What is the EU Blue Card?

Technically, it is one of the European residence permits. The Blue Card is obtained when you need to move to work. It entitles you to live, work and to travel freely within the European Union. Only highly qualified workers can get the Blue Card.

How does Blue Card differ from a temporary residence permit?

An extended answer to this question is provided in the article EU Blue Card vs Regular Temporary Residence Permit.

Which countries issue the EU Blue Card?

You can get the Blue Card in the following countries: 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.

Who is eligible for the EU Blue Card?

The Blue Card is issued to highly qualified specialists with higher education who have concluded an employment contract for at least one year. Find a detailed answer in this post.

Do I have to know any language other than English to get the EU Blue Card?

The requirements do not impose any language restrictions. However, speaking additional languages will improve your chances of successful employment.

Which nationalities are excluded from the Blue Card?

Citizens of the European Economic Area (EU, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland). Nationals of foreign countries and territories that have constitutional ties to EU member states, such as Pitcairn, Montserrat and Greenland.

What salary do I need to have for the Blue Card?

In order to receive a Blue Card, your wage must be at least 1.5 times the average salary in the country concerned.

How long does the Blue Card last?

Each country has a different timeline. Usually, the card is issued for the duration of the employment contract, with a maximum term of 4 years (e.g. in Germany).

Can the Blue Card ensure permanent residence in the EU?

Yes. Depending on the country, after two to five years, you may apply for a permanent residence.

Where do I apply for a Blue Card issue?

It depends on the applicant’s whereabouts. If you are outside the EU, you should contact the embassy of the country to which you plan to go. Depending on the country, this can be either a visa request or a request directly for the Blue card.

Get more info in the article How do I apply for the EU Blue Card?

How can I make my family join me?

You immediately have the right to move in with your family. Spouses and minor children receive a temporary residence permit for the duration of the Blue Card of the main applicant. Spouses do not need to know the local language. Family members will have unlimited right to work (both for hire and in their own business).

Can I change my employer?

The employer with whom the Blue Card was obtained through an employment contract is indicated on the Blue Card (or its attachment). In most countries, if you change employers within the first 2 years, you must first obtain a permit to do so. But it will be automatically granted if the salary with the new company is not less than the needed threshold for the Blue Card. The new Blue card will include your new employer.

EU Blue Card – Niebieska Karta UE – is one of the Polish and European documents, which allows highly qualified specialists to legitimize their stay in Poland and the European Union.

Conditions for obtaining a Blue Card in Poland

One of the most important requirements is the level of a professional’s salary. The amount of the required wage is at least 150% of the average wage in Poland.

The minimum level of income that allows you to apply for the Blue Card in 2020 is PLN 7377.25 (approximately EUR 1680) per month.

The employment contract must be signed for at least one year.

Applicants must prove their professional qualifications. For this purpose, the applicant must submit a diploma of higher education or an evidence of at least 5 years of professional experience in the profession.

Advantages of the Blue Card over a regular residence permit in Poland

In comparison to a regular temporary residence permit, foreigners with a Blue Card can count on a number of advantages and benefits.

• Family members of a foreigner residing in Poland on the basis of a Blue Card do not need a work permit.
• Children of a Blue Card holder may study in Poland on the same free basis as Polish citizens.
• If you have been in another EU country on the Blue Card, this period will be counted when applying for the EU Residence Card in Poland – provided that you have been staying with the Blue Card in Poland for the last 2 years of these 5 years.
• After 2 years of living and working in Poland on the Blue Card, in case of a change of employer or position, you do not need to apply the paperwork again. It is sufficient to inform the authorities at your place of residence that the circumstances of your employment have changed.
• It is possible to stay in the country without work for 3 months.

Blue Card registration procedure in Poland

The application for the Blue Card is submitted after moving to Poland on a work visa. 

To issue a Blue Card, the foreigner needs to apply for the permit to the relevant Voivode’s office. In many voivodeships it is necessary to agree on the date of your visit in advance. This can be done via a special electronic queue form on the website of the respective voivodeship. 

