Contrary to what you might expect for a union, immigration rules within the EU are not identical across all member countries. There is no singular "EU long-stay visa" or "EU work permit." On the contrary, legislative competence is shared between the EU and its member states: While some common immigration rules are valid across the EU, individual member states retain authority over other aspects.

This section will explain why the EU is one of the most challenging regions in the world when it comes to immigration.

This EU ICT Directive aims to simplify temporary transfer to the EU of highly skilled employees from non-EU countries within a group companies, and also eases their intra-EU mobility. It is a mandatory framework that replaces existing national schemes. This means that for any transfer falling within its scope, transferees must apply for the EU ICT permit, not a national highly skilled migrant scheme.

This section provides a deeper understanding of the Directive's purpose and set-up.

The EU Blue Card is a specialized work-and-residence permit for highly skilled professionals from outside the EU. It is designed for professionals with strong qualifications who want long-term residence options, value the ability to move between EU countries more easily, and prefer a permit that is not tied to a single employer as strictly as some national schemes.

The EU's Freedom to Provide Services enables companies to offer services across member states, allowing them to send employees to perform tasks there without extensive immigration procedures. Nevertheless, employers must comply with robust worker protection requirements outlined in the EU Posted Workers Directives (PWD) and each country's unique  immigration , labor laws, wage standards, and social systems.

The Van der Elst visa enables non-EU nationals to work temporarily in another EU country. This provision originated from an EU court ruling, known as the Vander Elst case, and applies to individuals who are legally living and working in one EU member state, allowing them to undertake short-term assignments without requiring a new work permit for the second country.

Most countries structure their immigration framework around purpose-based residence permits. One common category within these is work-based immigration. In this category fall not only schemes that originate from EU Community Law, but also national schemes for highly skilled knowledge migrants and essential labor migrants, based on domestic employment needs.

To navigate the complexities of the ever-evolving GM landscape, we've partnered with subject matter Experts who provide in-depth knowledge and real-time insights into country-specific topics. Their expertise is crucial for mitigating risks, ensuring compliance, and facilitating seamless international assignments.