Highly qualified workers from non-EU countries play a crucial role in strengthening the competitiveness of the EU. Key sectors of the EU economy already suffer from specific labour and skill shortages that are expected to increase in the coming years. Therefore, the EU needs to attract more highly skilled workers in a world where international competition for talent is increasing.
In order to make the EU Blue Card scheme more attractive and relevant across EU countries, the Commission put forward a proposal for a new EU Blue Card Directive in June 2016 offering more efficient rules for attracting highly skilled workers to the EU, including more flexible admission conditions, enhanced rights and the possibility to move and work more easily between EU Member States. The negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament were successfully concluded by a political agreement in May 2021. The revised Directive entered into force on 27 November 2021. EU Member States (excluding Denmark and Ireland) had until18 November 2023 to transpose the Directive into national law.
Legal framework
The EU Blue Card Directive establishes the conditions of entry and residence of highly qualified non-EU nationals in 25 EU countries. The related residence and work permit is called EU Blue Card.
More information on the key provisions of the new EU Blue Card Directive can be found in the Summary of EU legislation – EU Blue Card (for example eligibility conditions, length of validity, related rights)
The EU Blue Card on the EU immigration portal.
Objectives
- enable the EU to attract and retain highly qualified non-EU nationals and facilitate their access to the labour market of EU countries
- establish a fast-track procedure and common admission criteria for issuing the EU Blue Card by EU countries
- facilitate movement of highly qualified persons within the EU
Documents
Policy timeline
- 18 November 2023Deadline to transpose the revised Directive
- 27 November 2021Entry into force of the revised Directive
- 2016Proposal for a Directive
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly skilled employment; SWD(2016) 193 impact assessment of revision of BCD.
- 2014Communication
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of Directive 2009/50/EC on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. (First implementation report).
- 2007Proposal for a Directive
Proposal for a Council Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment.