EU Blue Card

First introduced in 2009 by the European Council, The European Blue Card is a work permit allowing highly qualified workers to undertake employment in Europe. This blue card grants entry and residence to those particular workers and their immediate family members.

Upon its inception, very stringent rules applied as to who could be considered eligible for the Blue Card program; following the Revised Blue Card Directive of May 17, 2021, these standards have been updated making it easier for specialized and experienced workers to relocate to Europe.

The Revised Blue Card policies of 2021 came as a response to the great need for skilled workers in the whole Union.

In the words, Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the Commission for Promoting the European Way of Life, the Blue Card program’s aim is to “help sustain economic growth, respond to labor market needs and increase productivity to allow the EU to emerge stronger from this pandemic.”

The EU Blue Card scheme, often combined with additional systems active on a mere National level, is indeed designed to attract top academics and businesspeople to an European Nation which might have a workforce shortage in certain areas of expertise.

 

Who can participate in the EU Blue Card scheme?

Only highly proficient professionals, with a higher education certificate are usually considered for the Blue Card program. Candidates must all be in possession of a non-EU passport and must prove to have an excellent standard of education, matched with a specific set of skills which is in high demand in the destination country.

Inexperienced young applicants can also be included in the program if they have attended a minimum 3 years of higher education training in a university or similar institution.

Under the Revised Blue Card Directive, some EU Member States now accept 5 years minimum of relevant professional experience, instead of traditional qualifications. The work experience must be relevant to the job sector listed in the application.

 

Among the countries that opened to this specific eligibility criterion are:

Also under the 2021 Directive, highly trained third-country citizens under international protection, like refugees, are now eligible to apply for these specific work permits.

It is important although to highlight that while the Blue Card scheme is sponsored by the EU. each country applies different conditions as far as some specific eligibility criteria are concerned.

As a matter of fact, there are currently two EU Member Nations that do not participate at all in the program: the Kingdom of Denmark and the Republic of Ireland.

Blue Card application process

Depending on the destination country, the application can be submitted by the person concerned or by their employer and each country can have different eligibility standards as well as different restrictions on the number of permits they can grant within one calendar year.

Candidacy for a Blue Card must be addressed to the relevant national authority in the EU destination country. Applicants will be required to present, among other, the following documents:

  • Proof of guaranteed employment for at least six months e.g. a contract
  • Show that the employer will pay the individual a rate that not less than 50% higher the average national minimum wage
  • Documents to assess relevant qualifications
  • Provide proof of valid travel documents including ETIAS approval or a visa if required
  • Adequate health insurance

Some EU countries, but not all of them, charge a fee. Still each application follows the same general format.

This is a short summary of minimum salary requirement, for year 2023, in some EU countries:

  • France: 53,836 EUR
  • Germany: 56,400 EUR
  • Italy: 26,000 EUR
  • Spain: 33,908 EUR

Petitioners who do not meet this requirement will instead need a D-type work visa.

Validity terms of EU Blue Card

EU blue cards are valid for a period of time that ranges from 1 and 4 years, depending on the issuing country.

For instance, Spain grants Blue Cards valid for 12 months, while Austria’s are valid for 24 months, and France and Germany’s are valid for 4 years.

EU Blue Card holders can enter and stay in the EU country that issued the permit and are also allowed to move freely to other EU member countries.

Other options to work in Europe

Non-EU nationals must have some form of official permission to work in Countries that are part of the Union. Besides the Blue Card scheme, there currently are two more main protocols available.

Such additional schemes are:

  1. Schengen employment Visa (D-Visa)
  2. Digital Nomad Visa

 

Both visas, just like for the Blue Card, are issued according to criteria established by the single EU Nation that can also establish, among others, job sector, education level and minimum wage eligibility standards.

The EU Parliament has also discussed introducing admission schemes for low- and medium-skilled overseas workers.