The text encourages voluntary departure of illegal non-EU nationals (giving them at least 7 days to leave voluntarily and up to 30 days, after which the Member State has the right to detain them), while at the same time fixing minimum standards for custody and deportation, including for children and health-related issues.
Direktīva arī paredz kriminālsankcijas par smagākajiem pārkāpumiem, piemēram, atkārtotām nelikumībām, ekspluatāciju un nepilngadīgo nodarbināšanu.