The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit for highly skilled non-EU/EEA nationals which allows one to work and live in 25 countries within the European Union. The European Blue Card provides rights and a path towards permanent residence in the EU.
In this article you can find the necessary information on the Blue Card and the eligibility criteria. Malta offers the Blue Card through Identità, together with other alternative employment permits for highly qualified workers such as the Key Employee Initiative (KEI) and the Specialist Employee Initiative (SEI). However, it is important to note that this type of permit is issued in accordance with the provisions of the relative EU directive and is distinct from a residence permit issued for highly qualified purposes under Maltese policies such as the KEI and SEI programmes.
An EU Blue Card gives highly qualified workers from outside the EU the right to live and work in an EU country, provided they have higher professional qualifications, such as a university degree, and an employment contract or a binding job offer for at least one year with a high salary compared to the average salary in Malta (1.5 x the average gross annual salary).
A third country national must be in possession of professional qualifications and have a work contract that covers at least a period of one year, together with travel documents and health insurance. The EU Blue Card does not apply to self-employed individuals.
Following the first renewal, one can apply for a residence permit for a validity period of two years if the Blue Card holder is in possession of a work contract for a period exceeding two years. During the first two years as a Blue Card holder, if there is a change in employment, one would be required to submit a new application, however after having been employed as a Blue Card holder for more than two years, if one changes employment, all that is required is to present the new work contract to Identità. If a Blue Card holder loses employment, one has three months to find a new job. Following these three months, the EU Blue Card will be withdrawn completely.
One of the advantages of the EU Blue Card is that it allows holders to move and work within other EU member states under certain conditions. EU Blue Card holders are generally allowed to bring their family members with them to the host country. And after a certain period of legal and continuous residence, EU Blue Card holders may be eligible to apply for permanent residency in the host country.
For assistance on EU Blue Card applications in Malta, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on [email protected].
Este artigo destina-se apenas a fins informativos e não deve ser interpretado como aconselhamento jurídico.
Artigo escrito por Ms Charlene Sciberras, B.A. (Hons), escritora convidada, especialista em marketing e gestão empresarial com foco especial em assuntos corporativos, contabilísticos e jurídicos.
A Sciberras Advocates, fundada pelo Dr. Adrian Sciberras, é uma sociedade de advogados sediada em Malta. A firma orgulha-se de ser multidisciplinar, inovadora e flexível, de modo a responder às mudanças dos tempos e a quaisquer desafios no cenário jurídico local e internacional. Independentemente das exigências complexas privadas ou corporativas, a Sciberras Advocates oferece soluções jurídicas práticas e rentáveis para alcançar os resultados desejados. Pode contactar a Sciberras Advocates por telefone através do +35627795222ou por e-mail em [email protected].
