Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Central Directorate of Immigration and Border Police. Immigration Service – 1^ Division
Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration. Central Directorate for Immigration and Asylum policies
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Via Tuscolana, 1558 - 00173 Roma - ITALY
Piazza del Viminale, 1 Roma - ITALY
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
2 December 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
2 December 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
6 August 2026
3.1. Data description
Data collection on EU Blue Cards statistics based on the EU Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. EU Blue Cards statistics were produced under Directive 2009/50/EC. As of 19 November 2023, this Directive is replaced by Directive (EU) 2021/1883. The new legal requirements regarding supplementary statistics apply from the reference period 2024.
The following datasets were collected under the initial framework by 2023:
EU Blue Cards by type of decision, occupation and citizenship (migr_resbc1);
Admitted family members of EU Blue Cards holders by type of decision and citizenship (migr_resbc2);
EU Blue Cards holders and family members by Member State of previous residence (migr_resbc3).
Starting from the reference period 2024, EU Blue Cards statistics cover the following datasets:
Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and occupation (migr_resbc11);
Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and size of employer (migr_resbc12);
Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity duration, age, sex, citizenship and economic sector of employer (migr_resbc13);
Persons subject to decisions on residence permits for family reunification with EU Blue Card holders, by duration, age, sex and citizenship (migr_resbc2);
EU Blue Card holders admitted for long-term mobility by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and previous country of residence (migr_resbc31);
EU Blue Card holders’ family members admitted for long-term mobility by age, sex, citizenship, and previous country of residence (migr_resbc34);
Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and occupation (migr_resbc41);
Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and size of employer (migr_resbc42);
Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and economic sector of employer (migr_resbc43);
EU Blue Cards granted to beneficiaries of international protection by length of validity, age, sex and citizenship of the holder (migr_resbc5);
EU Blue Cards granted to beneficiary of free movement rights by length of validity, age, sex and citizenship of the holder (migr_resbc6);
Long-term permits granted to former EU Blue Card holders by age, sex, and citizenship (migr_resbc7).
Directive 2009/50/EC was transposed at national level with Leg. Decree n. 108/2012 on 28 June 2012.
Directive (EU) 2021/1883 was transposed at national level with the Leg. Decree n. 152/2023 on 02 November 2023.
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Residence permits statistics, EU Blue Cards.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons (one permit one person).
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.7. Reference area
Italy.
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons (one permit one person).
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The Ministry of Interior is the only authority with a mandate to collect BC data.
Ratification of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data: Gazzetta Ufficiale.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Employees are obliged to maintain confidentiality about official matters which, by their nature or in accordance with special regulations, must be kept secret. This obligation remains in force even after termination of the employment relationship.
Republic President Decree 62/2013 Regulation containing the code of conduct for public employees Gazzetta Ufficiale.
Legislative Decree 165/2001 General provisions on the organization of employment in public administrations Gazzetta Ufficiale, Article 54 Code of conduct.
8.1. Release calendar
Italy does not release/publish/disseminate BC statistics.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Not applicable.
Yearly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
There are no press releases.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No press release.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
No press release.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Not applicable.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
No dissemination of micro-data.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
None.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Not available.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
Continuous quality assessments of data retrievals by the Italian Ministry of the Interior and the National Institute for Statistics (ISTAT). Quality evaluation cycle between the Italian Ministry of the Interior and National Institute for Statistics (ISTAT) on the annual data exchange.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Data is of good quality as it is taken from entries in the Italian "Stranieri web platform" and "SPI 2.0 platform", which documents each case in Italy. A unique code or biometric data allows for the linkage of data within the SDI-database. Upon processing of national statistics, general plausibility checks are performed. Some data is also checked at random during the reference year, in order to assess data quality. Any inconsistencies are reported to the competent authorities.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The BC statistics produced are regularly used by national administrations: academic researchers and civil society groups working on a wide range of topics including the integration of immigrants, the development and monitoring of national asylum and immigration procedures, and the projection of the future population and labour force.
European and international level:
The main users of BC statistics are Eurostat and EU Commission. The statistics are used in several publications of the Commission, as well as in the preparation of regular reports, policy proposals and analysis. The statistics also provide an input to the EMN studies and reports that address specific issues of current policy importance.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No data available.
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall high accuracy: The reported statistics measure accurately the target population because the database includes all cases. Some cases that are entered into the database after data are retrieved for the data submission to Eurostat and therefore missing, which amounts to an underestimation of about 0.1-0.5% in total.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Not applicable.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Normally in time.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Statistics are comparable between geographical areas within Italy.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Taking into consideration the reference period of data, statistics on permits of stay shall relate to reference periods of one year.
No discrepancy could occur between number of permits of stay delivered and number reported in the same year.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal consistency assured.
Since administrative data are used, there are no costs/burden on respondents.
17.1. Data revision - policy
No need for regular revisions of data sent to Eurostat, as they are derived from annual national statistics and created only after final national results are available.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Daily.
18.3. Data collection
National systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.
18.4. Data validation
Validity checks include:
Checks of totals consistency;
Checks of magnitude of changes over time;
Checking if the double counting cases are excluded;
Data collection on EU Blue Cards statistics based on the EU Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment. EU Blue Cards statistics were produced under Directive 2009/50/EC. As of 19 November 2023, this Directive is replaced by Directive (EU) 2021/1883. The new legal requirements regarding supplementary statistics apply from the reference period 2024.
The following datasets were collected under the initial framework by 2023:
EU Blue Cards by type of decision, occupation and citizenship (migr_resbc1);
Admitted family members of EU Blue Cards holders by type of decision and citizenship (migr_resbc2);
EU Blue Cards holders and family members by Member State of previous residence (migr_resbc3).
Starting from the reference period 2024, EU Blue Cards statistics cover the following datasets:
Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and occupation (migr_resbc11);
Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and size of employer (migr_resbc12);
Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity duration, age, sex, citizenship and economic sector of employer (migr_resbc13);
Persons subject to decisions on residence permits for family reunification with EU Blue Card holders, by duration, age, sex and citizenship (migr_resbc2);
EU Blue Card holders admitted for long-term mobility by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and previous country of residence (migr_resbc31);
EU Blue Card holders’ family members admitted for long-term mobility by age, sex, citizenship, and previous country of residence (migr_resbc34);
Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and occupation (migr_resbc41);
Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and size of employer (migr_resbc42);
Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and economic sector of employer (migr_resbc43);
EU Blue Cards granted to beneficiaries of international protection by length of validity, age, sex and citizenship of the holder (migr_resbc5);
EU Blue Cards granted to beneficiary of free movement rights by length of validity, age, sex and citizenship of the holder (migr_resbc6);
Long-term permits granted to former EU Blue Card holders by age, sex, and citizenship (migr_resbc7).
Directive 2009/50/EC was transposed at national level with Leg. Decree n. 108/2012 on 28 June 2012.
Directive (EU) 2021/1883 was transposed at national level with the Leg. Decree n. 152/2023 on 02 November 2023.
6 August 2026
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Number of persons (one permit one person).
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Italy.
Calendar year.
Overall high accuracy: The reported statistics measure accurately the target population because the database includes all cases. Some cases that are entered into the database after data are retrieved for the data submission to Eurostat and therefore missing, which amounts to an underestimation of about 0.1-0.5% in total.
Number of persons (one permit one person).
Not applicable.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
Yearly.
Normally in time.
Statistics are comparable between geographical areas within Italy.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables EU Blue Cards’.
