Immigration news updates for the EMEA region
Europe, Middle East and Africa
European Union: Border controls
On May 19, the European Commission officially launched the Shared Biometric Matching Service (sBMS), marking a significant advancement in the European Union’s efforts to strengthen security, border management and migration governance. This initiative represents Europe’s endowment towards an organized cooperation between member states.
The sBMS introduces a state-of-the-art biometric search engine, capable of performing both fingerprint matching and facial recognition. The system is expected to store approximately 400 million biometric templates, substantially improving the accuracy and reliability of identity verification processes. This enhancement reinforces the EU’s external border controls and will also help facilitate more efficient processing of visa and asylum applications.
The sBMS is intended to enable seamless cooperation among the EU’s large-scale information systems in the field of Justice and Home Affairs, thereby enhancing data accessibility for competent authorities thus supporting more informed and timely decision-making.
The deployment of the sBMS coincides with the recent enhacements of the Visa Information System (VIS), now compatible with the Entry/Exit System (EES).
This summary was prepared using the information from the European Commission
France: Updated list of shortage occupations
On May 21, 2025, the French government issued a new ministerial order identifying specific occupations and geographic areas in France that are experiencing significant recruitment difficulties.
The new regulation introduces an updated list of occupations and regions where employers face persistent hiring challenges. This list includes a wide range of roles such as cleaning staff, agricultural workers, home care aides, kitchen assistants and skilled workers in the agri-food and industrial sectors. These roles are identified using professional family codes and are categorized by region to reflect local labor market conditions.
In addition to identifying shortage occupations, the order also includes Annex II, which maps the list to the national Operational Directory of Trades and Jobs (ROME). This classification helps ensure consistency in how occupations are defined and tracked across administrative systems.
By listing these occupations, the government allows employers to bypass the usual labor market tests when applying for work permits for foreign nationals. Furthermore, the list supports the implementation of the exceptional admission to residence (AES) procedure, introduced by the Immigration Law of January 26, 2024, which enables the regularization of undocumented workers employed in shortage occupations.
The full text of the order, along with the detailed annexes, is available in French here.
This summary was prepared using the information from the Legifrance
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration).
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