Around thirty deputies from Nupes but also from the left wing of the majority call for regularization of undocumented immigrants in professions in tension in a joint article published in “Libération”. A solution to the labor shortage affecting all of Europe.
In France, many jobs are unfilled, which pushes the government to consider in its immigration law specific residence for professions in shortage. Insufficient, counter MPs and senators Renaissance, Modem, Liot, and Nupes (EELV, PCF, PS) who publish a column in Release to demand the regularization of undocumented workers.
>> Immigration law: parliamentarians from the left wing of the majority and Nupes sign a platform to defend a “humanist” text
A problem that actually affects all of Europe. In the European Union, out of all jobs, 1.2% remained vacant 10 years ago, now it is more than double: 3%. In detail, the shortages mainly concern construction, care, science and engineering.
The countries most affected are Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria with nearly 5% of unfilled jobs. The shortage of labor is such that in Austria, for example, already a quarter of employees are foreigners. Germany is also struggling with two million vacant positions. And faced with the shortage of workers, it is in the process of voting for a reform to make it easier to obtain German nationality and attract foreign workers.
Aging populations, hardship or lack of skills
An assumed policy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz himself made an appeal at the Davos economic forum: “Those who want to roll up their sleeves are welcome in Germany!”, did he declare. Spain also makes it easier for foreigners to stay. The country is looking for workers in the fields of agriculture and hospitality. And it’s not just left-wing governments that are loosening the screw: Italy, led by populist Giorgia Meloni, has also increased the number of non-European workers authorized on its territory. Even Hungary, which is led by a government that is very unfavorable to immigration, has since 2021 been granting work visas more easily to nationals of certain Asian and Balkan countries. Last year, the number of non-European workers increased by 14% in Hungary, according to figures cited by the world.
According to the European Commission, the situation is not about to improve. On the contrary, she predicts that this labor shortage problem will worsen. Overall, the aging of the population is the cause because the proportion of active workers will continue to decline. Added to this are other factors according to the European Commission. Certain professions have difficulty recruiting because of the arduousness of the work, such as cleaning, catering, truck drivers, but also in health, doctors, nurses, caregivers. For other professions, it is quite simply the lack of skills and training that is lacking with the development of new professions in the ecological and digital transition.