From 10th May 2023 Spain has introduced changes to its laws governing the issue of EU Blue Cards.
With the aim of promoting the use of the blue card in Spain, this process has recently been updated:
- Shorter processing times: 30 natural days (previously it was 60 natural days
- Application in country is now possible (this option was not available in the past)
- No need to prove national employment situation in any case
- Salary between 1 and 1.6 times the average gross annual salary (1.2 in the past)
- Online application via UGE
General requirements
- Superior studies or
- at least 5 years of experience at a similar job position
- only 3 years of previous experience at a similar job position in case of Information and Communication Technologies positions
- in some cases superior studies need to be homologated
- job contract valid for minimum 6 months
- salary between 1 and 1.6 times the average gross annual salary. There is an exception to the salary requirement for professions with a particular need for foreign workers
Reasons for rejection of the renewal of a blue card
- a blue card holder for less than 2 years that has been unemployed for more than 3 months won’t be able to renew the blue card
- a blue card holder for at least 2 years that has been unemployed for more than 6 months won’t be able to renew the blue card
- obtaining a blue card at another member state is a reason for rejection of the renewal in Spain
- not holding a contract for a highly skilled position at the time of the renewal is a cause of rejection too
- if the above happens, the person concerned shall be granted a period of 3 months in which to seek new employment, or 6 months if the person concerned has held an EU Blue Card for at least 2 years
The holder of an EU Blue Card issued by a Member State of the EU can work in Spain for a period of 90 days in any 180-day period, no authorisation shall be required to carry out this activity.
An employee holding an EU Blue Card in another Member State can obtain an EU Blue Card to work and reside in Spain as long as
a) the employee has been in possession of an EU Blue Card at another member state for at least 12 months or;
b) the employee has been an EU blue card holder for at least 6 months having held further blue cards in other different member states
- The application for the blue card can be made from the country of residence.
- The application for the blue card can be made in country within the first month following arrival in Spain.
- Employees holding an EU blue card in another member state that meet the criteria to apply for a blue card in Spain, can come to Spain and start to work as soon as the EU Blue Card application for Spain has been submitted.
- In the event that the applications for the family members are not submitted simultaneously, they must be submitted within a maximum of one month from the entry of the family members in Spain.
Further details will be published soon, we will keep you updated.
