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What we know so far about the new Austria-India migration agreement

Austria and India have signed a new migration and mobility agreement focusing on 're-admission matters' and 'legal labour migration'. Here's what we know so far.

Published: 19 May 2023 14:18 CEST
What we know so far about the new Austria-India migration agreement
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (Photo by JOHANNA GERON / POOL / AFP)

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg celebrated on social media the new Migration & Mobility Partnership Agreement signed with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, which, according to the Austrian Foreign Ministry, provides a clear commitment to cooperation in “readmission matters” and “legal labour migration”.

The agreement comes in response to the “alarming” increase in arrivals of illegal migrants from India witnessed last year, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said.

By establishing a contractual basis for repatriations to India, this partnership aims to address the challenges of illegal migration and enhance collaboration between the two nations.

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg emphasised the significance of the deal.

“The agreement is a clear commitment to strengthened Austrian-Indian cooperation in the fight against illegal migration. We are creating a contractual basis for repatriation to India for the first time,” he said.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the EU-India Ministerial Forum in Stockholm, following its approving earlier this year during the visit of the Indian Foreign Minister to Vienna.

COMPARED:  Germany’s Chancenkarte vs. Austria’s Red-White-Red card for skilled non-EU workers

In addition to the repatriation aspect, Austria has successfully campaigned for the abolition of visa-free entry from India to Serbia, Schallenberg noted. These combined efforts are expected to result in a notable reduction in illegal migration from India – as many migrants from India reached Austria via the Balkan country.

Promotion of migration among highly skilled workers

“The agreement is a milestone in our relations with the world’s most populous country. It creates opportunities to bring Indian workers to Austria, for example, within the framework of the Red-White-Red Card. Highly qualified Indians can now fill gaps where there is a lack of labour in Austria,” said Schallenberg, underscoring the importance of the migration and mobility partnership.

READ ALSO: How critical is the situation in Austrian hospitals?

The Austrian approach facilitates contact between companies and potential qualified Indian workers, the ministry said in a press statement. In addition, cooperation between state agencies aims to streamline the process for Indian nationals to find suitable employment opportunities in Austria.

The idea is to bring more highly skilled workers to help Austria’s labour shortage crisis.

Moreover, the ministry said that the agreement facilitates an exchange of students between India and Austria and expedites the visa issuance process, particularly for journalists and scientists, the ministry said without giving further details.

The migration and mobility partnership also introduces an Austrian-Indian working holiday program, allowing young people to undertake short-term, temporary jobs in the destination country or pursue educational opportunities without an employment permit.

READ ALSO:  How to get a working holiday visa in Austria

To ensure the effective implementation of the agreement, a joint working group will oversee its progress and review its outcomes, the ministry added.

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EU

How would a ‘youth mobility scheme’ between the UK and EU really work?

The EU and the UK could enter into a 'youth mobility' scheme allowing young people to move countries to work, study and live. Here's what we know about the proposal.

Published: 18 April 2024 17:09 CEST
How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement – if the EU and UK can come to an agreement. The signs of that are not good, with the current UK government rejecting the proposal before it had even been formally offered, but here’s what we know about the proposal.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30. 

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

The proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – all that has happened so far is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject.

The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details – reacting the news reports of the proposal, the UK government appears to have already dismissed the idea out of hand, so agreement at present seems unlikely. However, governments can change and so can the political climate.

But basically we’re talking years if it happens at all – and that would require not only a new government in the UK (which seems likely) but a major change in the whole British political atmosphere.

Don’t start packing just yet.

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