In an attempt to make the country more attractive for highly qualified workers and retain talent, Sweden has decided to shorten the processing time of the EU Blue Card.
As revealed by the authorities, the processing time for highly qualified workers applying for a Swedish EU Blue has been shortened from 90 days to only 30 days, Schengen.News reports.
The standard processing time has also been shortened for Intra-Corporate Transferee Permits and researchers.
The new timeframe within which the authorities will process the applications will have a positive impact on both foreign workers and the labour market of Sweden. However, the shortened procedure will not apply to everyone who falls under the above-mentioned categories.
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.
Source: https://schengen.news/sweden-shortens-eu-blue-card-processing-time-from-90-to-30-days/
