Differences between EU Blue Card and US Green Card
This is brief comparison between EU Blue Card scheme and well-known US Green Card:
Permanent residency
EU Blue Card
Does not give permanent residency
US Green Card
Gives holder permanent residency
Validity period
EU Blue Card
Valid up to two years, renewable
US Green Card
Valid for 10 years, renewable
Permissions included
EU Blue Card
Allows holders and families to live, work and travel in EU
US Green Card
Allows holder to live, work and travel in the US
Application requirements
EU Blue Card
Applicant must have one-year EU job contract with salary of three times minimum wage
US Green Card
Five channels to seek a card: employment, family links, a lottery, investment, or resident since before 1972
Permanent residency / citizenship
EU Blue Card
Permanent residency automatic after five years
US Green Card
Holders can become US citizens after five years
The European Union currently has 27 member states:
The European Union currently has 27 member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
November 9th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Dear Sir / Madam,
May I please take your time to ask if I may be eligible for this ‘blue card’. Am a Tanzanian young man aged twenty 29 holder of international diploma in computer engineering. Currently I am working with a certain company here in Dar Es Salaam as an associate consultant of oracle e-business suite HRMS modules.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:05 am
MILIKIEL ERICK LYATUU:
My understanding is that – Yes, you will be quite eligible. Still, you need to have a job offer from EU in order to apply for EU Blue Card.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:40 am
I saw one comment that Blue Card and Green Cards are not comparable. Unfortunately I’ve lost this comment – can’t find it to approve for this page – sorry. May I ask author to comment once again?
Let me respond to your comment. Personally I don’t like comparing these two systems. Why? Because I know idiots receiving and departing with US Green Card to USA and knowledgeable and very skilled people not receiving it. I hope this will be not the case with EU Blue Card.
In the same time, both systems are about receiving work permit in these countries and if everything goes fine, even permanent residence permit / citizenship. So there are “yes”-es and “no”-n, in my humble opinion.
December 21st, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Hello Dear Admin,
I am a computer engineer with a bachelor degree and 6 years of work experience. Currently working for a german well-known company which has subsidiary in Iran. My career expertise is unique so I don’t have trouble finding a good job wherever. My age is 27 right now by the way.
I want to know about the following issues:
1- If I can start my immigration process right now and what’s the first step.
2- Is there any official website for this process.
Thanks.
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:30 am
European labor shouldn’t allow themselves to be arbitraged because the blue card is just like the job destroying H-1B visa in the U.S. To find out more about it, go here:
http://www.capsweb.org/newsroom/opinion_releases/sanchez_blue_card.html
January 15th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Ruby:
1. The only thing that is more-or-less sure is that you will need language certification(s) as well as job offer from EU country. You can start working on your English language certification training/exam/certification. If you know which EU country you wish to start with – then also language of that country. For the job offer – see if you have contacts in EU – friends, relatives, other – maybe they will be able to help with job offer. If not – start exploring they job market…
2. There is no official Web Site on EU Blue Card up to date.
January 16th, 2008 at 12:02 am
concerned American: The article and the ideas there are quite interesting. Still, I’m not sure that they are 100% relevant to EU Blue Card. Article brings an example of Germany, but one should notice that unemployed people in Germany are mostly from low-skilled sector, whereas labor shortages are mostly in high-skilled sector.
Also, if you compare immigration force skills that enter, for example US and Canada from one side and EU from other side you will notice significant differenced. Majority of highly-skilled people immigrate to US/Canada and majority of low-skilled people immigrate to EU.
My understanding is that EU Blue Card is trying to address these (and some other – like aging population, etc.) problems.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am a Sri Lankan working for a Swidesh Company as a Snr.Software Eingneer and I have 10 years of programming exp, and doing my MSc in Adnavced Software Eingneering, offered by Westminister University UK. Am I eligible for Blue Card if I have a job offer ?
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:43 am
A bit of a update from UK can be checked below..
New points based system begins
Last Updated: 06 February 2008
Details of Britain’s new Australian-style points based immigration system (PBS) were announced today as the Government published the rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK.
The regulations will start coming into force on 29 February when any highly skilled foreign nationals currently working in Britain who want to extend their stay will need to apply under the new system. In April, the new system will begin to be rolled out overseas when anyone from India who wants to work in the UK as a highly skilled migrant will need to apply under PBS. By the summer the new highly skilled system will operate worldwide.
Speaking from Delhi during a visit to discuss how PBS will work with the Indian Government, Borders and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
“Our points system is starting on time and on plan. I’ve no problem with taking the best systems in the world, like Australia’s points system, and bringing them to the UK. This is a key part of the huge shake-up to our border security this year.”
