibility to stay after studies Family No Yes/No No Flows (2012) 4. 600 11 (2013, half year) ≈ 2. 800 1. 600 States (2012) Belarus, Ukraine, Russia china Ukraine, Belarus Russia, Belarus, China, Georgia Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Israel 2 -3 months 4 -5 months www. emn. lt

Proposals for improvements from interested groups Business: • Workers: work permit and residence permit should be issued for the same time period (2 years); • Highly qualified workers: labour market test should be abandoned; emphasis on professional experience, not education Government • Business: stricter requirements (establishment of work places, criteria to revoke a residence permit when no activity is performed) • Students: stay after studies, residence permits issued for 2 years period or renewal procedure facilitated www. emn. lt

16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 Study Work Family EU citizens Other 2006 853 2271 3477 1248 495 2007 999 3371 3952 1123 497 2008 1441 5969 4478 1115 504 2009 1462 5136 4485 379 686 2010 1639 3155 4645 804 218 2011 1163 4077 4376 1129 234 2012 1501 6160 4379 1030 239

Flows (workers) 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 H. qualified Qualified 2008 150 7670 2009 110 2130 2010 140 1670 www. emn. lt 2011 190 3140 2012 225 4400

Blue card holder (2013) Nationality Job position Duration Ukraine 2 years LTL 4. 400 2 years LTL 5. 000 2 years LTL 6. 666 Belarus Assistant to Director / Translator Import / Export Manager Computer Systems Engineer Sales Manager 2 years LTL 6. 843 Belarus Otorhinolaryngologist 2 years LTL 4. 464 Belarus Echoscopy specialist 2 years LTL 4. 464 Russian Federation Deputy Director 2 years LTL 4. 500 Belarus Deputy Director 2 years LTL 4. 605 USA Director 2 years LTL 10. 000 India Deputy head of institution 2 year LTL 10. 600 Ukraine www. emn. lt Salary

EU citizens 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Work Adequate means Study 2009 125 41 160 2010 337 120 180 www. emn. lt 2011 505 141 285 2012 527 172 185

Flows (students) www. emn. lt

Conclusions • Development of LT labour immigration system was driven by economic reality/pressure from business and by EU directives (less) • Lithuania chooses minimal permitted level of harmonization when transposing EU migration directives • Immigration policy is being amended while it should be revised • At the moment there are no clear priorities in migration. Immigration policy is not connected with state’s future development goals • No integration policy • Immigration is not a sensitive issue therefore politicians tend to avoid the topic • Policy reacted to reality (D visa) • Migration is a priority for the government (working group to develop Migration policy guidelines) www. emn. lt

Contacts Mantas Jersovas Programme Coordinator International Organization for Migration (IOM) Vilnius Office European Migration Network (EMN) National contact point in Lithuania Jaksto 12, 4 th floor Tel: +370 5 2624897 Fax: +370 5 2611326 E-mail: mantas@iom. lt www. emn. lt