What Is The EU Blue Card: An Overview Of Europe’s Skilled Migration Visa

What is the EU Blue Card: An overview of Europe’s skilled migration visa

The EU Blue Card can be your ticket to qualified employment within the EU. It is a special residence title (section 18 of the Residence Act) for skilled labor in the EU. This is beneficial for employees and employers alike, addressing the skills gap problem by inviting capable professionals to Europe from outside of the last EU. So if you are from a non-EU country seeking a job in the EU, you have landed on the right page. In this comprehensive guide, we will define the ins and outs of the EU Blue Card, including EU Blue Card eligibility criteria and the application process.

What is the EU Blue Card?

The EU Blue Card is the answer to how the EU should deal with its increasing skill-shortage and demographic changes. It creates a unified and simplified path for specific, high-demand professions from non-EU countries to find jobs in the EU. The holder of an EU Blue Card shall be entitled to reside in the territory of that part for which it is issued, with the object of gaining employment.

The EU Blue Card is a type of permit established under Council Directive 2009/50/EC. This directive was implemented to attract third-country professionals into existing skill shortages or likely future ones within the EU. It is also the primary residence permit for foreign-graduated university students.

Advantages of the EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card benefits are plentiful. First and foremost, it is aimed exclusively at high-skilled non-EU nationals. You can search for a job and also stay inside the country of the European Union. It offers both work and residence authorization to the holders greatly improving cross-border exploration in the EU, and opening labor market for such skilled professionals through better integration into a subset of lifestyle-based labor markets across large European regions that offer need-based employment access. All EU Member states except Denmark and Ireland are part of the EU Blue Card participating countries.

Holders of the Blue Card gain a disciplinary right to enter, re-enter, and reside in more than one country where they are granted maximum work authorization. The duration of your EU card can last between one to four years. Its stay period also depends on the employment contract you have. However, this can often be extended with a few formalities – you simply have to apply for the EU Blue Card renewal process in most countries.

Additionally, EU card holders can also easily travel through other EU member states. The EU countries include:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Republic of Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden.

If you have a Blue Card you can travel through all of these member states for up to 90 days per 180-day period in each member state. However, if you wish to stay in another country for more than the given 90-day period, you might have to apply for a permit there. The holder can also exchange their Blue Card permit for the new country as residence in some cases.

Benefits for Employees 

EU Blue Card holders have the advantage of exploring various career opportunities that align with their professional interests. For employees, the favorable part is that multiple EU member states have provisions which enable Blue card holders to apply for a permanent acquisition if they are in employment in any of the countries outlined within Europe for at least one or two years. The EU blue card holders are also not limited to working with one employer. This is a great opportunity to allow employees to change employment without notifying the local authorities.

Benefits for Employers

This directive does not exclusively benefit employees. This means EU employers can also gain by hiring people with the right skills in non-EU countries. In doing so, they are tackling the skills shortage problem and streamlining visa applications. Furthermore, the semi-prestigious status of this card (in some ways resembling the US Green Card) ensures that companies can draw in talented professionals who may prefer to put down their skirts for a more stable and long-term position within Europe.

What are the EU Blue Card eligibility criteria?

The first requirement for becoming an EU Blue Card holder is that the applicants must provide evidence of a valid university degree. They must also show that they have been offered a job which gives basic annual earnings of at least 56,400 euros.

The minimum required salary varies from state to state. Some member states have stricter rules about this; others do no

The EU Blue Card Requirements for Employees:

All applicants have to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the EU Blue Card. Some of these requirements include:

  • Holding an authentic higher education qualification or a university degree
  • Employment contract with the EU employer for a minimum one year
  • Meeting the minimum earning threshold requirement for the respective EU country
  • Holding valid documents. For eg. Passport.
  • The applicant should also obtain health insurance for their stay and employment in the issuing country

The applications are submitted to the concerned authorities. It can be either in the country in case the applicant already has a residence permit, or at the appointment embassy according to the applicant’s country of domicile. An application fee is also included in most cases. You can read more on that here.

How to apply for the EU Blue Card?

 If you are wondering about the EU Blue Card application process, here is everything you need to know:

To apply for the EU Blue Card, you and your employer will have to submit the application to competent national authorities in the country you wish to work in. You will also have to present proof that your employer is offering you a salary that meets the minimum salary threshold. Depending on the requirement of the member state you are applying for, you will also have to pay an application fee. The application is typically processed within a 90-day period but can vary depending on different countries. To accelerate the visa process, you can apply for the fast-track procedure for skilled workers.

In some EU member states, employers must also conduct a labor market test before hiring a non-EU national under the EU Blue Card. This is a document that is legally demanded by the authorities once you hand in your visa application. But you can also apply for a pre-approval. If you have pre-approval, it can also reduce your waiting time once you have applied for the visa. 

For more information regarding the application process, you can visit the EU immigration portal or the government website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

What is the EU Blue Card?

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit that allows foreign employees to apply for a job and live within the EU. This directive was introduced as a strategic solution to address the skill shortage, inviting non-EU skilled professionals to seek employment in any of the member states.

Who qualifies for the EU Blue Card?

All applicants have to meet eligibility criteria to apply for the EU Blue Card. Here are a few basic requirements to determine whether you qualify for the EU Blue Card or not:

  • Skilled professionals who have a university degree can apply for the Blue Card.  
  • You should have an employer contract for the issuing country you wish to work in
  • Your employer contract should meet the minimum salary set by the country

How to apply for the EU Blue Card?

Applying for the EU Blue card is not complicated once you have met all the requirements. You and your employer will have to submit an application form either in the country in case the applicant already has a residence permit, or at the appointment embassy according to the applicant’s country of domicile. An application fee is also included in most cases.

Which countries participate in the EU Blue Card scheme?

This is a very common question that interested applicants often ask. Here is a list of countries that participate in the EU Blue Card scheme. You can apply for a residence and work permit in any one of the following member states:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

What are the benefits of the EU Blue Card?

The biggest benefit of the EU Blue Card is that it addresses the skill gap issue in the EU by inviting foreign workers to job opportunities that lack personnel. In addition to this, there are also some other benefits for employees and students if they are Blue Card holders:

If you wish to move to a different state or seek employment in a different country, you can change your issuing country to the new country you wish to stay in.

Article Author – Gino Peters

Gino Peters is the Commercial Director at ThisWorks, with a rich history of nearly a decade in international payroll. Throughout his tenure, he has consistently kept abreast of evolving labor legislation, ensuring that ThisWorks remains at the forefront of industry knowledge. Beyond his vast expertise, Gino is deeply committed to advising and guiding clients and partners with precise insights. His leadership guarantees that all content and operations at ThisWorks meet the highest standards of clarity, accuracy, and compliance.
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