Work permits in EU

Securing a work permit in the EU is a crucial step for non-EU nationals who want to work legally in Europe. The process varies between countries, and each has specific eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and application procedures. Our service helps individuals and businesses navigate these regulations across multiple EU countries, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. Whether you’re planning to work in Finland, Germany, Italy, Hungary, or Latvia, understanding the differences in work permit conditions is essential for successful relocation and employment.

In this guide, we compare the work permit requirements in Finland, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Latvia, highlighting key aspects such as eligibility, processing times, and ease of application.

Comparison of Work Permit Requirements: Finland, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Latvia

1. Finland

• Eligibility: Non-EU nationals need a job offer to apply for a work permit in Finland. Special categories such as specialist permits for IT professionals or those with highly specialized skills are available.
• Application Process: The work permit application is submitted to the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). In most cases, the employer applies on behalf of the foreign worker, but the employee can apply themselves as well.
• Processing Time: 1-3 months.
• Validity: Typically 1 year, renewable.
• Ease of Application: Finland offers a relatively smooth application process, particularly for high-skilled professionals and sectors experiencing a labor shortage.
• Other Factors: Finland ranks high in work-life balance, making it a desirable destination for skilled workers, but proficiency in Finnish or Swedish may be required for certain roles.

2. Germany

• Eligibility: Germany offers a variety of work permits, including the EU Blue Card for highly skilled workers, the Job Seeker Visa for those looking to find employment, and permits for qualified professionals in high-demand fields like IT, engineering, and healthcare.
• Application Process: The process is streamlined, especially for EU Blue Card applicants and professionals in shortage occupations. The Federal Employment Agency must usually approve the work permit application.
• Processing Time: 2-3 months for standard work permits; 4-6 weeks for EU Blue Card.
• Validity: Up to 4 years, with permanent residency possible after 33 months for EU Blue Card holders.
• Ease of Application: Germany’s work permit system is one of the most efficient in the EU, especially for highly skilled workers. English is widely spoken, and many positions don’t require German language proficiency.
• Other Factors: Germany is a top choice for professionals due to its strong economy, job opportunities, and well-organized immigration system.

3. Italy

• Eligibility: Non-EU nationals require a job offer to apply for a work permit in Italy. Italy operates on a quota system, known as the Decreto Flussi, which limits the number of work permits issued each year. Certain categories like highly skilled workers and executives may have easier access.
• Application Process: The employer must submit the application through the Italian Ministry of Interior’s system. Italy has a bureaucratic process that can be slow, especially during peak times.
• Processing Time: 2-6 months, depending on the time of year and availability of permits.
• Validity: Typically 1 year, renewable.
• Ease of Application: Italy’s process can be complex due to the annual quota system and high demand for permits. However, it is more straightforward for highly skilled workers.
• Other Factors: Italy’s attractive lifestyle, culture, and lower cost of living in certain regions make it a popular destination despite the more challenging work permit process.

4. Hungary

• Eligibility: Hungary requires a job offer for non-EU nationals to obtain a work permit. There are streamlined procedures for sectors in high demand, such as IT, construction, and engineering.
• Application Process: The work and residence permit applications are combined into one process (single application procedure), which is handled by the Hungarian Immigration and Asylum Office.
• Processing Time: 2-4 months.
• Validity: 1-2 years, renewable.
• Ease of Application: Hungary’s process is relatively straightforward, especially for positions that fall under shortage categories. However, it can be bureaucratic for certain roles.
• Other Factors: Hungary offers competitive salaries and a relatively low cost of living, making it attractive for expats, especially those in IT and engineering fields.

5. Latvia

• Eligibility: Non-EU nationals need a job offer to apply for a work permit in Latvia. The country is open to skilled workers, particularly in IT, manufacturing, and logistics.
• Application Process: Employers file the work permit application on behalf of the foreign worker. The process involves a labor market test to ensure no suitable Latvian or EU candidate is available.
• Processing Time: 1-3 months.
• Validity: 1 year, renewable.
• Ease of Application: Latvia’s work permit system is efficient, particularly for highly skilled and in-demand workers. It is also relatively flexible for those who meet the skill requirements.
• Other Factors: Latvia’s low cost of living and growing tech sector make it an attractive option for professionals looking for long-term opportunities in Europe.

