Public consultation begins on revised EU Blue Card Directive

The European Commission has revised the Blue Card, a residence permit for highly skilled workers from outside the EU. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment requests comments on the draft government proposal for transposing the new Blue Card rules into Finnish law. Comments should be submitted by September 12, 2023 on the public consultation website Lausuntopalvelu.fi (available in Finnish and Swedish).

The Commission revised the Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment, known as the Blue Card Directive, in October 2021. The revision aims to make it easier for highly skilled workers to enter the European Union from third countries. With the new rules, the Commission seeks to respond to skills shortages in the EU and to attract talent for the labour market. For example, the rights of highly skilled workers to move to a second Member State will be extended.

The Commission intends to make the EU Blue Card a uniform route to the European Union for highly skilled workers. In Finland, third-country nationals can apply for the Blue Card instead of the national residence permit for specialists. Finland introduced the Blue Card in 2012. The revised Directive with the new Blue Card rules will not affect the criteria for the national residence permit for specialists, and the new rules are not expected to increase migrant flows to Finland.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will hold a public consultation on the draft government proposal for transposing the amendments to the Directive into national law. The amendments would enter into force on 15 November 2023. 

Submit your comments on the public consultation website Lausuntopalvelu.fi (available in Finnish and Swedish). You do not need to send your comments to the Ministry again by email or post. To submit your comments, please register and sign in to the lausuntopalvelu.fi site. All opinions received are public and will be published on lausuntopalvelu.fi. If you cannot submit comments online, you may send them by email to kirjaamo.tem(at)gov.fi, including reference number VN/4278/2023 in your comment.

Inquiries:
Jarmo Tiukkanen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 047 355
Ariann Grandell, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 047 236