The conditions for importing and employing workers from third countries have been eased

"It will no longer be necessary to contact the diplomatic services

 

The biggest achievement is the fact that after the these amendments come into force, citizens of guest countries will no longer have to wait for a visa at consular offices and could apply for a temporary residence permit in Lithuania without visa. Such an arrangement used to cause a lot of additional bureaucratic disturbances for both the employer and the employee, as it puts a heavy burden on diplomatic missions of Lithuania, and it is difficult to distinguish which persons really want to work and which simply want to get a Schengen visa. "In Lithuania, everyone went in one pile and quite a few people applied for a ostensibly work visa, but never got a job, they moved on," said A. Romanovskis.

 

He also welcomed the canceled requirement to submit documents to the Employment Service (UZT) about the foreigner's qualifications and work experience. According to the head of LVK, the main criterion of whether a foreigner meets the needs of the Lithuanian labor market should ultimately be the employer's confirmation that he needs that employee. At the same time, A. Romanovskis suggests abandoning the list of missing professions drawn up annually by UŽT - a business representative who calls this list a surviving document says that Lithuania is still trying to protect the labor market from citizens of third countries. "Because it is still thought that we have hundreds of thousands of unemployed people who are registered with the Employment Service, and maybe employers can find some employees among them," remarked A. Romanovskis.

 

On June 30, the last day of the spring session of the Seimas, the parliament approved a large list of amendments to the UTPE. It provides that starting next year, a business that has invited a foreigner will only need to inform UŽT about his qualifications or work experience, and not about both, as has been the case so far. Also, the requirement would not be valid if the reward offered is above average. Also, highly qualified candidates will no longer need to take a labor market test. Together with corrections from 4 to 3 months the term of issuing temporary residence permits for unqualified workers is shortened, for highly qualified workers - up to a month. 

 

Starting next year, a foreigner will be able to obtain a residence permit while abroad. 

 

Also, from July of next year, there will be no more national visas issued for work, and foreigners who have studied here will be able to stay in Lithuania more easily, the limitation of their working time will be removed. Foreigners are also given the right to work under a temporary employment contract. The amendments to the UTPĮ create an opportunity for the whole family to come to Lithuania, when both spouses have a temporary residence permit on the basis of work. 

 

In order to receive Ukrainians fleeing the war and to create the most favorable conditions for them, the draft law also revises the provisions for granting temporary protection. Requirements for entry, stay, and employment are expected to be eased, and other admission conditions are ensured. 

 

According to the draft law, the employer will be able to choose whether to employ a foreigner with the necessary qualifications or one year of work experience in the last 3 years, or to undertake to pay the foreigner a wage not less than the annual average monthly gross wage of the national economy."