The Netherlands residence permit to work as a highly skilled migrant is still much more attractive than the European blue card. For example, according to the IND, approximately 150 European blue cards were issued in 2020. In the same year, approximately 6,500 highly skilled migrants were granted permits.

According to the Dutch government, this difference is mainly due to the fact that the current European blue card scheme has stricter requirements. For example, there is a much higher salary threshold, the applicant must have completed a 3-year higher education, and the current European blue card scheme is not in line with the Dutch system in which recognized sponsors are used.

With the new European blue card (2021/1883) directive and its implementation in Dutch legislation, an attempt is made to make the European blue card more attractive. This is done by relaxing the conditions for the European blue card. These include the following:

• An employment contract for the duration of six months instead of twelve months.
• Recognition of work experience as a higher professional qualification.
• Shorter decision periods.
• Holders of an EU Blue Card who have made use of the possibility to move from one Member State to another Member State can cumulate the periods of residence in different Member States. Periods of residence with a permit other than the European blue card can also be counted.
• Longer periods of unemployment than the current three months will be allowed. In particular when the holder of the European blue card has held this card for more than two years
• .Longer periods of absence from the EU than those resulting from the EU long-term resident directive (2003/109) are permitted, after the EU blue card holder has acquired the status of EU long-term resident in a Member State.
• The EU long-term resident who is a former EU Blue Card holder retains the more favorable conditions with regard to family reunification that he enjoyed as an EU Blue Card holder.