EU Blue Card Salary Thresholds by Country Explained

What the EU Blue Card salary threshold is

The EU Blue Card is an employment-based residence permit for highly qualified non-EU workers. It is set up by an EU directive (Directive (EU) 2021/1883) and then implemented through each participating member state's national law. It is not a study permit — it is used after graduation, once you hold qualified employment. One of its core conditions is a binding employment contract or job offer whose gross salary meets a minimum threshold defined by the country where you will work.

Because each member state sets and updates its own figure (usually as a multiple of, or reference to, its national average or reference salary), there is no single EU-wide number. The threshold you must meet is the one in force in your destination country for the year you apply. Always confirm the current figure on that country's official immigration source before relying on a job offer.

• Framework: Directive (EU) 2021/1883, applied through national law
• Employment-based residence permit — not a study permit
• Core condition: a qualifying job offer meeting a national gross-salary threshold
• No single EU-wide figure — each member state sets and updates its own

Reduced thresholds for graduates and shortage jobs

The Blue Card framework allows member states to apply a lower salary threshold in certain cases. Two common situations are recent graduates entering the labour market and jobs in shortage or bottleneck occupations (for example specific IT, engineering or healthcare roles), where a reduced line can apply.

The size of the reduction, the list of qualifying occupations, and how long after graduation you can use the lower line all differ by country and change over time. Some countries also require a recognised higher-education qualification or, for certain IT roles, comparable professional experience. Treat any reduced threshold as country-specific and time-limited, and verify it on the official source for your destination — we deliberately do not quote any figure here because it changes.

• Recent-graduate reduced threshold (eligibility window varies by country)
• Shortage / bottleneck-occupation reduced threshold (lists differ per country)
• A recognised higher-education qualification is typically required
• Some countries recognise comparable IT experience in place of a degree

How the threshold differs across countries

Germany publishes its current general and reduced Blue Card salary lines on Make it in Germany and the Federal Foreign Office; the reduced line targets shortage occupations and certain new entrants. France implements the Blue Card ("Carte bleue européenne") with its own salary reference, detailed on the official France-Visas portal and the French public-service information pages.

The Netherlands operates the EU Blue Card alongside its own Highly Skilled Migrant route, each with separate salary criteria set by the IND — including a reduced figure for recent graduates. Italy, Spain and Sweden each implement the Blue Card under national rules with their own reference salaries and conditions. Because every figure is national and updated periodically, look it up on the specific country's official source rather than comparing remembered numbers. None of these national systems is presented here as better or worse than another — they simply differ.

Checking the right figure before you apply

Start from the country where the job is located, not from a general EU number. Identify the official immigration authority for that country, find its current-year Blue Card salary threshold (general and any reduced line), and confirm whether your role and qualification qualify for a reduced figure.

This is general information, not immigration advice, and meeting a salary threshold does not by itself guarantee that a Blue Card will be granted. Salary thresholds and shortage-occupation lists change frequently, so verify the exact current figure and conditions on the official government source for your destination before accepting an offer or applying.

• Find your destination country's official immigration portal
• Locate the current-year general Blue Card salary threshold
• Check whether a reduced graduate or shortage-occupation line applies
• Confirm your qualification is recognised for the Blue Card