The EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card is a residence and work permit designed for highly skilled non-EU nationals who want to work and live in an EU member state. The permit is issued by one specific EU country and allows employment in that country.

After meeting certain conditions, the EU Blue Card also provides facilitated mobility within the EU. Denmark and Ireland do not participate in the EU Blue Card scheme, and the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union.

The EU Blue Card was introduced in 2009 and significantly updated under Directive (EU) 2021/1883, making the scheme more attractive and improving mobility rights for highly skilled migrants.

To be eligible for an EU Blue Card, applicants must meet the following conditions:

• A binding job offer or employment contract in an EU member state for at least 6 months
• A gross salary that meets the national EU Blue Card threshold
• Higher professional qualifications, which in the Netherlands can be demonstrated by:
  • A recognised higher education diploma, or
  • Relevant professional work experience
    (generally 5 years at HBO/WO level, or 3 years in the last 7 years for certain ICT roles)

Salary thresholds are determined nationally but must fall between 1.0 and 1.6 times the average gross annual salary of the relevant EU member state.

More information can be found on the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) website.

For applications submitted on or after 1 January 2026, the following gross monthly salary thresholds apply in the Netherlands (excluding 8% holiday allowance):

• €5,942 – Standard EU Blue Card salary threshold
• €4,754 – Reduced EU Blue Card salary threshold

(For recent graduates applying within 3 years after completing higher education; the employer must be an IND recognised sponsor)

In the Netherlands, the EU Blue Card is issued for a standard validity period of at least 24 months.
If the employment contract is shorter, the residence permit is issued for the duration of the contract plus three months.

The EU Blue Card can be renewed as long as the conditions continue to be met.

EU Blue Card holders are also entitled to family reunification. Family members may work freely once their residence permit is granted.

The EU Blue Card is implemented in Dutch immigration legislation. Even though the EU Blue Card and the Highly Skilled Migrant (HSM) permit are similar, they are two different schemes and should not be confused.

The advantage that the EU Blue Card has over the Highly Skilled Migrant permit lies in the EU mobility rights it grants, which national permits do not provide. While the Highly Skilled Migrant residence permit is restricted to working in the Netherlands only, an EU Blue Card holder may apply to move to another participating EU country after 12 months of legal residence in the issuing member state. This still requires submitting a residence permit application in the second country, but the process is simplified compared to standard labour migration procedures.

For example, if you have lived in Germany with a valid EU Blue Card for 12 months, you may apply to move to the Netherlands under the EU Blue Card mobility rules. The period of legal residence in Germany may be taken into account for long-term residence rights at EU level.

Additionally, in The Netherlands, the hiring company does not need to be an IND recognised sponsor in order to apply for an EU Blue Card, in contrast to the Highly Skilled Migrant permit.

To obtain EU long-term resident status, a foreign national must generally have five years of legal residence within the EU. Time spent residing in different EU member states with an EU Blue Card can be combined for this purpose.

In the Netherlands, EU Blue Card holders may qualify for EU long-term resident status after two consecutive years of residence with an EU Blue Card in the Netherlands, provided that:

• the applicant previously held an EU Blue Card for at least 12 months in another EU member state, and
• the total legal residence within the EU amounts to five years.

Therefore, the statement that two years in another EU country plus two years in the Netherlands is automatically sufficient is incorrect without meeting the overall EU residence requirement.

The MVV is a Dutch entry visa. EU Blue Card holders who relocate to the Netherlands under the long-term mobility scheme generally do not need an MVV when applying for residence in the Netherlands from another EU member state. This differs from the Highly Skilled Migrant permit, where an MVV may still be required depending on the situation.