In 2023, a total of 89,037 EU Blue Cards were issued to citizens of non-EU countries, which is 8.8% more than a year earlier and is the highest in history.
The Blue Card allows highly qualified specialists from abroad to work and live in one of the 27 countries of the European Union.
Indians received the most Blue Cards (21,228, or 23.8%). In second and third place are citizens of Russia (9488) and Turkey (5803). Citizens of Belarus and Iraq are also singled out, whose share is 5.9 and 4.5%, respectively.
Germany is the leader in providing Blue Cards, accounting for 77.9% of the total number of permits issued. Poland is in second place (9.2% of the total). It is followed by France and Lithuania.
Cyprus did not issue a single Blue Card last year. Among the countries that issue few such residence permits are Hungary, Malta, Greece, Portugal, Estonia and Slovakia.
Source: SchengenNews