Sweden has made the decision to expedite the EU Blue Card application procedure in an effort to recruit and retain highly skilled individuals.

According to Schengen.News, officials have disclosed that the processing period for highly skilled workers seeking a Swedish EU Blue has been reduced from 90 days to just 30 days.

For researchers and Intra-Corporate Transferee Permits, the typical processing time has also been decreased.

Both international workers and the Swedish labour market will benefit from the new timeline that the authorities will use to process the applications. However, not everyone who fits into the aforementioned criteria will be covered by the streamlined process.

The authorities noted that the new timeframe only applies to those who have submitted a complete and accurate application. As for those who do not meet this requirement, the processing time can extend to up to four months.

In addition to the above-mentioned, it was stressed that the shortened processing time also does not apply to qualified applicants who want to work in industries that require additional examinations in line with Sweden’s four-tier assessment system.

By cutting down the processing time for these certain applicants, Sweden wants to make sure that it is helping businesses across the country to deal with the shortages. Moreover, such a change will ensure that foreign workers are able to start working in Sweden sooner rather than waiting for a long period of time to receive a response to their application.

Sweden Working to Lower Salary Requirement for EU Blue Card

As part of its move to make the country an attractive destination for foreign workers, Sweden is also working to lower the salary requirement for obtaining an EU Blue Card. The authorities said earlier in August that the monthly salary required to obtain the card would be lowered by around €866.

During the same months, the Swedish Minister of Migration, Maria Malmer Stenergard, said that the proposal to lower the salary requirement is an important step in improving and easing the conditions for qualified foreign workers.

Sweden is not the only member state that is making changes to its EU Blue Card rules in order to attract more highly qualified workers.

Earlier in April of this year, Estonia also decided to facilitate some of its rules for those wanting to obtain an EU Blue Card. Under the new rules, foreigners are now eligible to apply for the country’s EU Blue Card, provided that they have five years of professional experience in their field of work. They also no longer have to present educational qualifications.