Working abroad

EU Blue Card: highly qualified work for non-EU citizens

The EU Blue Card is a residence and work permit for people from non-EU countries with a highly qualified job. The basic rules are European, but each country sets the salary threshold and the procedures.

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Who this is for

For people who are not citizens of an EU country and have an offer or contract for a highly qualified job in an EU country. EU citizens do not need it: they have free movement. The EU Blue Card does not exist in Denmark and Ireland, which do not apply the Directive.

In short

  • You need a contract or binding job offer of at least 6 months for highly qualified employment.
  • The salary must reach a national threshold, set between 1 and 1.6 times the country’s average gross annual salary.
  • You need a degree or equivalent; for some IT jobs 3 years of experience are enough.
  • The card lasts at least 24 months (or the contract length plus 3 months, if shorter).
  • After 12 months you can move to another EU country through a simplified procedure.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and have exceptions. Always check the official text in the sources below and, for your own case, talk to a trade union, a qualified lawyer or the competent public authority.

The governing Directive

Directive (EU) 2021/1883 replaced the old Directive 2009/50/EC. EU countries had to transpose it by 18 November 2023. Denmark and Ireland do not take part. [1]

The requirements

To get a Blue Card you must present (Art. 5): [1]

“Higher professional qualifications” means a higher education qualification (for example a degree) or “higher professional skills”. For information and communications technology managers and professionals, at least 3 years of relevant experience in the last 7 years are enough (Art. 2 and Annex I). For other occupations, experience only counts where national law allows it. [1]

The salary threshold

Each country sets its own threshold after consulting the social partners: it must be at least 1.0 and no more than 1.6 times the national average gross annual salary. For shortage occupations and for people who graduated no more than 3 years earlier, a country may apply a lower threshold, at least 80% of the normal one but not below 1.0 times the average salary (Art. 5(3)–(5)). [1]

The amounts change often, usually every year, so we do not list them here. Check them on the EU Immigration Portal or on the country’s official website, for example the German government portal Make it in Germany for Germany. [2] [4]

Duration and procedure

The standard validity of the Blue Card is at least 24 months; if the contract is shorter, it is valid at least for the contract period plus 3 months (Art. 9). [1] The authority must decide as soon as possible and no later than 90 days after the complete application (Art. 11). [1]

Changing job and periods of unemployment

In the first 12 months the country may require you to report a change of employer and may suspend the change for up to 30 days to check the conditions. After 12 months it may only require a notification, which does not stop you from starting the new job (Art. 15). [1]

If you lose your job you can look for another one, reporting the start and end of unemployment. The card cannot be withdrawn just because of unemployment, unless it exceeds 3 months in total (if you have held the card for less than 2 years) or 6 months (for at least 2 years) (Art. 8(5)). [1]

Equal treatment and family

You have equal treatment with nationals on working conditions, pay and dismissal, working hours, leave, health and safety, freedom of association, education, recognition of diplomas and social security (Art. 16). [1]

Family reunification cannot depend on a minimum period of residence. If applications are filed together, decisions on family members come at the same time as yours. Family members have access to the labour market with no time limit (Art. 17). [1]

Moving to another EU country

For business activities you can go to other EU countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period on the basis of your Blue Card, without further authorisation; if the card was issued by a country that does not fully apply Schengen, you also need a valid travel document (Art. 20). After 12 months of legal residence as a Blue Card holder you can move to a second EU country for highly qualified employment: you must apply there for a new Blue Card within one month of arrival (Art. 21). [1]

In Italy

In Italy the EU Blue Card is governed by Article 27-quater of the Consolidated Immigration Act (Legislative Decree No 286 of 25 July 1998). Besides a degree, it also accepts higher professional qualifications shown by at least 5 years of comparable experience, and 3 years in the last 7 for ICT managers and specialists. [3] Entry procedures are explained in Working in Italy from outside the EU.

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