EU Blue Card Germany 2026: Salary Thresholds, Shortage Occupations & New Rules

The new gross annual salary threshold is set at €50.700 for standard occupations and a reduced €45.630 for a newly expanded list of shortage professions. Crucially, these changes also open the door for IT specialists to qualify based on professional experience alone, even without a university degree. This definitive guide breaks down everything you need to know about the 2026 requirements, including the exact salary calculations, the official list of shortage occupations, the process for academic recognition, and the new legal pathways available to you.

What is the EU Blue Card in Germany?

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit for highly qualified non-EU nationals who wish to work in Germany. It combines attractive conditions with a clear pathway to permanent settlement. Key benefits include initial residence permit up to 4 years, renewable, family reunification with reduced requirements, permanent settlement permit possible after 21 to 27 months, depending on language level, and EU mobility rights, allowing work in other Member States under certain conditions.

2026 Salary Thresholds – Updated

From 1 January 2026, the following gross annual salary thresholds apply:

• General threshold (all professions): €50.700 (approx. €4,025/month).
• Shortage occupations: €45.630 (approx. €3,646/month).
• Shortage occupations include:
• Natural scientists, mathematicians, engineers.
• Medical professionals (doctors, pharmacists, nurses).
• IT and communications specialists.
• Certain technical and skilled trades under national shortage lists.

These thresholds are binding, and offers below them cannot support a Blue Card application.

IT Specialists Without University Degree (New in 2026)

One of the most significant reforms concerns IT specialists. Since late 2023 and fully applied in 2025, the law allows access to the EU Blue Card without a university degree if strict conditions are met.

Eligibility requirements for IT specialists without degree:

• At least three years of relevant professional experience within the past seven years.
• Employment contract with a German company in the IT sector.
• Offered salary meets the shortage occupation threshold (€45.630 gross/year in 2026).
• Proof of skills and experience through references, certificates, or verifiable employment history.

This reform opens the Blue Card to a wider pool of digital professionals, addressing Germany’s acute shortage in software engineering, cybersecurity, and data-related roles.

Application Process

Applying for the EU Blue Card in Germany typically involves two stages:

Before entry (national visa application):

• Apply at the German embassy or consulate in your home country.
• Submit an employment contract, proof of qualifications or IT experience, salary details, and health insurance.
• Processing time: usually 6–20 weeks, depending on embassy workload.

After entry (residence permit):

• Register your address in Germany.
• Attend an appointment at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde).
• Present your original documents and biometric data.
• Receive the EU Blue Card residence permit, typically valid for up to 4 years.

Recognition of Qualifications

For most applicants, a recognized university degree is required. Recognition is verified through the ANABIN database (listing recognized foreign degrees) or a formal recognition procedure with German authorities if the degree is not listed.

Exception: IT specialists without a university degree can qualify if they meet the new professional experience requirements (3 years within the last 7). In such cases, proof of skills must be provided through contracts, references, or certificates.

Advantages of the EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card offers numerous advantages for qualified professionals seeking to live and work in Germany. It provides a fast track to permanent residency, available after 33 months of qualified employment and social security contributions, or even after 21 months with proven German language skills at the B1 level.

Another key benefit is family reunification: spouses may join the holder without pre-entry German language requirements and are free to work in Germany without restrictions.

Holders of the Blue Card also enjoy enhanced mobility within the European Union, as they can move to another EU Member State for employment under streamlined conditions.

Finally, the EU Blue Card offers a high level of residence security, granting stronger protection against job loss compared to most other work permits.

Pitfalls and Common Mistakes

A common reason for the rejection of applications is failing to meet the salary thresholds; even minor shortfalls below the €50,700 or €45,630.00 marks will lead to the disqualification of an application. Another critical point is the incorrect classification of the job, as not every role in IT or engineering automatically qualifies as a shortage occupation.

Applicants must ensure their job title corresponds exactly to the official lists. Furthermore, unverified qualifications often cause problems, with missing recognition documents potentially delaying applications for months.

It is often wrongly assumed that the exception for not requiring a university degree applies to all fields, when in fact, it exclusively benefits IT specialists with proven professional experience.

Hiring non-EU professionals in Germany?

The 2026 EU Blue Card salary thresholds affect work-visa eligibility at a very early stage.
In practice, whether a hire qualifies often depends less on the application itself than on how the role, salary and employment contract are structured from the outset.

My Work Visa Eligibility Assessment provides employers with a clear, legally grounded assessment of whether a planned hire meets German work-visa requirements — before decisions are finalised or offers are issued.