Lithuania has made the decision to increase the restrictions and requirements for hiring foreign workers within the nation. Agnė Bilotaitė, Lithuania's Minister of Interior, announced the tighter labour migration laws, citing the country's fast increasing foreign population as the reason for the actions. Minister Bilotaitė explained that the tightened rules will allow more efficient management of migration flows. She further stressed that the new rules will also ensure national security and stricter controls over those being permitted to enter the country for work purposes.

It Will Now Be More Difficult to Hire Foreign Workers

In line with the proposed changes to the law, stricter obligations will apply to Lithuanian employers who want to hire foreign workers. Lithuanian employers will be required to hold the necessary licenses and report any changes in the data. In addition, employers in Lithuania will be obliged to offer full-time positions. As for foreign workers, they will be required to disclose information about their qualifications and experience, and they will also not be permitted to work for no more than four employers. Under the proposed changes, it has been set out that only foreigners who hold a valid residence permit will be permitted to work in Lithuania. This means that employment will not be possible under the visa-free regime or on a Schengen visa. Exceptions will be made only for certain groups of foreigners, such as researchers, teachers, and citizens of economically developed countries. Lithuania has also decided to set a new quota for foreign workers, which cannot exceed 14 per cent of the total number of permanent residents in any calendar year. Currently, Lithuania is home to more than 227,000 foreigners, with around 125,000 entering the country for employment reasons.

Lithuania Welcomes EU’s Migration Reform

Amid efforts to put an end to the instrumentalisation of migrants, Lithuania has welcomed the EU’s decision to reform the Migration and Asylum Pact. According to Minister Bilotaitė, the migration management system is essential in order to deal with potential crises in the future. The Migration and Asylum Pact focuses on solidarity and on sharing responsibility between EU member states. The pact also aims to offer more favourable conditions to migrants, requiring the member states to expedite the asylum procedures.