Admitting Labour Migrants

Annex A. Pathways covered in the analysis

Table A A.1. List of all temporary labour migration pathways in the analysis

Country	Pathway
Australia	Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) - Core Skills Stream
	Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) - Specialist Skills Stream
	Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) - Labour Agreement Stream
	Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494) - Employer Sponsored Stream
	Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494) - Labour Agreement Stream
	Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
	Temporary Work (International Relations) visa(subclass 403) - Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Stream
Austria	EU Blue Card
	Skilled workers in Shortage Occupations Red-White-Red (RWR) Card
	Very highly qualified workers Red-White-Red (RWR) Card
	Other key workers Red-White-Red (RWR) Card
	Saisoniers (Tourism, Agriculture, and Forestry) and registered saisoniers
	Researcher Settlement Permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung Forscher)
Belgium	EU Blue Card (all Regions)
	FLANDERS - Highly Skilled - Single Permit
	FLANDERS - Manager - Single Permit
	FLANDERS - shortage occupation/medium skilled - Single Permit
	FLANDERS - Other - Single Permit
	Single Permit (Employment, Brussels)
	Single Permit (Employment, Wallonie)
	Seasonal (EU Directive definition)
	Researcher (All Regions)
Bulgaria	EU Blue Card
	Single Work and Residence Permit
	Researcher
	Seasonal workers with residence permit
Canada	Temporary Foreign Worker Program High-wage stream
	Temporary Foreign Worker Program Low-wage stream
	Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
	Primary Agriculture
	Global Talent Stream
	International Mobility Program
Chile	Individuals who perform lawful paid activities (employment contract or service provision contract)
	Individuals who perform lawful paid activities (employment offer)
	Seasonal workers
Colombia	M Visa - Worker
	M visa - Promotion of internationalization
	V visa - Seasonal agricultural worker
Costa Rica	Temporary residence - Executive, Managerial, Technical Personnel
	Temporary residence - Specialized Employee
	Temporary residence - Scientist, Professional, Trainee
	Cross-border worker
	Temporary worker
	Specific occupation worker (includes both legal entity and physical person options)
Croatia	EU Blue Card
	Work Permit
	Key Personnel
	Scientific researcher
	Seasonal Worker
Czechia	EU Blue Card
	Employee Card (including Economic migration programmes)
	Seasonal Employment (long-term visa)
Denmark	Fast track
	Pay Limit Scheme
	Collective Agreement -based Business Scheme
	Supplementary Pay Limit Scheme
	Researcher
	Employed PhD student
	Positive list (higher education)
	Positive list (skilled work)
	Work permit in agriculture (Herdsmen and farm managers)
Estonia	Temporary Residence Permit for employment (EU Blue Card)
	Temporary Residence Permit for employment (Top Specialist)
	Short-term employment registration (Startup or growth company employee)
	Short-term employment registration (Top Specialist)
	Temporary Residence Permit for employment
	Short-term employment registration (includes seasonal work)
	Temporary Residence Permit for employment (Startup or growth company employee)
Finland	EU Blue Card
	Specialist
	Residence Permit for an Employed Person
	Scientific Research
	Seasonal work
France	EU Blue Card (part of Passeport Talent scheme)
	Talent - Qualified employee: qualified employee
	Talent Passport - Medical and pharmacy professions
	Talent Passport - Researcher
	Talent - Qualified employee: Employee of a Young Innovative Company
	Talent - Artistic and cultural profession
	Talent - National or international reputation
	Residence and work permit
	Seasonal worker
Germany	EU Blue Card
	Skilled worker with vocational training (temporary residence permit)
	Skilled worker with academic qualification (temporary residence permit)
	Recognition of foreign qualifications
