In 2026, the minimum gross annual salary for an EU Blue Card in Germany is €50,700. A reduced threshold of €45,934.20 applies to shortage occupations, recent graduates, and IT specialists without a degree. Both figures took effect on January 1, 2026, and apply to every Blue Card decision this year, including renewals.

The thresholds rise every January. Based on the draft 2027 social security figures that the German government published in September 2026, the 2027 thresholds will most likely be €53,100 and €48,108.60. The government will confirm the official figures in December, and at Schlun & Elseven Rechtsanwälte, we will update this page as soon as it does.

What Is the EU Blue Card Minimum Salary in 2026?

The EU Blue Card minimum salary in Germany is €50,700 gross a year in 2026, or €45,934.20 under the reduced threshold. The applicant’s occupation, career stage, and qualification determine which of the two applies.

Standard Threshold: €50,700

The standard threshold applies to any position that matches the applicant’s qualification. An employment contract or binding job offer with a gross annual salary of at least €50,700 is enough, and the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency, BA) does not need to approve the employment. Because nobody reviews the working conditions separately, the standard route is usually the faster of the two.

Reduced Threshold: €45,934.20

The reduced threshold applies to three groups:

• Shortage occupations: professionals in occupations that German law classifies as facing labor shortages, listed below.
• Recent graduates: applicants who obtained their qualifying degree no more than three years before applying. This covers entry-level positions in any field, not only shortage occupations.
• IT specialists without a degree: IT professionals and ICT services managers with at least three years of relevant experience, at a level comparable to a university degree, within the past seven years.

In all three cases, the BA must approve the employment before the Blue Card can be issued, and its review covers more than the salary figure.

Expected EU Blue Card Salary Thresholds for 2027

The German government has not yet published the Blue Card thresholds for 2027, but the figures can already be calculated. On September 21, 2026, the Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, BMAS) published its draft regulation on the 2027 social security reference values. The draft sets the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze (contribution ceiling) of the German statutory pension insurance at €106,200 a year, up from €101,400 in 2026. The Blue Card thresholds are fixed percentages of that ceiling, which gives the following expected figures for 2027:

• Standard threshold: €53,100 (50 percent of €106,200)
• Reduced threshold: €48,108.60 (45.3 percent of €106,200)

These figures remain provisional until the Federal Cabinet and the Bundesrat (Federal Council) approve the regulation, usually in autumn. A fixed statutory formula derives the ceiling from wage growth, so changes before adoption are unusual, although they cannot be ruled out. The Bundesministerium des Innern (Federal Ministry of the Interior, BMI) then announces the official Blue Card thresholds, typically in December.

For employers, this means that any Blue Card application or renewal decided on or after January 1, 2027, will need to meet the new figures. Offers made in late 2026 for positions starting in 2027 should already reflect them.

How the Salary Thresholds Are Calculated

Each Blue Card threshold is a fixed percentage of the pension insurance contribution ceiling: 50 percent for the standard threshold and 45.3 percent for the reduced threshold. The ceiling is the income level above which no further pension contributions are due, and Section 18g of the German Residence Act sets the percentages. The BMAS sets the ceiling each year in the social security reference values regulation.

The contribution ceiling follows average wage growth in Germany, so the Blue Card thresholds rise almost every year. Since 2025, a single nationwide ceiling has applied, and the former distinction between eastern and western German states no longer exists.

EU Blue Card Salary Thresholds Since 2023

The table below, based on the BMI’s annual announcements, shows how the thresholds have developed. The drop in late 2023 reflects the reform that took effect on November 18, 2023, when Germany lowered the percentages to implement the revised EU Blue Card Directive.

Some online sources still quote the pre-reform figures of €58,400 and €45,552. These no longer apply.

What Counts Toward the Salary

The relevant figure is the gross annual salary in the employment contract or binding job offer. Three points regularly cause problems in practice:

• Bonuses and special payments, such as a Christmas bonus or vacation pay, count only if the employment contract sets out a specific amount and pays it unconditionally. Payments that depend on sales targets, company performance, or similar conditions do not count.
• Part-time positions do not qualify on a pro rata basis. The actual annual salary must reach the full threshold.
• The contract should state the annual gross salary in euros, so that the authorities can verify it without converting currencies or adding up separate components.

Federal Employment Agency Approval and the Comparability Check

When the reduced threshold applies, the BA checks whether the terms of employment are comparable to those of German employees in similar positions. This covers salary, working hours, and leave entitlement.

