As announced by President Ursula von der Leyen during the 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi, in January, the European Commission is launching the European Legal Gateway Office in India, a deliverable of the New EU-India Comprehensive Strategic Agenda. It aims at facilitating the mobility of Indian ICT talent to the EU.
Enhancing the human capital needed to achieve the digital transition lies at the heart of the European Commission’s mandate. Therefore, the Commission will accelerate support to Member States and employers to attract talent to the European Union, in line with other EU initiatives such as Talent Partnerships and the upcoming EU Talent Pool.
Within this context, the European Commission will establish Legal Gateway Offices in selected partner countries, as previously addressed in the Union of Skills, with the aim of facilitating mobility and providing “additional support to employers in finding the skills they need, in particular in sectors of shared interest.
The one being established in India, is the first pilot of its kind. It will be a single one-stop hub for Indian workers, students and researchers pursuing a career in the European Union, in the ICT sector with the aim of expanding it further in the future.
European Legal Gateway Office Pilot in India
The European Legal Gateway Office in India, launched by Executive-Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Indian Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar, will contribute to improve cooperation with a strategic EU partner on digital skills, supporting the EU’s broader competitiveness and innovation objectives.
This Legal Gateway Office will provide Indian ICT talent with clear and reliable information on legal mobility pathways to the EU as well as advertise work and study opportunities in the ICT sector. It will also support European employers and educational institutions in better understanding the richness of the Indian landscape when it comes to the ICT sector.
The European Legal Gateway Office pilot in India will consist of a digital tool, a Gateway Office in India and a Support Office in the EU. It will function as a one-stop hub for Indian highly skilled workers, students and researchers in the ICT sector, offering streamlined access to information, services and opportunities. European companies will have tailored access to the Indian talent pool, helping address skills shortages in key sectors.
Among other activities, these will include information campaigns, job fairs, facilitating contacts with the ICT industry sector in the EU, providing market intelligence on ICT skills and needs as well as step-by-step guidance on visa pathways, work/residence permits, and skills recognition. It will also offer customised services to the European Member States wishing to get support in reaching out to Indian talent, ensuring better coordination and guidance throughout the mobility process.