Date: September 4th, 2010     EU Blue Card > Who can apply for an EU Blue Card? Individuals who are not a resident of the European Union and are either highly educated and/or highly skilled in a profession. > What do you mean by well/highly educated? Higher education refers to a level of education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, institutes of technology and other collegiate level institutions, such as vocational schools, trade schools and career colleges, that award academic degrees or professional certifications. > What would you consider a skilled person? A skilled person brings in some degree of expertise to the performance of a given job. For example, a factory worker who inspects new televisions for whether they turn on or off can fulfill this job with little or no knowledge of the inner workings of televisions. However, someone who repairs televisions would be considered a skilled worker, since such a person would possess the knowledge to be able to identify and correct problems with a television. > Is there a minimum age for the EU Blue Card applicant? The EU Blue Card holder must be at least 18 years of age. There is no maximum age set at this time. > Which EU member states will accept the EU Blue Card? Currently 24 EU member states are on the list to accept the EU Blue Card. The United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark do not plan to participate. At this moment no EU member state yet issues the Blue Card. > I'm residing in the EU on a working permit. Can I apply? Yes, any person who is not resident of the European Union and highly skilled and/or educated will be eligible to the EU Blue Card. > What will be my salary in the EU? The minimum salary for a Blue Card Holder is 1.5 times the average wage of the member state concerned. For 2009, minimum salaries are: Participating EU member state: Salary in euros* Austria 3980 Belgium 3425 Bulgaria 460 Cyprus 1200 Czech Republic 1625 Estonia 765 Finland 3000 France 2806 Germany 2784 Greece 1456 Hungary 560 Italy 3430 Lithuania 634 Latvia 895 Luxembourg 4900 Malta 1298 Netherlands 3750 Poland 1050 Portugal 1205 Romania 540 Slovakia 1620 Slovenia 1820 Spain 2750 Sweden 2920 * Minimum monthly salary for a Blue Card Holder in any profession, based on 2009 data. There is a significant difference in the cost of living between e.g. Sweden and Latvia, this reflects in the monthly salaries. EU Blue Card Database > Why is there a fee for registration in the EU Blue Card Database? A fee is levied to maintain a level of quality and compensate administrative costs. > what are the payment options to complete the registration fee? EU Blue Card Database works with Moneybookers. Moneybookers accepts customers from over 180 countries. > Can someone else pay my EU Blue Card Database registration fee? Yes. Fill on the form and submit (step 1 of 2). You will receive a login ID. (e.g. Bel123) and password in your e-mail box. Do not complete step 2 (payment of the registration fee), but send us an e-mail containing your Login ID and the e-mail address of the person who will pay your registration fee. Please make sure the payment is completed within three working days. > Is there an additional fee to apply for the EU Blue Card once a job contract is secured? Consensus among member states is that there will be no fee levied on EU Blue Card applications. > What is the purpose of the concise style Database profile? The profile is designed to spark the interest of potential employers. It is the employer who will initiate a communication. > How can I change my profile in the EU Blue Card Database? Upon registration you'll receive a username and password. Choose 'login' in the navigation menu, on the left-hand side, and indicate your changes. Job Contract > How does an EU Employer contact me? Depending on which data fields you decide to complete in the profile, the employer can contact you by phone, e-mail or write you a letter. You decide which data field in your profile (name, address etc.) you complete. You have the control over which information is revealed to the potential employer. The 'e-mail address' data field is obligatory. > I have accepted a job offer, what's the next step? It is the EU employer who has to communiate that a job contract is secured and the EU member state where the job will take place. We can guide both the employer and candidate in the next steps to follow. > Which professions are most sought after? Generally medical and technical personnel are well sought after by all member states. However, as the EU is dealing with a rapidly ageing population in general, all professions are of interested in the near and long-term future. > How will you handle the information I give to you? Any information you give us will be handled with the strictest confidentiality. ©2010 EU Blue Card * Square de Meeûs 38/40 * 1000 Brussels * Belgium.