- 2026 salary thresholds: €50,700 a year, or €45,934.20 for shortage occupations, recent graduates and IT specialists without a degree.
- Expected for 2027: €53,100 and €48,108.60. The government confirms them in December.
- Your degree must be recognised or comparable. Check anabin before you apply.
- Permanent residence after 21 months with B1 German, or 27 months with A1.
The EU Blue Card is the main work permit for graduates who get a qualified job in Germany. For employers it is a familiar route, and for you it leads to permanent residence faster than almost any other permit. Here is what you need to know for 2026 and 2027.
Salary thresholds
| Year | Standard | Shortage jobs, recent graduates, IT without degree |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (official) | €50,700 a year | €45,934.20 a year |
| 2027 (expected) | €53,100 a year | €48,108.60 a year |
The 2026 figures come from Make it in Germany. The 2027 figures are calculated from the draft pension contribution ceiling published in September 2026 and are usually confirmed in December (SE Legal). If your offer is close to the threshold and the contract starts in 2027, plan with the new numbers.
Who can use the lower threshold
- Shortage occupations, including ICT professionals and managers, engineers and scientists, doctors, nurses, teachers, and managers in manufacturing, construction, logistics, childcare, healthcare and education.
- Recent graduates whose degree is less than three years old.
- IT specialists without a degree with at least three years of relevant experience in the last seven years.
In the first two cases the Federal Employment Agency checks that your pay and conditions match those of German colleagues (SE Legal).
The requirements
- A German degree, or a foreign degree that is recognised or comparable.
- A job offer in Germany of at least six months that fits your qualification and meets the salary threshold.
- For regulated professions such as doctors, a licence to practise or the promise of one.
Check your degree first
Search for your university and degree in the anabin database. If your university is rated "H+" and your degree type is listed as equivalent, you usually have what you need. If not, apply for a Statement of Comparability from the ZAB. Do this early, because it can take weeks, and employers like to see it.
The steps
- Get a written job offer or contract.
- Prepare your documents: passport, degree, recognition proof, contract, CV, and health insurance proof.
- Apply for the visa through the consular services portal and the German mission in your country. Your employer can also start the accelerated skilled worker procedure with the foreigners authority in Germany to speed things up.
- After arrival, register your address and collect your Blue Card from the local foreigners authority.
Changing jobs
You can change jobs with a Blue Card. If you change within the first 12 months, you must inform the foreigners authority, and the new job must meet the requirements in force at that time (Make it in Germany).
Permanent residence
You can apply for a settlement permit after 27 months with German at A1, or after just 21 months with German at B1 (Make it in Germany). This is one more reason to keep learning German, even if your job is in English. Read how much German you need.
Other countries
Every EU country except Denmark and Ireland issues the EU Blue Card, with its own salary rules. In the Netherlands, for example, the 2026 threshold is €5,942 a month, or €4,754 under the reduced criterion (Baker Tilly). The Netherlands also has its own highly skilled migrant permit.
This is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official sources or an immigration lawyer before you apply.
Free PDF: send SALARY to @swapnil_in_germany on Instagram for "Visa salary thresholds across Europe". See all 33 free guides.
Sources
I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.