Who can qualify for a EU Blue Card?
The EU Blue Card is an option provided to highly qualified professionals, to work and reside legally on the territory of the European Union. The procedure provides access to the labor market in the Republic of Bulgaria with the “Blue Card of the European Union” to professionals – citizens of third party countries outside the European Union only. While EU citizens can travel, reside and work in other EU member states freely, with very few administrative requirements.
The conditions under which the employees – citizens of third party countries and their family members may enter, reside in and leave the Republic of Bulgaria, are determined locally by the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria.
Who can qualify for a EU Blue Card?
“Highly qualified employment” is an employment for a person who has a high professional qualifications:
1. Acquired higher education level, which is certified by a diploma, certificate or other official document issued by a competent authority, after studies of a duration of not less than three academic years conducted by an educational institution recognized as a higher education institution by the relevant country, or:
2. The gross salary specified in the foreigner’s employment contract is at least 1.5 times higher than the average salary in the Republic of Bulgaria according to the available data for the last 12 months before the conclusion of the employment contract.
3. The duration of the employment contract is not shorter than 6 months.
An access to the labor market with the “European Union Blue Card” is awarded by the Ministry of the Interior following received positive written statement from the executive director of the Employment Agency.
The family members of an EU Blue Card holder have the right to reside, work and carry on an activity on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria for the period of residence of EU Blue Card holder with the permission of the executive director of the Agency for employment to access the labor market.
During the first 12 months of highly qualified employment, the holder of the European Union Blue Card can perform the activities corresponding to the conditions under which was issued the Blue Card of the European Union only on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.
During this period, the holder of the “Blue Card of the European Union” can change his employer under the conditions and according to the procedure defined by the Law on foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria.
An application for the issuance of the EU Blue Card shall be submitted on paper or electronically at the Migration Directorate or at the regional directorates of the Ministry of the Interior, by the employer or a person authorized by the employer or by the foreign applicant.
A holder of an “EU Blue Card” issued by another member state of the European Union, and who has legally resided in the territory of that member state for 12 months, may reside in the Republic of Bulgaria together with his family members for the purposes of highly qualified employment.
Wheither you are an Employer or Employee, and in need of an assistance with obtaining of EU Blue Card, please do not hesitate to contact our team of lawyers.