Several countries open doors to Tunisian skilled workers, with relocation packages reaching up to €80,000

Several countries across Europe and North America are actively recruiting Tunisian skilled workers in 2026, backed by visa reforms, relocation grants and salary packages that in some cases reach €80,000, as governments confront worsening labour shortages and shrinking working-age populations.

The shift marks a qualitative change from passive immigration policy to direct outreach. Programmes previously aimed at any international candidate are now being promoted specifically in North Africa, and Tunisia — ranked among the world's top five exporters of engineers — sits near the top of the target list.

Germany: the Opportunity Card opens a direct path

Germany's reformed immigration framework remains the most accessible entry point for Tunisian professionals without a prior job offer. The Chancenkarte, or Opportunity Card, entered into force on 1 June 2024 and allows qualified workers from outside the European Economic Area to enter Germany for up to one year to search for employment, with part-time work of up to 20 hours a week permitted during the search period.

Eligibility runs on a points system: applicants need at least six points, awarded for qualifications, relevant work experience, language skills and age. Tunisia already leads the African continent for Opportunity Card issuances, with 303 cards issued to Tunisian nationals as of the most recent Bundestag data, according to analysis by the German Economic Institute (IW Köln).

For those with a job offer in hand, Germany's EU Blue Card remains the faster route. The 2026 salary threshold stands at €50,700 gross per year for most professions and €45,934 for shortage occupations — covering IT, engineering, healthcare, construction management and several other fields — and for graduates who completed their degree within the last three years. The Work and Stay Agency, a centralised digital body launched in late 2025, handles skilled migration procedures nationwide.

From 1 January 2026, German employers recruiting from abroad must provide new hires with written information about free counselling on labour and social rights by their first working day, the Make it in Germany portal confirmed.

The EU Talent Pool: a new channel from 2027

At the European level, the legal framework for a broader recruitment shift took effect on 1 June 2026. Regulation (EU) 2026/1047, published in the Official Journal on 12 May 2026, establishes the EU Talent Pool — the first EU-wide digital platform connecting job-seekers from outside the EU with employers in participating member states. The platform itself is not expected to be fully operational until the end of 2027, the European Commission said.

The regulation targets EU-wide shortage occupations across all skill levels, from engineers and IT specialists to construction professionals, healthcare workers and hospitality roles. Participation by member states is voluntary, and registration on the platform does not confer any right of entry or residence; work and residence permits remain governed by national immigration law.

Tunisia holds a structural advantage here. The EU and Tunisia launched a Talent Partnership in June 2023 — one of five such partnerships the Commission has established globally. Job-seekers who developed skills under the partnership will be able to flag that on their EU Talent Pool profile once the platform is live. Italy, under the partnership, is already running a programme to train 2,000 Tunisian construction workers over 36 months, an initiative proposed by the national construction association ANCE and the non-profit organisation ELIS, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Italy: grants of up to €80,000 for rural resettlement

The highest single grant figure comes from the Province of Trento in north-east Italy. The provincial government has allocated €5 million for 2026, offering up to €100,000 to buy and renovate a home in one of 33 selected mountain villages: up to €80,000 toward renovation work and up to €20,000 toward the property purchase. No repayment is required provided the conditions — including a ten-year residency or long-term rental commitment — are met.

The programme is primarily open to Italian residents and Italians living abroad. Foreign nationals may apply if they are legally able to purchase property in Italy, though navigating Italian property and residency law as a non-citizen adds complexity. Applications are accepted through scheduled windows; current dates are published at provincia.tn.it.

Ireland and Portugal: property and rural relocation support

Ireland's Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant offers up to €84,000 for anyone willing to buy and renovate a derelict property on one of approximately 30 inhabited offshore islands off the west coast, as part of the government's ten-year Our Living Islands programme. For vacant but non-derelict properties elsewhere, the grant stands at €70,000. Irish residency is required to claim the funding; purchasing a property does not in itself confer residency rights.

In Portugal, the Emprego Interior Mais programme offers a one-time relocation grant of up to €6,000 for qualifying participants willing to move to rural areas, with a 20 percent bonus for each dependent who relocates. Foreign applicants must already hold legal residency — in practice, usually the D8 digital nomad visa, which requires a minimum income of around €3,500 per month.

Canada: a Francophone advantage

Canada's Express Entry system represents the most established long-term pathway for Tunisian professionals. French-speaking applicants receive additional Comprehensive Ranking System points and priority consideration in several Provincial Nominee Programmes, a meaningful advantage given Tunisia's French-language education base. Sectors in highest demand include healthcare, IT, engineering and skilled trades.

The Federal Skilled Worker Programme accepts applicants with at least one year of experience in a qualifying occupation; the Federal Skilled Trades Programme covers electricians, plumbers and mechanics, among others. Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website carries the full eligibility criteria and current draw results at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship.

What to check before applying

Conditions vary sharply between programmes. Several of the larger grants — particularly those in Italy and Ireland — are tied to property purchase and residency requirements rather than employment alone, and some are primarily designed for nationals of the host country living abroad. Eligibility for Tunisian nationals who are not yet residents should be verified directly against the programme rules in each case.

For employment-based routes, the EU Talent Pool platform will publish vacancy listings and immigration guidance once it becomes operational, expected by the end of 2027. Germany's Make it in Germany portal at make-it-in-germany.com carries current visa rules and Opportunity Card eligibility in English, French and Arabic.