Officially, the application process must comply with strict time limits: 1-2 months for processing documents in the Voivodeship and 30 days for checking the identity of the applicant by various Polish services (police, border control officers, etc.).

List of documents for the Blue Card in Poland:

• Application form filled in according to the official sample.
• Photos (4 pieces).
• The original and a copy of a passport (known as “foreign passport” in the former USSR).
• Work visa.
• Original and copy of the rental agreement.
• Original and copy of the birth certificate.
• Valid work contract for highly qualified employment with a duration of at least 1 year;
• The original and copy of the workbook.
• Original and copy of the candidate’s residence permit.
• The original and copy of the marriage certificate if the spouse intends to reside in the country.
• Application fee of EUR 111

In Poland, the EU Blue Card is issued for the period of the employment contract plus three months but no longer than two years.

Receiving the EU Blue Card begins with a contact between an employer and a future employee. If both parties are interested, an employment contract is concluded. 

After receiving the contract, you should apply in the embassy of the EU country where you plan to work.

In most cases, only the EU entry permit will be granted first, i.e. the work visa. And obtaining the Blue Card itself will have to be done after moving to the new country.

List of needed documents for EU Blue Card

• Application form for visa (2 copies);
• Application for residence permit (2 copies);
• Employment agreement (contract) with the minimal validity period of one year. The contract must specify the address of the company, working conditions, responsibilities of the specialist and the rate of salary. The document must be validated by both parties and by the Ministry of Labour of the inviting country;
• Diploma of higher education, including the insert with the list of subjects (2 copies). For regulated professions, the diploma must be confirmed by a certificate of conformity;
• Passport (“foreign passport” for the ex-USSR), valid for at least the period of the employment contract, and two copies of the personal data pages;
• ID card (“internal passport” for the ex-USSR), 2 copies of pages with personal data and registration at the place of residence;
• 3 EU Blue Card photos that can be obtained online at Visafoto.com;
• Work record book, confirming the work experience in the chosen specialty (2 copies);
• Health insurance;
• Certificate of no criminal record.

It is not necessary but desirable for Blue Card applicants to provide originals and two copies of the following documents:

• Сonfirmation of foreign language skills (certificates or references from language schools);
• Documents in support of the applicant (reference from the employer, letters of recommendation and the like).

The enterprise employing the immigrant has to be socially responsible. In other words, it must pay all national taxes and fees on time and do not violate labour laws. The Blue Card may require a document confirming this fact.

In some countries, the list of mandatory documents may be shorter. For example, the Swedish authorities do not require a diploma for unregulated professions. It is enough to confirm that you have worked for 5 years. Some countries ask the migrant to confirm that they have a rented or owned accommodation at the place of relocation.

How long does it take to issue a Blue Card?

Usually it takes about 8 weeks to review a standard set of documents. In some cases a more detailed check of the applicant’s details is required. But officials must meet the 3-month deadline, which is the maximum allowed. Most offices post positive decisions on their official websites. Negative answers are reported to the employer, and the latter must inform the failed employee.

The refusal to grant the Blue Card usually can be appealed.

The cost of the Blue Card in some EU countries (in Euros):

• Cyprus – €50,
• Hungary – €60,
• Latvia – €100,
• The Czech Republic – €92,
• Germany – €110,
• Poland – €111,
• Lithuania – €116,
• Estonia – €120,
• Austria – €120,
• France – €260,
• Italy – €274,
• Greece – €300,
• Spain – €418,
• Finland – €500,
• Bulgaria – €545,
• Netherlands – €881.

The Blue Card is a document which for non-EU citizens is a residence permit and a permit to work legally.  For this reason many citizens of non-EU countries are interested in how to obtain the Blue Card. After all, this document opens up great prospects. One can not only expect high wages and social benefits, but also to get European citizenship in the future.

Let’s figure out which advantages the Blue Card holder has compared to an immigrant who received a regular residence permit.

