Blue card
(LUXEMBOURG) – The EU Council and Parliament gave their final approval Thursday to the revised Blue Card Directive, a new scheme to respond to skills shortages and attract highly skilled workers from outside the EU.
The aim of the EU-wide admission system is to attract and retain highly-qualified workers, particularly in sectors facing skills shortages. “To stimulate our economic growth and make the most of our green and digital transformation we need to be able to attract the best talent,” said Slovenia’s Minister for the Interior Ales Hojs, for the EU presidency: “The blue card will consolidate the EU’s position as a top global destination for highly-qualified workers, with the flexibility, mobility and family reunification opportunities it provides.”
The new scheme will introduce the following changes:
- Flexible requirements: To qualify for an EU Blue Card, the salary threshold will be reduced to between 1 and 1.6 times the average gross annual salary, making it more accessible to more people. The minimum duration for a contract of employment will also be reduced to 6 months.
- Qualifications and skills equivalency: New rules will facilitate the recognition of professional skills for occupations in the information and communication technologies sector. Applicants with professional experience equivalent to a higher education qualification in some specific sectors will also be eligible to apply.
- More flexibility to change position or employer: During the first 12 months, EU Blue Card holders need only complete a new labour market test if they wish to change position or employer. Only after this period, EU Blue Card holders may be subject to an obligation to notify a change in their situation to the relevant national authorities.
- Highly skilled beneficiaries of international protection will be eligible to apply for an EU Blue Card.
- Family reunification: To attract and retain highly skilled workers from outside the EU, family members of EU Blue Card holders will be able to accompany them and access the EU labour market.
- Intra-EU mobility: EU Blue Card holders, and their family members, will be able to move to a second Member State based on simplified mobility rules after 12 months of employment in the first Member State. Periods of time spent working in different Member States will also be taken into account, facilitating easier access to the EU long-term resident status.
The adopted text will enter into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal. Member states will then have two years to bring into force the necessary laws to comply with the directive.
