The proposal for an EU Talent Pool was put forward by the European Commission on 15 November 2023 as part of a broader effort to facilitate legal migration pathways and address labour shortages in the EU. The Council agreed its position on the file on 13 June 2024, paving the way for interinstitutional negotiations. The trilogue negotiations between the Parliament, the Council and the Commission were concluded on 18 November 2025, followed by a vote in the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on 3 December 2025, which confirmed the position ahead of the plenary vote.

On 11 March 2026, Members of the European Parliament endorsed the creation of the EU Talent Pool by 414 votes in favour, 182 against and 21 abstentions. The platform is designed to match vacancies in shortage occupations with profiles of jobseekers from outside the EU, and participation by Member States will remain voluntary. Participating employers will be required to comply with applicable EU and national legislation on fair recruitment and working conditions. While Member States may choose to accelerate immigration procedures for selected candidates, registration on the platform will not guarantee the issuance of work or residence permits, which remain subject to national procedures. The regulation still needs to be formally adopted by the Council before it can enter into force.

Following the vote, reactions have highlighted both support for and concerns about the proposal. The rapporteur, Abir Al-Sahlani, described the Talent Pool as a tool to help employers address labour shortages while contributing to the development of legal migration pathways. At the same time, organisations such as the European Transport Workers’ Federation and the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism expressed concerns about the absence of dedicated complaint mechanisms for workers, a lack of information on their rights, and what they consider insufficient safeguards in terms of recruitment and working conditions. They also underlined that access for recruitment intermediaries to the platform, without sufficient regulation at EU level, could increase the risk of abusive practices, including exploitation or social dumping. In this context, they called for stronger safeguards to ensure fair recruitment conditions, adequate labour standards and equal treatment for all workers, regardless of their origin.

For further details, please read the press release from the EU Parliament.