July 3.2013 Sweden will begin accepting applications for the European Union Blue Card on August 1, 2013. The Blue Card allows highly skilled third-country nationals with a university degree or equivalent work experience to live and work in the country and ultimately acquire long-term EU residence rights. Sweden will begin accepting European Union Blue Card applications on August 1, 2013, per legislation passed at the end of last week. The Blue Card allows highly skilled third-country nationals with a university degree or equivalent work experience to live and work in the country and ultimately acquire long-term EU residence rights. Each Blue Card applicant will be required to earn at least one and a half times the average Swedish monthly gross salary of SEK 43,500. Foreign workers must also hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree or five years of equivalent professional experience. Foreign nationals must be sponsored for a Blue Card by an employer. The Blue Card will be valid for the length of the beneficiary’s employment contract or two years, whichever is shorter, but the employment contract must be at least twelve months in duration. Dependent family members will be issued residence permits that can be renewed for the duration of the principal’s Blue Card. After living and working in Sweden for a minimum of 18 months, Blue Card holders can move to another EU country with their family members. Foreign nationals who have held another EU country’s Blue Card for at least 18 months may enter Sweden without a visa and may qualify for the Swedish version of the Blue Card if they meet the country’s eligibility requirements. They must file the Blue Card application within one month of entry into Sweden.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 08:39:00 +0000