Highly qualified and the EU Blue Card
A status for professionals with a contract from a Spanish company. It gives employment with a social security record, and the Blue Card adds mobility within the European Union.
Who it suits
- A Spanish company is offering you a qualified role.
- You have a degree or proven professional experience.
- You want to be employed in Spain with a pension and social security record.
- Moving between EU countries on one status matters to you.
What you will have to prove
- An employment contract with a Spanish company for a qualified role.
- A salary at or above the threshold — the Blue Card benchmark is €40,077 a year.
- A university degree or at least three years of professional experience in the field.
- An employer with no tax or social security debts.
- A criminal record certificate, apostilled and sworn-translated.
- Health insurance until social security cover starts.
How the work goes
Checking the offer 45 minutes
We look at the contract, the role and the salary: does the case fit the national permit or the Blue Card.
Documents from 2 weeks
We collect your documents and the company’s, and handle degree recognition where it is needed.
Filing 1 day
We file online with the unit that handles large companies and qualified professionals.
Review 20 working days
We answer additional requests and follow the decision.
Social security and TIE 15–25 days
Registration with social security, fingerprints, card collection.
Length, renewal and the path to permanent residence
- First permit
- Up to three years, following the contract.
- Renewal
- Renewed along with the employment. If you are dismissed, there is a period to find a new employer without losing the status.
- Permanent residence and mobility
- Five years open permanent residence, and for the Blue Card the record built in other EU countries counts.
How it differs from the other programmes
It differs from Digital Nomad in who signs the contract: here the employer is Spanish, there it is foreign. The EU Blue Card differs from the national permit in its salary threshold and in the right to move to other EU countries while keeping the record you have built.
Compare all the programmesWhat we do
Request a call- We check the contract and the role before filing: not every offer clears the salary threshold.
- We work with the employer’s documents, not only yours.
- We handle degree recognition where the profession requires it.
- We file online and answer additional requests until the decision.
Frequently asked questions
How does the national permit differ from the EU Blue Card?
Can I change employer?
What happens if I am dismissed?
Can my family come with me?
Current as of 13 August 2026
Other programmes
Digital Nomad permit
Remote employees and freelancers working for companies outside Spain.
Learn moreNo lucrativa permit
Those living on savings or passive income who do not plan to work.
Learn moreSelf-employment (cuenta propia)
Residents of at least a year who want to work for themselves.
Learn moreStudent visa
Those coming to study — language courses, for example.
Learn moreFamily members
Those joining a Spanish resident or a citizen of Spain or an EU country.
Learn moreTell us about your situation
We reply within one business day and suggest a time for the review. A case review costs €100 and counts towards the service.