Poland now accepting Blue Card applications

From 12 June 2012 Poland has begun accepting EU blue card applications from highly-skilled third country nationals who have an employment contract in place with a Polish company and possess the required qualifications.

Professional level qualifications,The Blue Card is a good way to sidestep what can be complicated work and resident visas requirements in many EU Countries. In order to be eligible to apply for a Blue Card, you must have the following:

• a work contract or job offer from an EU employer with a salary at
• least 1.5 times the average gross salary,
• a valid travel document
• sickness insurance

The EU blue card is valid throughout the duration of the employment contract or for a maximum of two years.

The EU hopes that the EU Blue Card scheme will enable the EU to compete effectively against the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for skilled migrants. It is an EU-wide work permit scheme allowing highly-skilled non-EU citizens the right to work and live theoretically in any of the EU countries apart from Denmark, Ireland, and the UK.

It may also be possible to renew the EU Blue Card. EU Blue Card holders may apply for permanent residence after:

• five years of legal and continuous residency within the EU as an Blue Card holder, and
• legal and continuous residency for two years immediately prior to the submission of the application within the Member State where the application for the long-term resident's EC residence permit is lodged

Despite the EU Blue Card's creation in 2008, four years later some Member States have yet to fully implement the visa scheme. So far the EU Blue Card does not seem to have been as popular as other skilled immigration schemes such as the Australian General Skilled Migration scheme or Canadian Skilled Worker visa scheme.