Country reference
Germany work permits and salary thresholds
EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)
Germany does not publish a Blue Card salary figure directly — the law fixes it as a share of the pension insurance ceiling, and that ceiling is revised every year. For 2026 it works out at €50,700 gross a year, or €45,934.20 if your occupation is on the shortage list or you graduated within the last three years.
Salary threshold by year
- Standard
- €50,700
- Reduced criterion
- €45,934
What the amount is:Gross per year. The general threshold is 50% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling for the German state pension (€101,400 in 2026); the reduced one is 45.3% of the same ceiling. Both are fixed by §18g of the Residence Act, so they move whenever the ceiling is revised.
Does your offer clear the threshold?
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Conditions
- A university degree, or a qualification recognised as comparable in Germany.
- A concrete job offer or employment contract in Germany.
- Pay at or above the threshold that applies to your case.
- The reduced threshold covers listed shortage occupations and graduates of the last three years.
Sources
- 01Sozialversicherungsrechengrößen 2026BMAS — Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs ·
- 02§ 18g AufenthG — Blaue Karte EUBundesministerium der Justiz — Gesetze im Internet ·
Every figure here comes from an official source and carries the date we checked it. How we work with data.
This page is information, not advice. We are not an employer, a recruitment agency, a visa centre or an immigration adviser, and we are not affiliated with any government body. Rules change — confirm against the official source before you act.