Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Commission has launched a new initiative aimed at the integration of Ukrainian refugees into the labour market.
The move is part of a number of measures the Commission hopes will continue supporting those fleeing what it calls “the unprovoked Russian aggression.”
A new online job-search tool will, it is hoped,l help people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to successfully find a job in the European Union.
After registering with the EU talent pool pilot initiative, those under temporary protection can upload their CVs, so that their profiles are available to more than 4,000 employers, national public employment services and private employment agencies.
Ensuring a swift and effective integration into the labour market is important both for host communities and for those fleeing the war to rebuild their lives.
The idea of the “Pilot Talent Pool” is to train workers in developing countries to meet job requirements both at home and in the EU.
It is a digital platform to match job applicants from outside the EU – initially from Ukraine – with EU job offers.
It has been welcomed by, among others, SMEunited Secretary General Véronique Willems, who said, “SMEs and Crafts made a lot of efforts and will continue to provide all the support for the integration of Ukrainian refugees in the labour market.
“Our members are offering training and placement in line with the renewed Partnership for Integration. The Pilot Talent Pool will offer a new opportunity for SMEs to recruit and fill shortages of skilled staff.”
She added, “SMEunited welcomes the different initiatives put forward by the European Commission in the field of economic legal migration, as they are a stepping stone towards reducing the labour shortages and skills gaps hampering SMEs’ performance.
“SMEunited reiterates the importance of the Pilot Talent Pool and the future EU Talent Pool to be labour market responsive. The only way to succeed, as SMEunited recommends, is the systematic involvement of employers in its governance. Labour market and skills intelligence are essential to better forecast and anticipate professions and their updated staff and skills needs.
“The matching process for a well-functioning Talent Pool requires more and better real-time data on vacancies and skills needs per country, region, sector and occupation.”
The EU Pilot Talent Pool is the first initiative that the Commission will test before launching a larger EU Talent Pool, which will target all third-country nationals to attract talent for a skilled workforce.
Further comment came from Matthias Lucke, Senior researcher at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and adjunct professor at Kiel University, who thinks it is a step in the right direction for promoting migration that benefits “all parties involved.”
He said, “Overall, the Commission‘s proposals represent pragmatic and useful steps to further develop the legal framework for legal labour migration to the EU. In and of themselves, however, these proposals will not substantially increase immigration opportunities for non-EU citizens.