“The points system means only those migrants Britain needs can come to the UK. We know that migrants contributed to our economy to the tune of £6 billion to GDP in 2006. A strong system for highly skilled migrants is vital to Britain winning these benefits because these migrants are well-educated and pay lots of tax.”
“We want India to come first because India is Britain’s most important market for highly skilled migrants.”
The Highly Skilled tier 1 will build upon the success of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme by continuing to attract the most talented people with the skills the UK needs to remain a global leader in the fields of finance, business, and technological innovation.
The announcement follows the completion in January of the Border and Immigration Agency’s global rollout of fingerprinting for all visas three months early. Now every person in the world coming to the UK on a visa has their fingerprints taken and their details checked against watch-lists – if they’re on the list for the wrong reason they can’t come in and could be banned from applying to come again for up to 10 years.
See also
* A points based system
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:49 am
so..
How it works?
A points-based system
This page explains in more detail the various tiers of the new points system and how it works.
Please note: The detail of the points-based system is being finalised so some aspects are still subject to change. The information provided on this website will be regularly updated over the coming months. Please re-visit this site to get the latest information.
A points-based system: five tiers
Underpinning the new migration system will be a five-tier framework. This will help people understand how the system works and direct applicants to the category that is most appropriate for them.
* Tier 1: Highly skilled individuals to contribute to growth and productivity
* Tier 2: Skilled workers with a job offer to fill gaps in United Kingdom labour force.
* Tier 3: Limited numbers of low-skilled workers needed to fill temporary labour shortages.
* Tier 4: Students.
* Tier 5: Youth mobility and temporary workers: people allowed to work in the United Kingdom for a limited period of time to satisfy primarily non-economic objectives.
The five tiers will cover all routes for those wishing to enter the United Kingdom to work, study and train; there are currently about 80 for these purposes. We have rationalised these into five tiers with different conditions, entitlements and entry-clearance checks. This will make the system easier to understand and use and allow us to adapt our policy on points and sponsorship to the very different needs of those entering the United Kingdom to work or study.
Tiers 3 and 5 are temporary routes – people in them will not be able to switch out of them once they are in the United Kingdom. Those in tiers 1, 2 and 4 will be eligible to switch between these tiers subject to meeting the requirements of the tier they wish to switch to. Tiers 1 and 2 will potentially lead to settlement if settlement requirements are met at the time of that application.
Dependants will be allowed under tiers 1, 2, 4 and 5. However, dependants will not be allowed to work where accompanying a student (tier 4) or a temporary worker (tier 5) who has been given less than 12 months’ leave in the United Kingdom.
Points and structured decision-making
For each tier, applicants will need sufficient points to gain entry clearance or leave to remain in the United Kingdom. Points will be awarded according to objective and transparent criteria. In all tiers, points will be awarded for control factors which indicate whether the applicant is likely to comply with their immigration requirements in the United Kingdom. In tiers 1 and 2, points will also be awarded for attributes such as age, previous salary or prospective salary, and qualifications. Prospective migrants will be able to assess themselves against these criteria, and see whether they are likely to have enough points to qualify before paying an application fee. An online self-assessment tool will allow applicants to score themselves against points.
Points allow us to have an objective way of making decisions and to trade off attributes against each other. The highly skilled migrants programme is already based on points and we have found this approach to be successful. Decision-makers will be able to rely on a more structured and objective decision-making process which is more transparent and easier to use for applicants.
Sponsorship and compliance
Those who benefit from migration (employers and educational institutions) should take on some of the responsibilities associated with migration. All applicants in tiers 2-5 will need to provide a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor. The certificate will act as an assurance that the migrant is able to do a particular job or course of study.
Sponsors will be expected to tell us if a sponsored migrant fails to turn up for their first day of work, or does not enrol on their course. They will similarly be expected to report any discontinuation of studies, or if the contract is terminated, the migrant is leaving their employment, or is changing educational institution.
There will be increased focus on compliance in the United Kingdom and more responsibilities for sponsors whose compliance will be checked through our account management structure. Account managers will provide help and guidance to sponsors in discharging their responsibilities but where there are concerns, compliance officers will be directed to make robust checks on job roles, qualifications and salary. Serious breaches of the rules may lead to sponsors being removed from the register and prevented from employing migrant workers.
Costs and charging
The costs of administering the new scheme will be recovered through fees and charges. As we develop the structure and services supporting the new system, the costs of each of the component parts of the system will be understood and an appropriate set of fees and charges will be available.
Our current plans are that those who benefit most from the immigration system will pay proportionately more to help fund the wider transformation of the system. This would apply to tier 1 and 2 applicants with costs for tiers 3, 4 and 5 set at or below cost recovery levels.
The actual proposed fee levels will be set out for approval by Parliament early in 2008