Background:

Under Article 17 of the recast Reception Conditions Directive (EU) 2024/1346, Member States are required to grant applicants for international protection access to the labour market no later than six months after their application has been registered, provided that no administrative decision has yet been taken and the delay is not attributable to the applicant.

In the Netherlands, parliamentary questions have been raised regarding plans to shorten this waiting period in the context of the implementation of the EU Asylum and Migration Pact. The Dutch authorities are considering reducing the period from six to three months and have requested an overview of the intended waiting periods in other Member States.

Respondents:

20 EMN Member Countries (including BE)  provided a public answer to this ad hoc query.

Findings:

A preliminary analysis of the results of the ad hoc query shows that:

• The majority of responding Member Countries (including BE) do not plan to change the waiting period for access to the labour market after implementation of the provisions of the EU Asylum and Migration Pact.
• Six responding countries are planning to change their waiting period in the framework of the implementation of the Pact. Countries planning to change their waiting period intend to reduce it, except for BG. In AT, the waiting period itself will not be modified, but the start of it will now be determined by the date on which the application for international protection is registered, rather than the date on which the asylum procedure is admitted.
   
• The waiting period for access to the labour market for applicants for international protection varies across countries, ranging from 60 days (EL, IT) to, most commonly, 3, 4 or 6 months. EL, however, plans to allow access to the labour market from the first day of registration of the application for international protection in the framework of the Pact implementation .

For further details, please read the compilation of answers attached above.