Germany EU Blue Card Guide 2026

The EU Blue Card is for qualified professionals taking a job that matches their qualification, at or above a set minimum salary. The thresholds are updated each year: from 1 January 2026 the standard figure is €50,700 a year, with a lower figure of €45,934.20 for bottleneck professions, new entrants and experienced IT professionals without a formal qualification. Verified against the Federal Foreign Office guidance, October 2026.

2026 salary thresholds

The official wording (as of 1 January 2026):

“threshold as of 1 January 2026: €50.700 gross per annum, (minimum €4.225,-- per month) subject to change”

The four groups

• Standard: academic professionals in a position commensurate with their qualification, at the standard minimum remuneration.
• Bottleneck professions: academic professionals in a bottleneck profession (per the official list) qualify at the lower threshold.
• New entrants: if your last degree or equivalent was obtained less than three years ago, the lower threshold applies.
• IT professionals without a formal qualification: if you have worked in IT for at least three of the past seven years and have professional experience at university level, you may qualify at the lower threshold.

The thresholds are reviewed and can change; the source states each figure is “subject to change”.

Qualification and other conditions

You need a German, recognised or comparable foreign academic degree or equivalent tertiary qualification relevant to the intended employment. Check whether both the degree and the awarding institution are comparable in the Anabin database; if they are not listed as ‘entspricht’ or ‘gleichwertig’ (institution ‘H+’), obtain a Statement of Comparability from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) or formal recognition. Some regulated professions — doctors, nurses, teachers, architects and others — require a licence to practise. All residents must also hold sufficient health insurance cover.

How to apply

Blue Card applications are made through a Visa Application Centre run by the external service provider TLScontact, and the category is open to online application. You complete the VIDEX form, then submit supporting documents including: the printed application form; a valid passport valid for at least six months with two consecutive blank pages; (for non-British applicants) a current UK residence permit; two fully biometric passport photos, 35 × 45 mm; the employer's declaration; the degree certificate or recognised qualification; evidence of comparability; confirmation of health-insurance cover; and a CV. Most applications in this category are typically processed within 2 weeks.

British citizens — and citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Korea and the United States — may instead apply for the residence permit at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) after arriving in Germany, with no visa before travel. In that case, register your address (Anmeldung) within two weeks and apply within the first 90 days. Accompanying spouses of Blue Card holders are exempt from the basic German-language requirement.

Preparing your paperwork? Check the Germany photo and Germany visa documents, or the Schengen visa photo rules, and confirm your crop with the free passport photo checker.

Frequently asked questions

What is the salary threshold for the EU Blue Card in 2026?
The guideline threshold as of 1 January 2026 is €50,700 gross per year (minimum €4,225 per month) for the standard category, subject to change.

When does the lower threshold apply?
A lower threshold of €45,934.20 gross per year (minimum €3,827.85 per month) applies to academic professionals in a bottleneck profession, to new entrants to the labour market, and to IT professionals without a formal qualification.

Who counts as a new entrant?
If you obtained your last degree or equivalent qualification less than three years ago, you are treated as a new entrant and can qualify at the lower threshold of €45,934.20 per year.

Can IT professionals without a degree get an EU Blue Card?
Yes. IT professionals without a formal qualification, but with at least three of the past seven years working in IT and professional experience at university level, may qualify at the lower threshold.

Do I need a recognised degree?
Yes. You need a German, recognised or comparable foreign academic degree relevant to the job. Check the degree and institution in the Anabin database; if they are not listed as comparable (‘entspricht’/‘gleichwertig’, institution ‘H+’), obtain a Statement of Comparability from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

Can British citizens apply after arriving in Germany?
Yes. British citizens — as well as citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Korea and the United States — may apply for their residence permit at the local immigration office after arrival, without a visa beforehand. Register your address (Anmeldung) within 2 weeks and apply within the first 90 days.

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Source note: the 2026 thresholds (standard €50,700 gross per annum, minimum €4,225 per month; lower €45,934.20 gross per annum, minimum €3,827.85 per month) and their “subject to change” wording, the bottleneck-profession and new-entrant categories, the IT-without-qualification route (3 of the past 7 years, university-level experience), the degree-recognition requirement (Anabin, ZAB Statement of Comparability), the health-insurance and regulated-profession notes, the TLScontact application route and document list including two 35 × 45 mm biometric photos, the typical 2-week processing time, the visa-free-after-arrival list (UK, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, USA) and the spouse language exemption are from the German Federal Foreign Office page “D-Visas: EU Blue Card” (uk.diplo.de), checked October 2026.