1. INTRODUCTION

The EU Blue Card is a residence and work permit issued in the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of highly qualified employment. It is issued as a biometric residence permit that contains the designation “EU Blue Card” in the field indicating the type of permit (hereinafter: the EU Blue Card). The EU Blue Card entitles its holder to enter, re-enter, reside, and work in the Republic of Croatia, as well as to exercise the rights provided under the Aliens Act (Official Gazette Nos. 133/2020, 114/2022, 151/2022, 40/2025) (hereinafter: the AA). In recent years, the EU Blue Card has become one of the most important instruments for attracting highly educated professionals from third countries to the European labour market. It is a form of residence and work permit intended for persons with a high level of professional qualification who come to work in occupations for which there is a labour shortage in EU Member States, including Croatia. To enhance the system’s efficiency, the European Union adopted Directive (EU) 2021/1883 in October 2021, which liberalises the conditions for obtaining the Blue Card. Croatia implemented this Directive into its legal order through recent amendments to the Aliens Act, which entered into force on 15 March 2025. In relation to the EU Blue Card, the amendments: extend the validity period for highly qualified workers from two years (24 months) to four years (48 months); introduce the possibility of issuing the Blue Card to persons without formal educational qualifications who possess relevant experience and expertise; allow the retention of temporary residence during periods of unemployment; and facilitate the regulation of temporary residence for the card holder’s family members.These changes have made the process of employing highly qualified foreign nationals faster, more flexible, and more accessible to employers, as well as to the card holders themselves and their family members.

            2. WHO CAN APPLY FOR THE EU BLUE CARD?

To obtain an EU Blue Card, a candidate must meet several basic requirements. Employing a highly qualified worker for the purpose of issuing a Blue Card means employing a third-country national who is a worker under general labor regulations, for the purpose of performing real and specific work for another person or under their supervision, receives remuneration for the work performed, and possesses the required high-level qualifications.

High-level qualifications for the purpose of issuing an EU Blue Card can be proven in two ways:

1.     Higher Education Qualifications – Any diploma, certificate, or other evidence of formal qualifications issued by an institution recognized as a higher education establishment in the home country. The study must last at least three years and correspond to at least ISCED level 6 (2011) or, where applicable, EQF level 6, in accordance with special regulations.

2.     High-Level Professional Skills – Knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired through relevant professional experience at a level comparable to higher education qualifications.

This applies to professions such as “ICT managers” or “ICT specialists.” Conditions for recognizing professional experience include: a) a minimum of three years of relevant experience within the last seven years before submitting the application,
b) the experience must involve real and lawful performance of the specified profession, relevant to the employment contract.

The Ministry will issue an EU Blue Card if the candidate:

• possesses a valid travel document,
• has not been finally convicted of criminal offenses in their home country or in a country where they have resided for more than one year before coming to Croatia,
• holds an employment contract for a highly qualified job for at least six months, with proof of health insurance,
• earns a salary above the legal threshold (currently at least 1.5 times the average gross salary in Croatia), with exceptions for young professionals with recently acquired qualifications,
• for regulated professions – holds a decision recognizing the foreign qualification,
• for non-regulated professions – provides proof of qualification or high-level professional skills relevant to the job,
• has no other legal obstacles.

3.     SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

An application for an EU Blue Card can be submitted by a highly qualified third-country national or their employer. Submission can be made at a Croatian diplomatic mission or consular office abroad, or at the police administration or station corresponding to the place of residence in Croatia, provided the candidate is legally in the country. If the application is submitted while the worker is in Croatia and legally residing, they may remain in the country until a decision is made. The application is decided by the Ministry through the police administration within 60 days from the submission of a complete application. Applications can also be submitted by persons granted international protection and by family members of EU/EEA nationals exercising the right of free movement.

However, although the legal deadline for deciding on an EU Blue Card application is 60 days, in practice this period is often not observed, as procedures and workloads vary between police administrations. In such cases, legal remedies exist, such as initiating an administrative dispute due to administrative silence, in which the competent Administrative Court can order the Ministry of the Interior to complete the procedure within a specific deadline. As things stand in practice, applicants need to be patient.

