New EU Blue Card Rules in Poland Remain Unimplemented, Leading to Concerns in Labour Market

Poland’s Delay in Introducing New EU Blue Card Rules Raises Concerns for Foreign Workers

Poland has faced criticism for its failure to integrate the new EU Blue Card rules into its legislation, causing inconvenience for foreign highly skilled workers looking to enter the country or change their current jobs.

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The Commission of the European Union amended the EU Blue Card rules in 2021 and gave Member States a two-year period to integrate them into their legislation. Despite having had time to do so until November 2023, Poland did not manage to meet this deadline, raising concerns about the country’s labour market.

The EU Blue Card enables highly qualified workers from outside the EU to live and work in a Member State, under certain conditions. However, the delay in integrating the new rules is making it difficult for foreign workers and causing concerns for Polish employers.

The current situation is making Poland less attractive to foreign skilled workers, which could lead to labour shortages in different sectors throughout the country. It has been stressed that the current rules in Poland provide less flexibility for foreign workers, making it harder for them to change workplaces.

In line with the new EU Blue Card regulations that Poland has yet to apply, a one-year contract with an employer in the country is no longer necessary, and the minimum remuneration threshold has been lowered. This means that the current rules are not doing justice to foreign workers.

For foreign workers to be eligible for the EU Blue Card, they must have higher professional qualifications, work as a paid employee, have an annual gross salary of at least one and a half times the average national salary, and present a work contract of at least a year, among other requirements.

The delay in integrating the new EU Blue Card rules into legislation is causing concerns among both Polish employers and foreign skilled workers wishing to enter the country for work purposes on this scheme. It is clear that action needs to be taken to ensure that foreign workers are not disadvantaged and that Poland remains an attractive option for skilled workers from outside the EU.