[Germany] EU Blue Card rules for 2026 tightened: higher salaries, expanded talent pool

In Germany, the long-anticipated update of the EU Blue Card regime has officially taken effect. For employers, the 2026 package is a mixed blessing, VisaHQ reports.

From January 1, 2026, the minimum salary for a standard Blue Card increased by around 5 per cent to €50,700, while the reduced threshold for shortage-occupation roles rose to €45,934.20. 

Germany’s Interior Ministry reportedly anchored the new figures to the pension-insurance ceiling, arguing that a higher bar preserves wage parity with workers and deters sham job offers. 

At the same time, eligibility was expanded. Recent university graduates (with less than 3 years’ experience) and self-taught IT specialists with three years of verifiable practice are now permitted to apply, if they meet the lower salary line.

HR and mobility managers are advised to revisit every open requisition and offer letter. Consulates have been instructed to refuse applications quoting 2025 salary levels, even if contracts were signed last December. 

Companies are hastening to issue addenda or, where budgets are fixed, redirect candidates to Germany’s new Opportunity Card or ICT permits. Failure to adjust will trigger costly re-filings and onboarding delays of six to eight weeks.

In addition, document scrutiny has intensified. Job titles must now align with Germany’s KldB 2020 occupation codes. Fines for discrepancies reportedly top €30,000, and companies can be barred from fast-track processing for a year. 

Multinationals that ordinarily clone global job descriptions will now require German-specific localisation and payroll attestations. According to VisaHQ, shortage-occupation cases must carry labour-market evidence such as posted adverts or regional agency confirmations.

The updated rules will reward the firms that pay competitively and plan early. Blue-Card holders benefit from greater intra-EU mobility (90 days’ work in another member state without extra paperwork) and can secure permanent residence after 21 months with a B1 German visa. Spouses may nowobtain immediate, unrestricted labour-market access, a significant factor in dual-career relocations.

VisaHQ advises that employers audit all pending Blue-Card dossiers, retrain recruiters, and update salary benchmarking tools. Visa appointment backlogs are reportedly expected in Q1, meaning that booking early and using professional filing support will mitigate disruption. For lean-budget projects, hiring on the Opportunity Card first and converting to a Blue Card once salary progression is achieved should be a consideration.

Source: VisaHQ

In Germany, the long-anticipated update of the EU Blue Card regime has officially taken effect. For employers, the 2026 package is a mixed blessing, VisaHQ reports.

From January 1, 2026, the minimum salary for a standard Blue Card increased by around 5 per cent to €50,700, while the reduced threshold for shortage-occupation roles rose to €45,934.20. 

Germany’s Interior Ministry reportedly anchored the new figures to the pension-insurance ceiling, arguing that a higher bar preserves wage parity with workers and deters sham job offers. 

At the same time, eligibility was expanded. Recent university graduates (with less than 3 years’ experience) and self-taught IT specialists with three years of verifiable practice are now permitted to apply, if they meet the lower salary line.

HR and mobility managers are advised to revisit every open requisition and offer letter. Consulates have been instructed to refuse applications quoting 2025 salary levels, even if contracts were signed last December. 

Companies are hastening to issue addenda or, where budgets are fixed, redirect candidates to Germany’s new Opportunity Card or ICT permits. Failure to adjust will trigger costly re-filings and onboarding delays of six to eight weeks.

In addition, document scrutiny has intensified. Job titles must now align with Germany’s KldB 2020 occupation codes. Fines for discrepancies reportedly top €30,000, and companies can be barred from fast-track processing for a year. 

Multinationals that ordinarily clone global job descriptions will now require German-specific localisation and payroll attestations. According to VisaHQ, shortage-occupation cases must carry labour-market evidence such as posted adverts or regional agency confirmations.

The updated rules will reward the firms that pay competitively and plan early. Blue-Card holders benefit from greater intra-EU mobility (90 days’ work in another member state without extra paperwork) and can secure permanent residence after 21 months with a B1 German visa. Spouses may nowobtain immediate, unrestricted labour-market access, a significant factor in dual-career relocations.

VisaHQ advises that employers audit all pending Blue-Card dossiers, retrain recruiters, and update salary benchmarking tools. Visa appointment backlogs are reportedly expected in Q1, meaning that booking early and using professional filing support will mitigate disruption. For lean-budget projects, hiring on the Opportunity Card first and converting to a Blue Card once salary progression is achieved should be a consideration.

Source: VisaHQ