American firms warn of EU threat from ‘blue card’

US businesses are lobbying Congress to relax the visa regimes for skilled workers from abroad, in response to the European Commission’s recent proposal for a ‘blue card’.

"Europe has sent a message. They are aggressively pursuing the professional talent they need to compete on the global stage," said Robert Hoffman, vice-president of congressional and legislative affairs at Oracle, the US software company.

Franco Frattini, European commissioner for justice, freedom and security, drew parallels to the US green card when he launched the ‘blue card’ proposal last week (23 October) and he made clear there were competitive pressures. He said that 0.9% of highly-qualified migrants went to Europe while 3.5% went to the US.

Hoffman said that graduates from US universities as well as Asia would be attracted to Europe by the new system. "The EU is saying, ‘We’re coming for your students. We know the US produces the best math and science students coming out of college and we’re going to come get them," he said in a statement reported by Roll Call, European Voice’s sister paper.

The US technology industry is lobbying US Congress to make it easier to hire foreign talent but was dealt a blow last week when the Senate approved a measure that will increase the price of temporary visas for such skilled workers.

In addition, immigrant groups are lobbying US politicians not to address the issue of highly skilled labour for fear of reducing interest in a larger bill on immigration, which these groups want to see regularising illegal workers.

Ralph Hellman, a lobbyist for the Information Technology Industry Council, whose members include Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Apple, Cisco Systems and Intel, warned the US against complacency. "Europe has laid down a challenge to the United States Congress. The EU will attract the best and brightest workers in the world if the United States continues to create new burdens to hiring these valuable workers," Hellman said.

The EU blue card is designed to attract highly-skilled labour to the EU by making it easier for workers to move around member states, allowing them to bring their families with them and allowing them to add together time spent working in various member states to qualify for residency permits.

US businesses are lobbying Congress to relax the visa regimes for skilled workers from abroad, in response to the European Commission’s recent proposal for a ‘blue card’.