Europe’s economy needs one million foreign workers each year, said Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, in January. This is due to the demographic change in Europe, which is resulting in a decline in the working age population.
So-called EU Talent Partnerships are presented as a solution to this challenge. Announced in June 2021, the aim is to attract non-EU citizens into the European workforce and fill gaps in the labour market. The Commission considers Talent Partnerships a “triple win” – beneficial for the EU’s economy, the non-EU partner countries that often face high unemployment rates and for the workers themselves.