Summary of Differences

Country	Eligibility	Application Process	Processing Time	Validity	Ease of Application
Finland	Job offer; specialists welcomed	Employer or employee submits application	1-3 months	1 year	Streamlined for skilled workers
Germany	Job offer or EU Blue Card	Employer applies; streamlined for skilled workers	2-3 months; 4-6 weeks for Blue Card	Up to 4 years	Efficient, smooth for skilled workers
Italy	Job offer; quota system	Employer applies via Ministry of Interior	2-6 months	1 year	Bureaucratic, quota system
Hungary	Job offer	Single permit for work and residence	2-4 months	1-2 years	Relatively straightforward
Latvia	Job offer; labor market test	Employer applies, labor market test required	1-3 months	1 year	Efficient, flexible for skilled workers

Obtaining a work permit in the EU varies greatly depending on the country, but each offers unique opportunities for foreign professionals. Germany stands out for its efficient and flexible process, particularly for highly skilled workers under the EU Blue Card scheme. Finland offers a strong work-life balance and a welcoming environment for specialists. Italy and Hungary have more bureaucratic processes, though Hungary’s is notably simpler for high-demand sectors. Latvia presents an attractive option with its efficient system and growing job market, especially in tech and manufacturing.

Our comprehensive service helps guide you through the entire work permit process, ensuring compliance and maximizing your chances for success in any of these EU countries.

Foreign citizens younger than citizens

Analysing the age structure of the European Union population shows that the foreign population is generally younger than the national population. As the data show, the median age of non-citizens in the EU on 1 January 2023 was 36.5 years, which is significantly lower than the median age of the national population, which reached 45.7 years. This indicates that immigrants are dominated by relatively young adults of working age, which may be related to labour migration, search for educational opportunities or better living conditions.

Emigration is indeed more difficult to measure than immigration, especially due to the tendency of migrants to interact more with migration services in countries of reception rather than in countries of origin. Mirror statistics comparing immigration and emigration data in EU Member States confirm this complexity, pointing to possible gaps in emigration data due to differences in data collection and reporting methodologies.

Eurostat plays a key role in the collection of statistics related to migration flows, non-citizen populations and citizenship acquisition processes. The statistics are updated annually and provided by the national statistical offices of the EU Member States and EFTA Member States, which allows monitoring and analysing migration trends within the European Union. These data help to formulate migration policies and monitor demographic changes in the region, providing accurate and up-to-date information for political and economic decisions.

The collection of data on migration and international protection in the European Union is governed by a number of regulations that ensure standardisation and consistency of data collection methodologies among Member States. Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 establishes a framework for the collection of statistical data concerning international migration flows, the number of foreign nationals, the granting of citizenship, and residence and asylum permits. Commission Regulation (EC) No 351/2010 further specifies the composition of the groups of EU Member States, EFTA and candidate countries and how these data should be reported and analysed.

EU Member States usually use administrative data sources such as population registers, registers of foreigners, residence or work permits, health insurance and tax registers to generate their statistics. This helps to ensure that the information needed for political planning and social administration is accurate and up-to-date.

It is important to note that different EU countries have different approaches to determining age for statistical purposes. In most countries, age is calculated using the age attained at the end of the reference year, but in countries such as Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Malta, Austria, Romania and Slovenia, age is determined by the date of the last birthday.

The inclusion of data on asylum seekers and refugees in statistical reports also varies among EU and EFTA member states. This difference in approach may affect the overall picture of migration statistics and demographic composition within the EU.

As of 2022, approximately 8 per cent of the EU population did not have citizenship of their country of residence, of which 3 per cent were citizens of other EU Member States and 5 per cent were citizens of non-EU countries. These figures underline the significant share of the migrant population in the EU and the need for detailed analysis and monitoring of migration processes in order to develop effective migration and integration policies.

Migration to and from the EU

In 2021, the European Union recorded a significant increase in the number of immigrants from non-EU countries compared to the previous year. A total of 2.3 million people arrived in the EU from such countries, up 18 per cent from 1.9 million in 2020. However, this figure still remains below the pre-pandemic level of 2.7 million in 2019.

The analysis shows that in 21 out of 27 EU countries, more than half of all immigrants in 2021 came from non-EU countries. Lithuania, Spain and Slovenia stood out with the highest proportions of such immigrants at 81 per cent, 80 per cent and 79 per cent respectively. In contrast, in Luxembourg only 9 per cent of immigrants came from outside the EU, the lowest share among all EU countries.

In absolute terms, Germany and Spain were the most popular destination countries for immigrants from outside the EU in 2021, receiving 439,000 (19 per cent) and 421,000 (19 per cent) immigrants respectively. Italy and France also received significant contingents of 248,000 (11 per cent) and 238,000 (11 per cent) immigrants respectively. Together, these four countries received 60 per cent of all immigrants entering the EU from non-EU countries that year.

Regarding emigration, around 1.1 million people leave the EU for non-EU countries in 2021. This number also shows an increase from 956,000 in 2020 and almost reaches the pre COVID-19 pandemic level of 1.2 million. These figures reflect the recovery of migration flows after the decline caused by the pandemic.

