The European Council adopted directive establishing the entry and residence conditions for highly-qualified non-EU nationals coming to live and work in the EU (the blue card directive) on 7 October 2021.

This card generally simplifies the procedures for recruitment of staff, sets unified criteria for admission and facilitates work mobility within the EU. According to the directive, EU member states will maintain national systems focusing on highly-qualified staff along with the new system of EU Blue Cards.  Equal conditions will be established, though, so that holders of the EU Blue Card and their families would not be disadvantaged compared to national permit holders.

The adopted version will come into force on the 20th day after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. EU member state will then have two years to implement the necessary legal regulations to ensure compliance with this directive. We will keep you informed about further development within the Czech Republic.

The current article on Blue Card applications, both in the Czech Republic and in Germany, can be found here.