4.     REASONS FOR REFUSING AN APPLICATION

An application for the issuance of an EU Blue Card is refused if the documents are forged or unlawfully altered; the applicant poses a threat to public order; the applicant is subject to a ban on entry and residence in the Republic of Croatia or has an alert in the SIS for the purpose of entry refusal; the main purpose of establishing or operating the employer is to facilitate the entry of third-country nationals; the employer does not fulfill obligations regarding social security, workers’ rights, occupational safety, working conditions and employment, or tax obligations, including collective agreements binding the employer; the terms of the employment contract are not in compliance with the regulations of the Republic of Croatia or the collective agreement binding the employer; the employer is subject to bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings under the regulations governing bankruptcy or liquidation; the employer does not conduct business activity in the registered field; the employer is listed among those found to engage in undeclared work under the regulations governing the prevention of undeclared work; or the employer has been finally sanctioned for illegal employment.

The EU Blue Card is issued without the requirement of obtaining a prior positive opinion from the Croatian Employment Service. This means that employers hiring highly qualified professionals from third countries are not required to meet additional conditions that apply to the employment of foreigners under a regular residence and work permit (such as the duration of business activity in Croatia, minimum number of Croatian employees, turnover in the last six months, etc.). This fact makes the Blue Card an attractive and practical tool for employers who want to quickly and efficiently attract highly qualified professionals, especially in sectors with a shortage of skilled personnel, such as IT, engineering, or healthcare. The rights of the cardholder include equal access to employment, remuneration, working conditions, education, social security, and public services, on the same basis as citizens of the Republic of Croatia.

5.     VALIDITY PERIOD AND EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIPS

The most notable amendment to the Act concerns the validity period of the EU Blue Card. Instead of the previous maximum validity of up to two years (24 months), under the new Act the Blue Card is issued for a maximum of 48 months, or 4 years. If the employment contract is shorter, the card is issued for the duration of the contract plus three months, but never exceeding 48 months. The card is entered in the residence permit with the note “EU Blue Card,” and the employer is issued a certificate containing information about the citizen, the employer, the workplace, and the occupation. It is important to note that if the validity of the travel document is shorter than the requested period of issuance, the “EU Blue Card” is issued for the validity period of the travel document. The holder may begin working based on the certificate or the submitted application for a biometric residence permit, provided they are registered for health and pension insurance.

6.     CHANGE OF EMPLOYER AND UNEMPLOYMENT

According to the latest amendments to the Aliens Act, the holder may change employers by notifying the police administration within five days and submitting the new employment contract. The Blue Card remains valid, and the holder may reside and work with the new employer.

In the case of unemployment, i.e., if the holder does not immediately find a new employer, they may search for a new job for up to 3 months if the Blue Card has been held for less than 2 years, or up to 6 months if the Blue Card has been held for more than 2 years, and in any case up to 12 months due to illness, disability, or use of parental leave under the regulations on maternity and parental benefits. In such cases, the holder is obliged to notify the competent police station within five working days from the termination of the employment contract. The holder may also engage in self-employment or professional activity, but such income is not counted toward the gross salary requirement for the Blue Card.

7.     EXTENSION AND REVOCATION OF THE BLUE CARD

An application for extension must be submitted no later than 60 days before expiry. If an application for extension of the “EU Blue Card” is submitted before its expiry, and the validity of the card expires during the extension process, the third-country national may remain in the Republic of Croatia as the holder of the “EU Blue Card” and continue working until the decision on the application becomes final, but without the right to mobility to another EEA Member State.

The EU Blue Card is revoked (ex officio, by notification from the employer, or by the holder) in the following cases:

• if the holder no longer has a valid travel document,
• if the holder no longer has an employment contract for highly qualified work,
• if the holder no longer possesses the required qualifications,
• if the holder’s salary no longer meets the minimum wage threshold prescribed by the Aliens Act as a condition for work based on the Blue Card,
• if the holder poses a threat to public order, national security, or public health, or is subject to an entry or residence ban in Croatia,
• if the employer does not fulfill obligations regarding social security, workers’ rights, occupational safety, working conditions and employment, or tax obligations, including collective agreements binding the employer,
• if the holder does not have sufficient means of subsistence for themselves and for the maintenance of their family members in accordance with the Regulation on the calculation and amount of means of subsistence for third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia,
• if the purpose of the holder’s stay does not correspond to the purposes for which residence was granted,
• if the Blue Card or the submitted documents were obtained by fraud, forged, or unlawfully altered.