In 2021, there was a dynamic in the destinations of emigration from the European Union. In eight out of twenty-seven EU countries, more than half of all emigrants chose destinations outside the EU. France stands out with the highest share of such emigrants – 68%, indicating a significant level of migration to countries outside the European Union. Slovenia with 65 per cent, Lithuania with 64 per cent and Spain with 63 per cent.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Slovakia and Luxembourg showed the lowest proportions of emigration to non-EU countries, with 18 per cent and 16 per cent respectively. This may reflect both geographical proximity and economic ties with other EU countries and various socio-economic factors influencing the decision to emigrate.

In terms of absolute numbers, Spain was the main source point for emigrants heading outside the EU, with 239,000 or 21 per cent of all such emigrants. Germany and France were also major sources of emigration with 158,000 (14 per cent) and 120,000 (11 per cent) emigrants respectively. These three countries together accounted for 46 per cent of all emigrants leaving the EU in 2021.

Despite active emigration, the EU’s overall migration balance remained positive in 2021, with an excess of 1 million immigrants over emigrants. This shows that despite various global challenges, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union continues to attract a significant number of migrants, which supports its demographic resilience and socio-economic development.

Free movement of people in the EU

Freedom of movement and residence within the European Union is one of the fundamental rights granted to EU citizens. In 2021, the recovery from the pandemic recession is seen in an increase in the number of international movements within the EU by 10 per cent compared to the previous year, reaching 1.4 million people.

Germany recorded the highest number of entries from other EU countries, with 328,000 immigrants, accounting for 24 per cent of all such movements in 2021. This underlines Germany’s status as one of the key economic and social centres in Europe. Germany is followed by Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Romania, each of which received a significant number of immigrants from other EU countries, signalling close economic and social integration within the bloc.

Luxembourg stands out for its unique share of immigrants from other EU countries, accounting for 91 per cent of all immigrants in 2021. This reflects Luxembourg’s special role in the European economy, including the financial sector and international institutions, making it an attractive place to live and work for citizens from other EU countries. Slovakia and Austria also showed high shares of immigrants from other EU countries, with 68 per cent and 56 per cent respectively, highlighting their active participation in European migration dynamics.

These data confirm that internal migration in the EU continues to be a significant part of the demographic and social fabric of the region, facilitating labour mobility and cultural exchange between Member States.

Citizenship in the EU

In 2022, the migration picture in the European Union continued to be dynamic, with a significant number of people living outside their countries of citizenship. The total number of such people reached 37 million, representing 8 per cent of the EU population. Of these, 14 million (3%) were citizens of other EU countries and 24 million (5%) were citizens of non-EU countries. In addition, 53 thousand stateless persons and 303 thousand people with undetermined citizenship were recorded.

Luxembourg continued to have one of the highest proportions of non-citizens in the EU at 47 per cent of the population. This is significantly higher than in Malta (21 per cent), Cyprus (19 per cent), Austria (18 per cent) and Estonia (15 per cent). These countries attract a significant number of foreign nationals due to their economic opportunities and liberal migration policies.

In the context of citizens of other EU Member States, Luxembourg also took the lead with 38% of the population being citizens of other EU Member States, an order of magnitude higher than in Cyprus, where the figure was 10%. On the other hand, the share of citizens from non-EU countries was highest in Estonia (14 per cent), Latvia (13 per cent) and Malta (12 per cent).

In contrast, Romania and Croatia showed the lowest proportions of non-citizens among their populations, with only 0.3 per cent and 0.9 per cent respectively. This emphasises the more closed nature of migration flows or less attractive migration conditions in these countries.

These data emphasise the complexity and diversity of migration phenomena in the European Union, where political, economic and social factors play a key role in shaping the demographic structure of the region.

In EU countries, non-citizens are younger than citizens

Your data confirm that the non-citizen population in the European Union countries is generally younger than the national population, which is associated with active labour and educational migration in the region. The significantly higher number of young working-age adults among non-citizens underlines their important role in the economic and social life of EU countries. Data on age groups also emphasise this trend:

• Males between the ages of 20 and 49 made up 29 per cent of the non-citizen population, up significantly from 18 per cent among citizens.
• Women aged 20 to 49 also show a similar pattern, making up 27 per cent of the non-citizen population compared to 18 per cent among citizens.

The lower proportion of persons over 50 years of age among non-citizens emphasises the youthful and active nature of migration flows to Europe. This is an important factor that influences social security and integration policies:

• Men over the age of 50 make up only 12 per cent of non-citizens, compared to 20 per cent of citizens.
• Women over 50 years of age accounted for 13 per cent of non-citizens, while among citizens the proportion was as high as 24 per cent.

The right of EU citizens to live and work in any other EU country also leads to significant internal migration flows, as confirmed by Romania with the largest number of its own citizens living in other EU countries – 3.1 million. This indicates significant labour mobility within the EU, contributing to economic development and cultural exchange between countries.