EU Expands Mobility Rights for EU Blue Card Holders
Highly qualified professionals who hold an EU Blue Card have gained new rights to conduct business activities in other EU member states. Under the EU Blue Card Directive (EU) 2021/1883, which governs the entry and residence of highly qualified non-EU nationals in EU member states, these individuals can now participate in business activities in other EU member states without completing the work authorization procedure in that member state.
What are the criteria for the new EU Blue Card mobility framework?
EU Blue Card holders need to satisfy several criteria:
- The business activity to be carried out must be directly connected to the employment contract for which the EU Blue Card was issued.
- The card holder’s stay in the member state is temporary.
- The permitted stay duration of 90 days within any 180-day period is not exceeded.
What qualifies as “business activity”?
The business activities covered by the EU Blue Card mobility framework include, but are not limited to:
- Participation in internal or external business meetings
- Participation in conferences and seminars
- Negotiations related to business transactions
- Sales and marketing activities
- Exploration of business opportunities
- Participation in training
Individuals who take advantage of this framework should be able to provide information on the business activity they are conducting and demonstrate that the activity is related to the employment relationship for which they were issued an EU Blue Card. They must also observe the limits for the duration of stay.
At the end of September 2026, legal firm Littler noted that because an exhaustive list of permissible business activities had not yet been issued, national authorities may interpret “business activity” differently. At a minimum, EU Blue Card holders and their employers should ensure the integrity of the connection between the business activity, the underlying employment relationship, and the employer’s business interests.
Source: Littler
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