Conditions
The residence permit European blue card is intended for highly educated employees (expats). After eighteen months of working in an EU Member State, the holder of an European blue card is allowed to work in another EU Member State, if the conditions in that Member State are met. The conditions for becoming an European blue card holder are as follows:
(1) Employment agreement
The foreign employee must have an employment agreement for a highly qualified job for at least twelve months.
(2) No sanction
The employer has not been sanctioned for violating Article 2 of the Foreign Nationals Employment Act or for not or insufficiently paying income tax, employee insurance contributions or national insurance contributions in the period of maximum five years preceding the application.
(3) Required documents
If the foreign employee is going to practise a regulated profession, he must have a recognition of professional qualifications. If the foreign employee is not going to practise a regulated profession, he must have the qualifications of higher education required for that profession or sector.
(4) No danger for public order or national security
The foreign employee must not pose a danger to public order or national security.
(5) Education requirement
The foreign employee has completed an education at an institution of higher education in the Netherlands or a similar education at a foreign institution.
(6) Salary requirement
The foreign employee must earn at least € 5,670 gross per month with his new employer.
The advantage of this residence permit compared to the residence permit for work as a highly skilled migrant (see blog 2) is that you do not have to be recognised as an employer. On the other hand, the income requirement is higher and an education requirement applies.
Costs, decision period and validity
The residence permit must be applied for at the IND. The IND has three months to decide on the application. The IND charges € 345 for the application of the residence permit. The period of validity of the residence permit is equal to the duration of the employment agreement or appointment plus an additional period of three months, with a maximum of four years.