Working conditions

First of all, a highly qualified specialist is eligible for the same working conditions and wages as EU citizens. The minimum wage threshold for receiving the Blue Card is about 1.5 times higher than the average salary in the country.

There is also a plus for the employer: they will not have to prove to the Employment Agency that they have to hire you only because there is no suitable candidate in their home country. This means that the deadline for approval of documents is reduced and your chances of getting a permit are increased. In addition, there are no language requirements (unless the profession implies it).

If the contract with the firm is over, the Blue Card holder will have three months to find a new job. You can also look for a new work place in another country: after 1.5 years, you can exchange your card for a Blue Card in another EU country included in the program, if you have an employment contract with a company from it.

Family 

The Blue Card makes it easier for a spouse to move: he or she is granted a residence permit with the right to work even without a contract and knowledge of the local language. And there are no restrictions on the specialty.

Travel

With a Blue Card you can easily move around the European Union for tourism, recreation and study. The maximum period of continuous stay in another country without loss of residence permit is 12 months.

Permanent Residence Permit

The period after which you can apply for Permanent Residence Permit is also reduced. You can submit your documents in 21 months. But all this time it is necessary that you make contributions to the pension fund, and the procedure for reviewing documents includes taking a language test. If you do not want to prove your language skills, you can wait another year and apply for permanent residence in 33 months.

The EU Blue Card helps simplify the employment process for experienced, skilled professionals from non-EU countries. Having fulfilled all conditions for receiving the card, you can apply for legal employment according to your specialty. 

In-demand professions for the Blue Card

Each EU country has made its own list of professions in demand for Blue Card holders. This list is defined by the Ministry of Labour  or similar institutions. But there are main professions determined by the needs of EU countries:

• IT: software engineers, data scientists, system administrators and other IT specialists;
• Physics and Mathematics: college and university teachers;
• Natural science: biologists, botanists, zoologists, veterinarians;
• Medical: surgeons (maxillofacial, vascular, endoscopic), anesthesiologists, cardiologists, urologists, psychiatrists, and pharmacists;
• Legal: civil lawyers, notaries;
• Engineering: specialists in various industries;
• Psychology: corporate psychologists, psychoanalysts;
• Commerce: sales managers.

This is a general list of professions for the EU, but each country may have different procedures for obtaining the Blue Card. 

Applicant Requirements

To apply for the Blue Card you need to make a request online or by visiting the representative office of the country you want to move to. But first you need to find out if it supports the Blue Card project for the EU. 

Before applying, it is important to carefully consider the requirements for the applicant. These requirements include:

• higher education with qualification “master” or “specialist”;
• absence of citizenship in an EU country;
• written guarantees of employment in the EU, you need to have a job offer.

How to find an employer for the Blue Card?

The applicant must find an employer themselves. For this purpose it is necessary to draw up a CV and a covering letter addressed to the potential employer’s management. You can start your search through such services as Linkedin, totaljobs.co.uk, meinestadt.de. Many large companies are looking for employees here. 

Who won’t get the Blue Card?

You can’t get a Blue Card if you do not have a higher education, which is recognized in the EU. 

You will not be given a Blue Card if you do not have a contract with an employer registered in the country you want to move to. In addition, the annual salary should reach a certain amount. The minimal wage is set separately in each country. 

Blue Card salary requirements

• The salary threshold to qualify for the EU Blue Card in the Germany: from EUR 55,200 per year for regular Blue Card holders, from EUR 43,056 per year for Blue Card holders in shortage occupations;
• The salary threshold to qualify for the EU Blue Card in France: from EUR 53 836,50 gross per year; 
• The salary threshold to qualify for the EU Blue Card in Belgium: from EUR 55.431;
• The salary threshold to qualify for the EU Blue Card in the Netherlands: from EUR 64 385 gross per year;
• The salary threshold to qualify for the EU Blue Card in Poland: from PLN 7378 per year.

Limits are reviewed and adjusted every year, so this information should be clarified before submitting an application for the card.