On Wednesday, January 17, the Cypriot Cabinet of Ministers approved a new law that will significantly simplify the process of issuing work visas for citizens from third countries.
In particular, it concerns the Cypriot equivalent of the EU Blue Card (Blue Card EU).
The developer of the bill is the Ministry of Interior (MIA), which oversees migration policy in Cyprus. According to Interior Ministry head Konstantinos Ioannou, the approved changes are in line with the Cyprus government's policy of attracting talent from third countries and the strategy of encouraging legal migration and reducing illegal migration.
The innovations are aimed at facilitating the entry and residence in Cyprus of highly qualified professionals from non-EU countries, Ioannou explained.
He also noted that highly skilled employees include:
- holders of a higher education diploma with at least three years of study;
- managers or professionals with knowledge of information and communication technologies and relevant work experience of at least seven years before applying for the Blue Card.
The Blue Card is a residence permit that entitles you to work in Europe.
It can only be obtained by specialists with a profession in demand in the EU and with high qualifications. The residence permit is issued for the duration of the employment contract from 1 to 4 years with the possibility of extension.
The Blue Card was invented to fill the shortage of personnel and make Europe more attractive for highly qualified specialists who previously preferred to immigrate to America, Canada or Australia. Simply put, it is an analog of the American green card, only in Europe.
Today it is possible to get a Blue Card in all EU countries except Ireland and Denmark. The UK, which left the EU, does not have this opportunity either.
It should be noted that Blue Card is a great opportunity to build a successful career and move to the EU.
The main advantages of Blue Card:
- Legal employment in a sought-after profession. At the same time, the salary for employees from the EU and another country in the same position should be the same.
- Possibility to move at once with the whole family. After a specialist receives a blue card, his family (wife/husband and children up to 18 years old) is issued a residence permit, which allows them to immediately reunite and live together.
- Simplified process for obtaining a residence permit and citizenship. Provided you know the language and pay into the pension fund, you can apply for a residence permit faster - in 33 months, and after 5 years you can get citizenship.
- Social and economic protection. The cardholder receives health insurance, is entitled to unemployment benefits and paid vacation. Children can study for free, and a wife or husband can enroll in a university.
- Visa-free travel. This means that it is possible to travel throughout the European Union as a tourist and not worry about a visa.