Lithuanian unions criticise president's proposed restrictions on migrant workers
Lithuanian trade unions have voiced opposition to President Gitanas Nausėda's plan to tighten rules on employing foreign workers, warning it could lead to more violations and unskilled labour, while presidential advisers defend it as a way to curb migration and encourage integration.
Several Lithuanian trade unions are pushing back against President Gitanas Nausėda's proposal to impose stricter regulations on the employment of foreign workers. According to LNK news, the unions argue that such measures could prompt migrants to disregard local laws and increase the share of unskilled labour.
The proposed system would allow economic migrants to work in Lithuania for a limited period, after which they would have to leave the country for at least six months. The president says this would help prevent family reunification and a faster rise in the migrant population.
Audrius Cuzanauskas, head of the Lithuanian Trade Union Alliance, said that requiring workers to leave periodically would make their jobs less secure and could undermine efforts to ensure they meet labour requirements. He noted that two months are spent training these workers just to reach minimum standards, even though they are supposedly skilled. He added that migrants are already being brought in with numerous violations, so the situation could worsen.
Presidential adviser Evelina Gudzinskaitė defended the proposal, claiming that many foreign workers coming to Lithuania do not learn the Lithuanian language, build careers, or seek integration into local culture. She said the majority simply need to earn money, though she did not provide specific evidence for this claim. She also warned that larger foreign communities could become more settled and attract additional migrants.
Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė has previously criticised the changes, saying they would not reduce the number of migrants but could increase the number of foreigners who stay illegally and refuse to follow the country's rules.
The president has proposed a new model of fixed-term work permits that would speed up application processing, but after two-year permits expire workers would have to leave Lithuania for at least six months. The permit would not allow them to bring their families. The Seimas approved the proposals at the consideration stage in mid-July. If final approval is granted, the changes would take effect next year.