	Recognition partnership
	Researcher
	Employment of certain nationals (includes Western Balkans Regulation)
	Special regulation for assistants in nursing
	Seasonal employment
	Fairground helpers
	Domestic helpers
Greece	EU Blue Card
	Dependent employment
	Seasonal Workers
Hungary	EU Blue Card
	Hungarian Card
	Guest Worker: includes both Guest Workers with a Residence Permit for Employment Purposes and Guest Workers with a Guest Worker Residence Permit (closed to new applicants as of June 2026)
	National card
	Researcher
	Seasonal employment
Iceland	Residence and work permit due to a shortage of labour
	Residence and work permit for work requiring expert knowledge
Ireland	General Employment Permit
	Critical Employment Permit
	Contract for Services Employment
	Scientific Researcher
	Atypical Permit (Nurses, Doctors)
Israel	Expert (B/1)
	General Work Visa (B/1)
Italy	EU Blue Card
	Subordinate work residence permit (quota)
	Subordinate work residence permit (outside quota)
	Seasonal work (quota)
Japan	Technical internship trainee program
	Special Skilled Worker I
	Special Skilled Worker II
	Specified visa: designated activities (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services)
	Highly Skilled Professional
	Special Highly Skilled Professional (J-Skip)
	Skilled Labour
	Business manager
	Researcher
	Instructor
	Medical Services
	Nursing care (Certified careworker)
Korea	E-7 Specialty worker (divided into subcategories)
	E-9
	E-1 Professor
	E-5
	F-2-7
	E-8 Seasonal
	C-4-5 Visa (short-term employment)
	H-2
Latvia	EU Blue Card
	Temporary residence permit with the rights for employment
	Long term visa with employment rights (D-visa)
	Short term visa with employment rights (C-visa)
Lithuania	EU Blue Card
	Temporary Residence Permit
	Seconded Employee (National D visa)
	Seasonal Worker (National D visa)
Luxembourg	EU Blue Card
	Salaried worker
	Temporary worker
	Seasonal worker
	Researcher
Mexico	Visitor visa to engage in paid activities
	Employment offer visa (temporary resident with work permit card)
	Border worker visitor card
Netherlands	EU Blue Card
	Knowledge Migrant Scheme
	Residence and Work Permit
	Key Essential Personnel for Startups
	Seasonal Scheme
	Researcher
New Zealand	Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
	Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
	China Skilled Workers Visa
	Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa
	Global Workforce Seasonal Visa
	Peak Seasonal Visa
	Green List - Work to Residence
Norway	Skilled worker
	Seasonal worker
	Service provider
	Self employed
	Researcher with own funds
	Trainee
	Job seeker - recently graduated
Poland	EU Blue Card
	Temporary Residence Permit for Work (TRP - Single Permit)
	Work permit for a Polish entity entrusting work to a foreigner
	Declaration of Entrusting Work to a Foreigner
	Seasonal Worker Permit (Work Permit + Seasonal TRP)
	Temporary Residence Permit for Research (TRP - Single Permit)
Portugal	EU Blue Card
	Subordinate Employment
	Highly Qualified Professionals (D3/AR - Art. 61º/90º)
	Tech Visa
	Researcher
	Seasonal worker
Romania	EU Blue Card
	"Permanent Workers"
	Researcher
	Seasonal workers
Slovak Republic	EU Blue Card
	Employment - Temporary Residence Permit
	National visa
	Research and Development
	Seasonal worker
Slovenia	EU Blue Card
	Single Permit (general)
	Bosnia and Herzegovina Agreement
	Serbia Agreement
	Seasonal worker
Spain	EU Blue Card
	Highly qualified professionals
	Researcher
	Residence and Employment Work Visa
	Seasonal Worker
Sweden	EU Blue Card
	Employee
	Researcher
	Seasonal worker
Switzerland	L Permit (short-term employment)
	B permit
Türkiye	Temporary Permit
	Turquoise Card
United Kingdom	Skilled Worker Visa
	Health and Care Worker Visa
	Seasonal Worker Visa
	Government Authorised Exchange Visa
	Scale-Up Worker Visa
United States	H-1B Specialty Occupations
	TN USMCA Professionals
	E-3 Specialty Occupation Professionals from Australia
	H-2A Agricultural Workers
	H2-B Non-Agricultural Workers

