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While there are some set criteria to be eligible for an EU Blue Card, each member of the Union has the right to make changes to certain rules. For example, Greece has allowed those who entered the country without a visa or on a short-term Schengen visa to apply without leaving the country. In addition, the preliminary check of applicants for the "blue card" has become recommended instead of mandatory.
When submitting an application, you must pay a fee of €300, and those who want to renew it need to pay a €450 fee.
Since April 2024, foreigners have the right еo apply for Estonia’s EU Blue Card provided that they have five years of professional experience in a relevant field and are no longer required to present educational qualifications. In addition, you can now stay in the country as an unemployed person for up to six months.
Italy has introduced the option for employers to conduct online interviews with foreign workers, simplifying the hiring process. Additionally, the minimum salary threshold for obtaining an Italian "Blue Card," designated for highly skilled non-EU workers, has been set at €24,790. Furthermore, the fees for both applying for and renewing the Blue Card have been eliminated, making it more accessible and cost-effective for qualified applicants.
Since July 15, employers in Slovakia have been able to hire foreign skilled workers from a broader pool of candidates. Additionally, the country has extended the validity of the "Blue Card" from four to five years and reduced the minimum salary requirement to 1.2 times the national average wage.
Let's add that Sweden has also recently announced plans to simplify the procedure. They are going to follow the example of the Slovaks, reducing the minimum wage requirements from the current 1.5 to 1.25 of the national average - this is approximately €4,300.
Source: Schengen News
Photo by Alexey Larionov on Unsplash
