The EU should make long-term status more appealing to applicants, according to the report, which includes interviews with 267 non-EU citizens and input from 51 experts. According to EU Helpers, this may be accomplished by streamlining the application requirements and delivering the necessary guidance.
More rights are granted by the EU status than by long-term national policies, and persons are free to migrate within the EU. The EU should make the rules simpler and offer instructions on the applicant's next actions in order to encourage adoption. The paper acknowledges that EU nations might give more accurate information regarding the EU resident status for long periods of time.
It is a typical issue for many applicants to demonstrate continuous residence in a Member State for five years and a solid income, requirements for applying for the EU long-term permit. Migrants frequently struggle to show documentation of their accommodations, and they also frequently struggle to meet the demanding language criteria set for applicants.
The same report makes the recommendation that residency and income restrictions be lowered to make the status more widely available. The FRA experts advise relaxing the lodging and language criteria for the status and expanding the availability of language instruction for persons seeking long-term resident status.
Additionally, it can be difficult for non-EU citizens to locate jobs that fit their skills. The EU might put up laws to support mechanisms for quickly and affordably recognizing credentials earned outside of the EU. In order to prevent discrimination in the applicants' access to jobs and education, the EU may potentially change the laws.
Another recommendation from the FRA's report is to "recognize qualifications and improve access to jobs and education, including by promoting quick and affordable qualification recognition systems and furthering work to prevent discrimination in access to jobs and education."
The same document also highlights the need for the EU to facilitate long-term resident mobility within the EU and make it simpler for applicants with children to obtain status. Additionally, the same paper seeks solutions for those with temporary protection, which suggests that the EU might permit those with temporary protection who have fled Ukraine and are already residing in the EU to apply for EU status.
This indicates that the freedom to migrate throughout the EU is the main benefit of the EU system. The Agency recommends the EU to simplify the regulations and encourage it among long-term residents because it is typically not used.