Am I eligible to apply for a Blue Card?
There are certain conditions that apply to everyone. In addition, the following conditions apply:
- you have an employment contract for a highly qualified job for at least 12 months to work for an employer in the Netherlands and you must meet the minimum salary threshold in the Member State concerned (see below);
- you must meet the wage requirement set;
- you have a diploma, showing that you have completed a higher education programme of at least 3 years. If this is a foreign higher education diploma, the Nuffic will evaluate the diploma. The evaluation must be enclosed with the application. When you have a Dutch diploma, you have to enclose a certified copy of the diploma, 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);
- if you have a (regulated) profession such as doctor or lawyer, you must prove that you meet the statutory requirements for being allowed to practise this profession;
- for a period of 5 years before the application, the employer may not have been fined for having violated Article 2 of the Foreign Nationals Employment Act, or for failure to pay (sufficient) wage tax, employee insurance premiums or national insurance contributions.
Other conditions may apply for Turkish nationals and their family members.
How much do I have to earn to qualify for a Blue Card?
Salary criteria in 2019 for the European Blue Card: € 5,272 gross per month (exclusive 8% holiday pay).
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.
The Netherlands doesn't apply a labour market test.
How long will my EU Blue Card be valid?
The residence permit is valid for the duration of your employment contract or assignment with an additional 3 months. With a maximum period of 4 years.
How much will it cost?
The government filing fees for the EU Blue Card are lowered in 2019 from € 582 to € 285. The government fee for the renewal application of the EU Blue Card is also €285. The fee for the dependent partner to stay with the EU Blue Card holder is raised per 1 January 2019 from € 240 to € 271. The fee for a dependent child is raised from € 51 to € 57.
How long will it take to get my Blue Card?
The IND has to make a decision within a period of 90 days.