Source: OECD Secretariat

Table A A.2.  Questionnaire A: Temporary Labour Migration Pathways

Pathway-level questions

Pathway
Basic information
1	Date of introduction (When was this permit/visa/channel introduced?)
2	Legal basis (legislative reference)
3	Who files the application? (Is the initial application filed by the employer or the worker, or indifferent?)
Eligibility criteria
Eligibility criteria for foreign worker
4	Is there an educational threshold?
5	Is there a wage threshold?
6	Is there an occupational/sectoral requirement? (specify which) (Note: shortage occupations are covered below)
7	Is there a ‘minimum years of experience’ requirement?
8	Is there a minimum/maximum age requirement?
9	Is there a language proficiency requirement? If so, at which level?
10	Does a multicriterial or point-based system apply?
11	Is this pathway subject/linked to a bilateral agreement or another regional initiative (e.g. for EU, Talent Partnerships)?
12	Is this pathway limited to certain nationalities?
13	Is prior recognition of foreign qualification required?
14	Is Labour Authority/Employment Service review required? (Note: labour market tests are covered below)
15	Are security checks/criminal record checks required?
16	Does the recipient need to prove they have health insurance coverage?
17	Does the recipient need to prove they have secured housing? If so, what is the requirement?
18	Does the recipient need to provide certified or notarised translations? If so, which documents?
Eligibility criteria for employer
19	Does the employer have to be a registered business (i.e., legal person with tax ID/business ID)? Please indicate if individuals/physical persons are eligible to employ
20	Are there explicit exclusions for firms with recent violations of labour law? If so, indicate if exclusion also applies to pending cases of violations.
21	Is there a turnover/financial capacity/minimum capital or similar requirement?
22	Is there a minimum time since foundation requirement?
23	Does the employer have to pay skills surcharges/training fees/skills levies to be able to sponsor foreign worker?
24	Is there a requirement for the maximum percentage of foreign employees/labour migrants in company?
25	Are pre-arrival orientation courses a requirement for employers?
26	Are registered/recognised/accredited employers the only ones allowed to recruit for this pathway? (see section 4.5 for detailed questions on these schemes)
Permit characteristics
27	Duration (maximum duration of initial issuance)
28	Minimum/Maximum number of working hours
29	Is the permit/visa linked to a specific employer?
Administrative indicators of procedural outcomes
30	Actual processing time
31	Statutory processing time
32	Fees (consular visa issuance, residence permit issuance, other mandatory fees)
33	Refusal rates
Exceptions, exemptions, restrictions
Labour Market Test (LMT)
34	Is a LMT applied for this pathway?
35	Which authorities participate in applying it?
36	Is there a mandatory posting requirement?
37	What is the posting mode? (e.g. newspaper, online)
38	What is the minimum post time?
39	For EU countries: is the posting also placed on the EURES Job Portal?
40	Does the LMT have a cost? If so, how much does it cost?
41	Is approval by default after a delay or is a positive assessment required?
42	Are there exemptions to the LMT?
43	Rejection rate (if available)
Shortage Occupation List (SOL)
44	Is a shortage occupation list used to determine labour migration admission for this pathway?
45	Does it set a different salary/educational/sectoral threshold?
46	Does the SOL establish (a) different eligibility requirement(s)? If so, which one(s)?
47	Which authorities are involved in designing the SOL?
48	How is the SOL developed?
49	Does it involve consultation with social partners (e.g. employers, unions, NGOs)? How are they involved?
50	How often is the SOL updated/revised?
Quotas/Numerical Limits
51	Is there a quota/numerical limit
52	Which authorities participate in designing it and applying it?
53	Which criteria are considered to determine it?
54	Is it determined by sector/occupation?
55	Is it determined by country of origin?
56	Is it a target or a cap?
57	What happens if it is exceeded? Which mechanism is employed to manage surplus (e.g. lottery, first come, first served, ranking)?
58	Which period of time does it cover (e.g. one year, multi-year)?
Fast-track processing schemes
59	Is there a fast-track processing scheme?
60	What are the eligibility requirements for employers?
61	What benefits does it allow?
	How is fast-track processing accessed?
62	By paying? (Who pays?)
63	By sector
64	By nationality of applicant
65	Being a recognised employer
Recognised employer schemes
66	Is there a recognised employer scheme? (yes/no)
67	Firm eligibility (i.e. Who is this scheme for?)
68	What is the process to become a recognised employer?
69	What are the benefits of this status to employers?
70	What are the benefits of this status to foreign workers?
71	What is the cost of the recognition procedure?
72	What is the length of procedure to be recognised?
73	What is the validity period?/Is there automatic renewal?

Source: OECD Secretariat

Table A A.3.  Questionnaire B: International Recruitment

Country-level questions

International recruitment
74	Is there a dedicated online public portal presenting labour migration pathways to the country? (indicate) (Note: top-level domain, exclude single webpages on a general government website)
75	Objective(s) of the platform (e.g. promotion, talent attraction, matching, recruitment, provision of information)
76	Which languages are available?
77	Which kind of information is included (e.g. immigration procedures, living and working conditions)?
78	Is information on procedures for recognition of foreign qualifications/validation of skills included?
	International recruitment portal
79	Does the portal facilitate labour matching initiatives to recruit labour migrants from abroad (yes/no)
80	Does the portal collect vacancies?
81	Does the portal collect jobseeker profiles?
82	How is matching conducted? (posting, active intervention (if so, by whom?)/automated matching tool, etc.)
83	Which authorities are involved in the management of this platform?
84	In addition to the portal, is there public sector involvement in recruiting labour migrants from abroad (yes/no)
85	Does a public authority organise job fairs abroad?
86	Does a public authority lead public outreach campaigns abroad?
87	Do social partners participate in these initiatives? If so, how?
88	Does your country participate in specific bilateral/multilateral programmes to support mobility of labour migrants (EU Talent partnerships or similar schemes)?
89	Partner countries
90	Projects and areas of focus

Source: OECD Secretariat