“Blue Card”, is a European version of the US Green Card that would provide highly skilled third country nationals with instant access to the entire European labour market.
Companies in the EU are having difficulty finding suitable staff to fill specialist positions in sectors such as Information Technology and Engineering. The blue card will help EU employers who need to bring in foreign skilled labour to fill these types of specialist level jobs.
This Blue Card will be allocated on the basis of skill through a Europe wide points system. Such an EU wide system will be more attractive than any national system from the perspective of high-skilled immigrants. Also, a European solution would provide greater visibility, predictability, and transparency than 25 different national systems.
In addition, students graduating with a Masters Degree or equivalent from European universities or top universities abroad should be automatically eligible for a Blue Card. This “Blue Diploma” will help to attract foreign top talent early and would also give European universities a welcome boost. The time has come to tell those bright young graduates from the world: Welcome to Europe !
The blue card will grant a work and residence permit to non-EU citizens and will allow them to move to another member state after certain conditions are met. EU blue card holders will also be able to bring family members with them.
Member states are moving forward with implementation of the blue card directive by summer of 2011.
