EU Blue Card

What

The Blue Card allows a third country citizen who is a highly qualified worker to temporarily stay and work in the territory of the Republic of Croatia.

Who

If you are a third-country national who is a highly qualified worker you are eligible to apply for the EU Blue Card.

You must have a contract of employment or any other appropriate contract for a highly-qualified job, for a period of at least a year, concluded with a company, branch office, representative office, craftsman, family farm, cooperative, association or institution registered in the Republic of Croatia, and proof of higher education or completed studies. The enclosed contract of employment has to indicate a gross annual salary which should amount to at least 1.5 average gross annual salary according to the official data published by the competent Statistics Office.

How

You submit your request for a stay and work permit at a RH diplomatic mission, consular office or police authority/station in your intended place of residence. The cost of issuance is HRK 870.

When

Before or immediately after arriving in Croatia.

Good to know

Information of the Ministry of the Interior on the EU Blue Card (in Croatian):  https://mup.gov.hr/gradjani-281562/moji-dokumenti-281563/stranci-333/drzavljani-trecih-zemalja/281820

Where

Diplomatic missions and consular offices of Croatia

(in English): https://goo.gl/uvsNUa

(in Croatian): https://goo.gl/wpSqru

List of police authorities and contacts (in Croatian): https://goo.gl/QXl7zf

Attention

After two years, the EU Blue Card holder does not need to change his/her EU Blue Card when changing his/her employment, but he/she must inform the competent police administration/police station about such change within eight days and deliver to them the new employment contract concluded with the new employer. A third-country national who has been granted the EU Blue Card in other EEA member state may, 18 months after its issuance, relocate and apply for the EU Blue Card at a police administration/police station according to one’s place of stay.

Family members who have been granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification with an EU Blue Card holder are allowed to work without obtaining a stay and work permit or a certificate of registration for work.