Italy

Am I eligible to apply for an EU Blue Card?

To apply for an EU Blue Card, the applicant must:

• have a higher education qualification at the tertiary level or a professional qualification at the post-secondary level issued by the competent authority in the country where it was obtained attesting the completion of a higher education course of at least three years;
• have a higher professional qualification attested by a professional experience of at least five years relevant to the profession or sector specified in the EU Blue Card application;
• have a higher professional qualification attested by at least three years of relevant professional experience acquired within the seven years preceding the submission of the EU Blue Card application. This provision concerns only managers and specialists in the field of information and communication technology;
• have a valid work contract or binding job offer for highly qualified employment with a duration of at least 6 months;
• meet the minimum salary threshold in the Member State concerned (see below);
• for regulated professions: present documents proving that the national legal requirements are met;
• for unregulated professions: present documents proving that the relevant higher professional qualifications are met (for more information about higher professional qualifications, see the FAQ section);
• present a valid travel document, an application for a visa or a visa (if necessary), and a valid residence permit or a national long-term visa (if appropriate);
• present proof of sickness insurance (or proof of having applied for it).

In addition, the applicant must not pose a threat to public policy in the view of the Member State. S/he may also be required to provide her/his 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 between 1 and 1.6 times the average gross annual salary in the Member State concerned. 

For Italy, the minimum salary threshold in 2024 is set at:  33.500 EUR.

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).

Italy applies a labour market test.

How long will my EU Blue Card be valid?

The standard period of validity in Italy is: two years.

Specific rules: In Italy, the EU Blue Card is issued for a period of two years if the employment contract is a permanent one. If the employment contract is temporary, the EU Blue Card shall be issued for the duration of the contract plus three months.

How much will it cost?

Initial EU Blue Card fee: 50 EUR.

Renewal: 50 EUR. Replacement: Free

Fee for express issuance: N/A.

In addition, administrative costs amount to: €30 for the sending of the postal kit; €16 for the tax stamp; and €30.46 for issuance costs.

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 Italy is 90 days.

Italian Ministry of Interior

More information on migrating to Italy

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