Lithuania - Highly-qualified worker

Where and how to apply

To work in Lithuania as a highly-qualified worker, you must obtain:

• a positive decision of the Employment Service that your qualification meets the needs of Lithuanian labour market, if your salary is going to be smaller than 3 most recently announced average monthly salaries in the whole economy; if your salary is higher than 3 most recently announced average monthly salaries in the whole economy, or profession is included in the list of high professional qualification requiring professions with a shortage of employees or your temporary residence permit, issued for highly-qualified employment, is renewed and two years of your legal employment in Lithuania have lapsed, you are exempt from the requirement to obtain a positive decision of the Employment Service;
• a temporary residence permit (“Blue Card”).

Decision on meeting Lithuanian labour market needs
If your salary is going to be smaller than 3 most recently announced average monthly salaries in the whole economy, your future employer must notify the job vacancy to the local Employment Service Office. Within one month after this notification, your future employer may apply for a decision that your work will correspond to the demands of the Lithuanian labour market needs at the same local Employment Service Office. Please note that your future employer may also apply for a decision that your work will correspond to the demands of the Lithuanian labour market needs while submitting your application for the issuance of a temporary residence permit at the Migration department. The Migration department will proceed this application to the local Employment Service Office for evaluation.

If the relevant conditions are met the Employment Service will adopt a positive decision on you meeting the Lithuanian labour needs (the procedure of a adopting a decision takes up to 7 working days) and notify the Migration Department and your future employer.
Note that if your salary is higher than 3 most recently announced average monthly salaries in the whole economy, or your profession is included in the list of high professional qualification requiring professions with a shortage of employees or your temporary residence permit, issued for highly-qualified employment, is renewed and two years of your legal employment in Lithuania have lapsed, you are released from the requirement to obtain a decision from the labour exchange office on you meeting the Lithuanian labour market needs.

Temporary residence permit

While your future employer is taking care of the decision on you meeting the needs of the Lithuanian labour market, you can apply for a residence permit.

NB! Once launched, the new Migration Information System (MIGRIS) will allow to fill in the application form and submit all documents required to apply for a temporary residence permit online.

The decision to issue the residence permit is adopted within 2 months. For an additional fee, the decision will be taken within 1 month. If your salary is going to amount to 3 most recently announced average monthly salaries in the whole economy or more or your profession is included in the list of high professional qualification requiring professions with a shortage of employees,the decision to issue the residence permit is taken within 1 month; for an additional fee, the decision will be taken within half of month.

Note that, before taking the decision to grant you a temporary residence permit, the Migration Department must receive the decision on you meeting the needs of the Lithuanian labour market, when it is required (it will be received directly from the Employment Service).

Since you have submitted the application for a temporary residence permit you can apply for a national long-term visa that will be issued for a period of up to 5 months. In this case you may stay in Lithuania while your application for a temporary residence permit is being examined and, in case of issuance, collect your residence permit. If you receive a positive decision on granting the temporary residence permit while you are abroad, you will be issued a national single-entry national visa, if necessary, and you will be able to enter Lithuania and collect your residence permit here.

Note, that in case you apply for extension of your residence in Lithuania, you should apply for a temporary residence permit before your previous temporary residence permit expires. Otherwise, you will have to leave the country and wait for your temporary residence permit while abroad.

Documents required

To obtain a temporary residence permit, you must submit:

• an application for issuing a temporary residence permit to reside in the Republic of Lithuania in the established format;
• a valid travel document (passport);

• a temporary residence permit (in case of renewal);

• a document confirming your legal stay, if you apply in Lithuania;the number of a mediation letter that was electronically filled in and submitted by your employer;
•  a document confirming your right to engage in regulated profession in Lithuania (in case your profession is regulated) or a document confirming your high professional qualification (in case your profession is not regulated in Lithuania);
• a document confirming that you have payed the state fee for the issuance of a decision that your work will correspond to the demands of the Lithuanian labour market needs (in case your future employer has applied for it at the Migration Departament);
• adequate accommodation;

• (a) certificate(s) from (a) competent authority(ies) of (a) foreign state(s) where you lived before coming to the Republic of Lithuania and (or) currently live for the last 2 years, confirming that you were convicted in the corresponding state(s). If you were not convicted in the corresponding state(s), you must submit a written statement that you were not convicted (these documents must be submitted only in case of issuance the first temporary residence permit);
• a list of trips and stays in foreign states.

In order to issue the document, your biometric data will be taken 2 fingerprints and the face image.

Further requirements

When you obtain the temporary residence permit, you must declare your place of residence.

To collect your residence permit you must contact Migration Department’s Central Office.

If you hold a temporary residence permit, you must, not later than within 7 days, notify the Migration department in the event of: change of documents confirming your identity or citizenship; change of your family situation; change of your place of residence.

Duration of validity of permits

Residence permits are granted for 3 years and can be renewed. If your work contract lasts less than 3 years, the residence permit will be issued for the duration of your work contract and 3 more months.

Conditions for renewal

Your temporary residence permit may be renewed on the same conditions.

An application for the renewal of a temporary residence permit must be submitted to the Migration department’s Central Office. Application and required documents for the renewal of a temporary residence permit in general order shall be submitted at least 2 months in advance but not earlier than 4 months before the expiry of the current permit. Application and required documents for the renewal of the temporary residence permit on a matter of urgency shall be submitted at least 1 month before the expiry.

Appeals

The decision to renew the residence permit is taken within 2 months at the latest. For an additional fee, the decision will be taken within 1 month at the latest.

You will be notified on the decision via the e-mail address, submitted in your application.

Decisions can be challenged before the Vilnius District Administrative Court within 14 days from the receipt of the decision and further before the Supreme Administrative Court.

Further information

More on employing a non-EU citizen

More on temporary residence permits

More on visas

More on assessing qualifications

Change of employment

During the first 2 years of your work as a highly qualified worker in Lithuania you cannot change your employment nor employer without applying for a change of your employment or employer at the Migration Department . Having checked whether you fulfil the conditions of highly qualified employment, the Migration Department takes a decision concerning the change of your employment or the employer. After receiving this decision, you may change your employment or employer on the basis of the same residence permit. In the third and subsequent years of employment in Lithuania as a highly qualified worker, you may change employers on the basis of the same residence permit without applying for a change of your employment or employer.

Unemployment

If you become unemployed for more than 3 consecutive months or more than once during the period of validity of the temporary residence permit, when you were granted a temporary residence permit as a highly qualified worker, your temporary residence permit will be canceled and you will have to leave the Republic of Lithuania.

Change of status

If conditions for issuing a temporary residence permit have changed and you are no longer eligible for the temporary residence permit, you must leave the Republic of Lithuania and your temporary residence permit will be revoked. However, if you express a wish to reside in the Republic of Lithuania, you may be granted temporary residence permit on other grounds. In this case, you need to apply for a new temporary residence permit.

Family members

You are immediately entitled to family reunification and do not need to wait for the two-year period of legal residence to be completed. Your family members may immediately apply for a temporary residence permit.

Long-term residence

If you have been residing legally and continuously for five years within the territory of the Union as an EU Blue Card holder out of which not less than two years legally and continuously in in Lithuania, you can obtain a permanent resident’s status.

Basic knowledge of the language and of the Lithuanian Constitution will be tested.