The European Union issued approximately 89,000 EU Blue Cards in 2023 to highly qualified non-EU nationals, with Germany, Poland, and France emerging as the top three issuing countries. The figures, published in a recent Eurostat report, reflect the growing demand for skilled labor across the EU, as well as the bloc's continued efforts to attract global talent through streamlined migration policies.

The EU Blue Card is a residence and work permit designed for third-country nationals with recognized qualifications, allowing them to live and work in EU member states. It plays a key role in addressing labor shortages in high-demand sectors such as IT, engineering, healthcare, and research.

Germany Dominates EU Blue Card Issuance

Germany continues to be the primary destination for skilled migrants under the Blue Card scheme, accounting for an overwhelming 78% of all Blue Cards issued across the EU in 2023. This translates to approximately 69,000 permits granted by German authorities alone.

Following Germany:

• Poland issued around 7,000 Blue Cards, or 8% of the total,
• France issued approximately 4,000 cards, equating to 4% of the EU total.
• Other countries with notable figures include Lithuania and Estonia, but their contributions remain modest in comparison to the top three.

India Tops List of Beneficiary Countries

In terms of recipient nationalities, India led by a significant margin. Indian nationals received 21,000 Blue Cards, representing 24% of the total issued. Other leading countries of origin included:

• Russia: 9,000 cards (11%)
• Turkey: 6,000 cards (7%)
• Belarus: 5,000 cards (6%)

This trend underscores India’s continued importance as a source of highly skilled professionals for Europe’s labor market.

India Also Leads in Intra-Corporate Transferee Permits

In addition to the Blue Card scheme, India also led the list of recipients of intra-corporate transferee permits—temporary residence permits for employees transferred within multinational companies. Of the 3,900 such permits issued in 2023, 36% (approximately 1,400) went to Indian nationals.
Other key countries of origin for these permits included:

• China: 1,600 permits (14%)
• South Korea: 1,300 permits (12%)

The Netherlands was the leading EU country for issuing intra-corporate transferee permits, accounting for 25% of the total (2,700 permits), followed by:

• Germany: 1,900 permits (18%)
• Hungary: 1,900 permits (18%)
• France: 1,500 permits
• Spain: 1,100 permits

EU Granted 451,000 Authorisations for Students and Researchers

The EU also remains a top destination for international students and researchers. In 2023, EU countries issued 451,000 residence authorisations to non-EU nationals for academic purposes.

Germany again topped the list, granting:

• 144,000 authorisations (32% of the total),
• Followed by France with 117,000 (26%),
• And Spain with 55,000 (12%).

On the global level, India remained the leading source country, with 50,000 Indian nationals granted authorisations to study or conduct research in the EU. Other top source countries included:

• China: 47,000
• Morocco: 22,000
• United States: 21,000

EU Continues to Rely on Skilled Migration

The latest figures reaffirm the importance of managed migration in meeting the EU's labor and innovation needs. As member states continue to modernize and expand their skilled migration frameworks, tools like the Blue Card and intra-corporate transferee permits are expected to play an even greater role in shaping the future of the European workforce.

The continued dominance of Germany in these programs highlights both its economic attractiveness and the relative flexibility of its immigration policies. Meanwhile, the growing participation of countries like Poland and the Netherlands indicates a broader EU-wide recognition of the value skilled migrants bring to national economies.