The Blue Card will allow highly skilled third-country nationals to live and work temporarily in Romania, and ultimately acquire long-term residence rights in the European Union.

Romania has introduced its version of the European Union Blue Card, which allows highly skilled third-country nationals to live and work temporarily in the country and ultimately acquire long-term EU residence rights. The Blue Card will become available after the Romanian government finalizes application procedures for the program, which is expected to occur in near future.

To obtain the Blue Card, a non-EU national must be highly qualified, as demonstrated by a post-secondary educational qualification and an annual salary that is at least four times the average gross annual salary for a similar position in Romania. If the foreign national will work in a regulated profession, he or she must also possess the relevant educational qualifications or work experience necessary for the position. The Romanian government has not yet officially defined which occupations will be considered regulated professions. No labor market search is required for Blue Card applicants.

Though application procedures have not been finalized, officials have stated that Blue Card applications will benefit from shorter processing times than typical permits, with even faster processing for applicants who already hold a Blue Card issued by another EU country. Once granted, Romanian Blue Cards will be valid for up to two years — double the validity period of Romanian residence permits.