The Hungarian Secretary of State emphasized that Brussels continues to adhere to ineffective measures in migration management.Continue reading
The European Union’s strictest set of rules on immigration will enter into effect in Hungary on March 1st, announced the Parliamentary Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior Affairs at a press conference.
Bence Rétvári recalled that the tightening of legislation on immigration was debated in parliament at the end of last year. Although the new law came into effect on January 1, it will be fully implemented from March 1.
The objective of the legislation is to prevent illegal migrants from entering Hungary, even as guest workers; with this in mind “all loopholes have been closed,” he emphasized.
Mr. Rétvári further explained that the necessity for the new regulation arose due to the increasing migratory pressure, with hundreds of thousands of people attempting to reach Europe annually since 2015. Hungary has asserted its commitment to safeguarding the interests of its citizens and the external borders of the EU.
Secretary of State, Bence Rétvári and József Seres, official from the National Directorate General for Migration and Immigration. Photo: MTI / Kovács Tamás
Highlighting the main elements of the new law, the Secretary of State said that all Hungarian jobs are primarily reserved for Hungarians, and third-country nationals can only work in Hungary if no local workers are available for the job. Therefore, a thorough occupational policy investigation will be conducted by the government office in each case to determine whether the job cannot be filled by a Hungarian.
Consequently, the number of third-country nationals entering the country will be limited to available vacancies, and there is a list of jobs for which the import of third-country workers is prohibited.
In the event of job termination, the worker must leave the country within six days, and the employer must facilitate this process. Failure to comply may result in fines of up to HUF 5M (EUR 12.7k) on each occasion.
The possibility of family reunification has also been abolished, as family members are no longer permitted to join third-country workers arriving in Hungary. Furthermore, the law stipulates that no third-country national has a fundamental right to reside in Hungary.
Residence permits are granted for a limited period only, and there is no automatic right of renewal.
Each person can only reside in the country under one type of title, and other titles and settled status have been abolished. Non-compliance with the law mandates immediate departure from the country,” Rétvári stated.
Via MTI; Featured Image: police.hu