The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit for non-EU/EEA nationals that facilitates migration of educated third-country nationals to Europe to continue a career working in highly skilled jobs. It is an approved EU-wide work permit that allows highly skilled non-EU citizens to work and live in 25 of the 27 countries within the European Union, excluding Denmark and Ireland). The EU Blue Card is designed to attract highly qualified third-country nationals to jobs in occupations where there is a shortage of qualified personnel or where a shortage is likely to arise in the future.
To apply for an EU Blue Card, applicants must have higher professional qualifications, such as a university degree, and an employment contract or a binding job offer for at least one year with a high salary compared to the average in the EU country where the job is. The minimum salary threshold for the EU Blue Card depends mostly on the company the applicant has been admitted to, but there is a salary threshold set by each member state for its own.
The EU Blue Card provides comprehensive socio-economic rights and a path towards permanent residence and EU citizenship. With an EU Blue Card, it will be easier for the holder to get long-term residence status, as the rules for calculating the period of time necessary are more generous. The EU Blue Card holder enjoys equal treatment with the nationals of the Member State where they have settled, but they can only work in the sector they are concerned about.
