In view of transposing Council Directive 2009/50/EC (of 25 May 2009 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment) into the national legislation, the Law N° 41(I) of 2012 amends Acts N° 2(I) of 1972, 54(I) of 1976, 50(I) of 1988, 197(I) of 1989, 100(I) of 1996, 43(I) of 1997, 14(I) of 1998, 22(I) and 164(I) of 2001, 88(I) and 220(I) of 2002, 66(I) of 2003, 178(I) of 2004, 8(I) and 184(I) of 2007, 29(I) and 143(I) of 2009 and 153(I) of 2011 consolidating the Aliens and Immigration Law, by adding the following articles:
- article 18SA, introducing a general reservation in favor of the provisions 18SB to 18YB against any contrary provision of the Law or of the regulations and decrees issued under its authority;
- article 18SB, providing for the definition of the following terms: "highly qualified employment", "second Member State", "Decree", "Regulation (EC) N° 1030/2002", "family members", "employee", "EU Blue Card", "regulated profession", "Directive 2009/50/EC", "citizen of European Union", "first Member State", "higher education qualification", "third-country national" and "higher professional qualifications";
- article 18SC, defining the personal scope of application of provisions 18SB to 18YB by specifying the categories of third-country nationals for which the provisions are not applicable;
- article 18SD, listing the more favourable provisions to which articles 18SB to 18YB shall be without prejudice
- article 18SE, determining the admission criteria;
- article 18SST, regulating the volumes of admission;
- article 18SZ, concerning the EU Blue Card;
- articles 18SH and following, providing for the grounds for refusal, withdrawal or non-renewal of the EU Blue Card;
- article 18T and 18TA, regarding applications for admission and for renewal of the EU Blue Card;
- article 18TB, introducing procedural safeguards;
- articles 18TC, 18TD, 18TE and 18TST, concerning, respectively, the labour market access, the temporary unemployment, the equal treatment and the family members;
- article 18TZ, adjusting the EC long-term resident status for EU Blue Card holders;
- article 18TH, regulating the long-term residence permit;
- article 18TY, regarding the residence in the Republic Cyprus as a second Member State for family members;
- article 18TYA on the implementing measures
- and article 18TYB on the contact points.
Amends the Appendix III and adds the new Appendix XII to the Aliens and Immigration Law.