As a result, meeting the reduced threshold is not always enough. If the usual local salary for the position is higher than €45,934.20, the BA can require the employer to pay that higher amount before it approves the employment. Employers who plan with the statutory minimum alone risk delays or a refusal of BA approval.

Shortage Occupations for the EU Blue Card

The reduced threshold is available in the following occupational groups, which the law defines by reference to the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08):

• Managers in manufacturing, mining, construction, and logistics (ISCO group 132)
• Managers of information and communications technology services (group 133)
• Managers of professional services, such as childcare, healthcare, and education (group 134)
• Science and engineering professionals, including mathematicians and architects (group 21)
• Medical doctors (group 221)
• Nursing and midwifery professionals with an academic or comparable qualification (group 222)
• Veterinarians (group 225)
• Dentists, pharmacists, and other health professionals (group 226)
• Teaching professionals (group 23)
• Information and communications technology professionals (group 25)

The actual duties of a position, not its job title, determine whether it falls into one of these groups. Where there is doubt, it is worth clarifying the classification before filing the application.

What the Annual Increase Means for Renewals, Job Changes, and Pending Applications

Renewals

A rise in the thresholds does not affect an EU Blue Card that is already valid. The increase becomes relevant at renewal, because the applicant must meet all requirements, including the threshold then in force, when the Ausländerbehörde (the local foreigners authority) makes its decision. Employers with Blue Card holders due for renewal in 2027 should compare current salaries with the expected 2027 figures now, rather than discovering a shortfall once the renewal is underway.

Pending Applications

The same principle applies to new applications: the date of the decision counts, not the date of filing. An application filed in 2026 but decided in 2027 must therefore meet the 2027 thresholds. If the offered salary is close to the current threshold, the applicant should file early enough for a decision before the end of the year, or the employer should raise the salary to the expected 2027 figure.

Changing Jobs

Blue Card holders who change employers within the first 12 months must notify the Ausländerbehörde. The authority then checks whether the new position still meets the requirements, including the salary threshold in force at that time. If it does not, a different residence permit may be available, such as the permit for skilled workers with an academic degree under Section 18b of the German Residence Act.

Salary Reductions

If a Blue Card holder’s salary falls below the threshold while the card is valid, for example because of reduced working hours, the authority may shorten the card’s validity or refuse to renew it. Employers and employees should therefore review any change to salary or working hours before agreeing to it.

Other Requirements for the EU Blue Card

The salary is only one of several conditions. Applicants also need:

• A German university degree or a recognized or comparable foreign degree. Alternatively, a tertiary qualification of at least three years at level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework, or the IT experience described above.
• An employment contract or binding job offer for at least six months in a position that matches their qualification.
• A license to practice, if the profession is regulated in Germany, as it is for medical doctors.
• Health insurance coverage from the start of employment, either statutory or private.

Applicants must meet all of these requirements, including the salary threshold, at the time of the decision. Applicants outside Germany apply for a visa at the German embassy or consulate, and applicants already living in Germany apply to their local Ausländerbehörde.

The Blue Card is valid for up to four years. If the employment contract is shorter, the card covers the term of the contract plus three months. Holders can apply for a Niederlassungserlaubnis (permanent settlement permit) after 27 months with German language skills at level A1, or after 21 months with level B1. Spouses and children can join them under simplified family reunification rules, and spouses do not need to prove German language skills before entry.

For employees transferring within an international group of companies, the ICT Card (Intra-Corporate Transfer Card) may be the better route.

Legal Basis

Section 18g of the Aufenthaltsgesetz (German Residence Act, AufenthG) governs the EU Blue Card and implements Directive (EU) 2021/1883, which replaced the original Blue Card Directive 2009/50/EC. The Blue Card is a national residence permit, so each participating EU member state sets its own salary thresholds. Denmark and Ireland do not participate in the scheme.

German Immigration Lawyers for EU Blue Card Matters

At Schlun & Elseven Rechtsanwälte, our immigration lawyers advise employers and professionals on EU Blue Card applications, renewals, and job changes, as well as on alternative residence permits where the Blue Card requirements are not met. Our immigration practice works closely with our employment lawyers and corporate lawyers, so we can review employment contracts and salary structures for Blue Card compliance before an application is filed. We advise clients across Germany and internationally from our offices in Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Aachen.