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Am I eligible to apply for an EU Blue Card?

A highly qualified third-country national shall submit an application for the issuing of a stay and work permit (the ‘EU Blue Card’). This is issued without the need to request for a labour market test and without the opinion of the local service or office of the Croatian Employment Service . 

A highly-qualified worker shall mean a third-country national employed in the Republic of Croatia in line with the special legislation governing labour relations in the Republic of Croatia, who is paid for such work and who has the required or suitable and specific competence gained by the completion of higher education institution study programmes.

A highly qualified third-country national may submit an application for the issuance of a stay and work permit - EU Blue Card at a diplomatic mission or a consular post of the Republic of Croatia or at a police administration or a police station according to his/her place of stay.

The application may also be submitted by the employer of the highly qualified third-country national at a police administration or a police station according to the employer’s head office or the third-country national’s place of work.
To apply for an EU Blue Card, the applicant must:

  • have a valid contract of employment for performing highly-qualified jobs for and under the direction of another person, in the duration of at least one year, which has been concluded with a company, branch office, representative office, sole trader, family farm, cooperative, association or institution registered in the Republic of Croatia with a duration of at least 1 year;
  • meet the minimum salary threshold in the Member State concerned - at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary according to the official data published by the state administration authority competent for statistics (see below);
  • for regulated professions: present documents proving that the national legal requirements are met (proof that the conditions to exercise a regulated profession stipulated in the contract of employment in line with special legislation on professional qualifications are met);
  • for unregulated professions: present documents proof of higher education, that is, a diploma, certificate or other proof of formal qualifications issued by a higher education institution recognised in his/her home country;
  • have a copy of the third-country national’s valid travel document;
  • a colour photograph (30x35 mm);
  • evidence of adequate means of supporting himself/herself;
  • enclose proof that they have not been convicted by a final ruling of any criminal offences in their home country or a country where they resided for more than one year immediately prior to arriving in the Republic of Croatia (for first permit, dully legalised). 

In addition, the applicant must not have been subject to an entry and stay ban in the Republic of Croatia and no alert issued in SIS for the purpose of banning their entry. Third-country nationals must not pose a threat to public policy, national security or public health.

The biometric residence permit (card) is issued only on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, in a competent police station/police administration.

If a third-country national requires a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia after the stay and work permit was granted, he/she needs to apply for a long-term visa (visa D) in a diplomatic mission/consular office of the Republic of Croatia, or it may be issued by a diplomatic mission, namely the Consulate office of another State with which the Republic of Croatia has concluded a visa representation agreement.

He/she may also be required to provide his/her address in that Member State.

How much do I have to earn to qualify for an EU Blue Card?

The gross annual salary resulting from the monthly or annual salary specified in the work contract or binding job offer must be equal to or higher than the relevant salary threshold defined by the Member State (at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary in the Member State concerned).

This is calculated according to the official data published by the state administration authority competent for statistics.

For 2023, Croatia set the minimum annual salary threshold at: EUR 24 845,64 or the monthly gross salary is EUR  2 070,47.

Are there exceptions to the minimum salary requirement?

N/A.

Will EU citizens' applications be prioritised over mine?

Some Member States apply a Labour Market Test (LMT). This is a mechanism that aims to ensure that migrant workers are only admitted after employers have unsuccessfully searched for national workers, EU citizens (in EU Member states this also means EEA workers) or legally residing third-country nationals with access to the labour market according to national legislation (for more information see the FAQ section).

Croatia does not apply a labour market test.

How long will my EU Blue Card be valid?

The standard period of validity in Croatia is: 2 years. If an employment contract was concluded for a period of less than two years, the stay and work permit shall be issued for the term of the employment contract increased by three additional months.

A request for renewal of an EU Blue Card is to be submitted at the jurisdictional police administration/station according to the EU Blue Card holder’s place of residence at least 30 days before the expiry of the valid permit.

How much will it cost?

Initial EU Blue Card fee: the administrative fee for issuing a decision on a stay and work permit is EUR 74,32. The cost for issuing a biometric residence permit (in the form of a card) is EUR 31,85 for the normal procedure or EUR 59,73 for the accelerated procedure. An additional fee of EUR 9,29 should be added when issuing a biometric residence card, both for the normal and accelerated procedure.

Renewal: the administrative fee for issuing a decision on a stay and work permit is EUR 74,32. The cost for issuing a biometric residence permit (in the form of a card) is EUR 31,85 for the normal procedure or EUR 59,73 for the accelerated procedure. An additional fee of EUR 9,29 should be added when issuing a biometric residence card, both for the normal and accelerated procedure.

Replacement: the administrative fee for issuing a decision on a stay and work permit is EUR 74,32. The cost for issuing a biometric residence permit (in the form of a card) is EUR 31,85 for the normal procedure or EUR 59,73 for the accelerated procedure. An additional fee of EUR 9,29 should be added when issuing a biometric residence card, both for the normal and accelerated procedure.

Fee for an express issuance: Only for the accelerated procedure for the issuance of a biometric residence permit, the cost for issuing a biometric residence permit (in the form of a card) is EUR 9,29 and EUR 59,73 in an accelerated procedure.

How long will it take to get my EU Blue Card?

National law foresees that the maximum processing time for issuing an EU Blue Card in Croatia is 
30-60 days.

Information

Number of EU Blue Cards issued in 2021: 225 (according to EUROSTAT methodology)
Fee (EUR): The administrative fee for issuing a decision on a stay and work permit is EUR 74,32. The cost for issuing a biometric residence permit (in the form of a card) is EUR 31,85 for the normal procedure or EUR 59,73 for the accelerated procedure. An additional fee of EUR 9,29 should be added when issuing a biometric residence card, both for the normal and accelerated procedure.
Salary threshold (EUR): For 2023, Croatia set the minimum annual salary threshold at: EUR 24 845,64 or the monthly gross salary is EUR  2 070,47
Validity period:    2 years. If an employment contract was concluded for a period of less than two years, the stay and work permit shall be issued for the term of the employment contract increased by three additional months.
Apply link:    Apply for an EU Blue Card in Croatia