Estonia introduced more lenient EU Blue Card rules for third-country nationals to ease employment and bridge shortages, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported.
From April 15, 2024, applicants have the right to apply for such a card in order to work in Estonia. They are eligible for the card if they have five years of professional experience in the relevant field. Moreover, they can apply even if they don’t have an educational qualification.
Previously, only those with a university degree were eligible to submit such an application.
Besides, Estonia also decided to shorten the duration of job offers. According to the new rules, foreign nationals will now be eligible for the EU Blue Card provided that they have concluded a labour contract for at least six months instead of the current one year. The period of unemployment during which an EU Blue Card holder is allowed to stay in Estonia has also changed.
According to the Estonian Parliament, foreigners can remain unemployed in Estonia for up to three months if they have held the Card for less than two years and up to six months if they have held it for more than two years. More favourable conditions for family reunification will also be implemented for the Card holders.
Increasing EU Blue Card attractiveness
The country also decided to facilitate the possibility for the Card holders to change employers. Those who have worked in any EU member state can now change employers in Estonia without being subjected to labour market screening criteria.
After a year has passed, the Member State may require only that a change of employer be communicated, and no check of the labour market situation may be carried out. Under the earlier directive, a check could be carried out for up to two years.
The new rules were aimed at making the Card more attractive, the Estonian Parliament stated. It noted that the introduced rules were accompanied by a number of provisions to ensure that the Card holders and their family members would not find themselves in a more disadvantaged situation than those with national permits.
The new rules will introduce several provisions to ensure that Blue Card holders and their family members would not find themselves in a more disadvantaged situation than holders of national permits.
In 2021, the EU required member states to update the scheme to create an attractive immigration option for foreign workers.
