Am I eligible to apply for a Blue Card?

To apply for a Blue Card, the applicant must:

• have a valid work contract or binding job offer for highly-qualified employment with a duration of at least 1 year;
• meet the minimum salary threshold in the Member State concerned (see below);
• for regulated professions: present documents proving that the national legal requirements are met;
• for unregulated professions: present documents proving that the relevant higher professional qualifications are met (for more information about higher professional qualifications, see the FAQ section);
• present a valid travel document, an application for a visa, and a valid residence permit.

In addition, the applicant must not pose a threat to public policy in the view of the Member State. He/she may also be required to provide his/her address in that Member State.

How much do I have to earn to qualify for a Blue Card?

The gross annual salary resulting from the monthly or annual salary specified in the work contract or binding job offer must be equal to or higher than the relevant salary threshold defined by the Member State (at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary for this profession in Spain).

For 2020, Spain set the minimum salary threshold at: 33908 €

Are there exceptions to the minimum salary requirement?

Yes. The salary threshold defined will be 1.2 times the average gross annual salary in Spain it there is a lack for the profession.

Will EU citizens' applications be prioritised over mine?

Some Member States apply a Labour Market Test (LMT). This is a mechanism that aims to ensure that migrant workers are only admitted after employers have unsuccessfully searched for national workers, EU citizens (in EU Member states this also means EEA workers) or legally residing third-country nationals with access to the labour market according to national legislation (for more information see the FAQ section).

Spain applies a labour market test.

How long will my EU Blue Card be valid?

The standard period of validity in Spain is: One year.

Specific rules: In Spain, the EU Blue Card is issued for a period of one year. The EU Blue Card can be renewed biannually, unless the applicant is compliant with the initial requirements for granting a long-term residence permit.

How much will it cost?

Initial Blue Card fee: 418 EUR.

Renewal: 112 EUR. Replacement: 112 EUR.

Fee for express issuance: N/A.

How long will it take to get my Blue Card?

National law foresees that the maximum processing time for issuing a Blue Card in Spain is 45 days.

Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Migration and Social Security– Immigration Portal

More information on migrating to Spain