Holders are granted a period of at least 3 months to find new employment (6 months if they have worked for two years).

8.     MOBILITY OF EU BLUE CARD HOLDERS: SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM

Third-country nationals holding a valid EU Blue Card issued by another EEA Member State may enter and conduct business activities in Croatia for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without the need for an additional residence or work permit. This applies both to countries that fully implement the Schengen acquis and those that do not, provided a valid travel document is held. Business activities include attending meetings, conferences or seminars, negotiations, sales and marketing activities, business research, and training directly related to the cardholder’s professional duties and the employer’s business interests in the first EEA Member State. Temporary residence registration rules under Article 177 of the Aliens Act apply.

Holders of an EU Blue Card issued by their first EEA Member State may move to Croatia after 12 months of lawful residence in the first state. In the case of second mobility, relocation is possible after six months. Applications for a Blue Card in Croatia may be submitted through Croatian diplomatic missions or directly at police administrations by the cardholder or the employer. To obtain a Blue Card, the applicant must provide a valid travel document, a valid EU Blue Card issued in the first state, an employment contract for a highly qualified position, a salary above the statutory threshold, and, for regulated professions, recognition of foreign qualifications. Cardholders enjoy the same rights as Croatian citizens and may remain and work in Croatia while the application is pending or if the card expires. Decisions cannot be appealed, but administrative disputes may be initiated.

Applications are rejected or refused if conditions are not met, documents are fraudulent, the employment contract does not comply with Croatian law or binding collective agreements, the employer fails to fulfill obligations, or the cardholder poses a threat to public order, security, or health. These rules also apply to family members.

9.     RIGHTS OF THE CARDHOLDER AND FAMILY MEMBERS

Holders of the Blue Card enjoy the same rights as Croatian citizens in the areas of employment, trade union rights, education, recognition of qualifications, social security, and access to public services. A family member, life partner, or informal life partner of an EU Blue Card holder may submit an application for temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership at a Croatian diplomatic mission or consular office, or at the police administration or police station corresponding to their place of residence, or the intended place of residence of the third-country national, provided that the latter legally resides in the Republic of Croatia. According to the amended provisions of the Aliens Act (AA), a family member, life partner, or informal life partner of a Blue Card holder no longer has to wait for the issuance of the Blue Card to submit an application for temporary residence for family reunification. Instead, the application for temporary residence can be submitted immediately together with the application for the Blue Card. A family member, life partner, or informal life partner who submits an application to the police administration has the right to reside in the Republic of Croatia until a decision is made on their application. Temporary residence for family members will be granted for the same period for which the Blue Card holder has been issued the Blue Card. Persons granted temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership with a Blue Card holder have the right to work in the Republic of Croatia without the need to obtain an additional work permit.

10.  CONCLUSION

The recent amendments to the Aliens Act represent an important step toward modernizing Croatia’s system for employing highly educated foreign nationals. The EU Blue Card is becoming an increasingly relevant instrument in addressing the shortage of skilled labor, particularly in the IT sector, healthcare, and engineering professions. By liberalizing conditions, accelerating procedures, and aligning with European standards, Croatia sends a clear message that it is ready to compete in the international labor market. Key challenges remain in standardizing practices and further digitizing procedures, but the trend is clear: the Blue Card is rapidly becoming one of the most important mechanisms for attracting global talent.

 

Legal Source:

-        Aliens Act (Zakon o strancima) (“Official Gazette” Nos. 133/20, 114/22, 151/22, 40/25)

Author:

Jelena Nađ, Attorney-Partner
LAW FIRM JURŠETIĆ & ALEKSOVSKI d.o.o.