Alongside a broader economic package that raised the statutory minimum wage to CZK 22,400 per month, Czechia has today updated salary floors for its two flagship high-skill immigration routes. EU Blue Card applicants must now earn at least 1.5 times the forecast average wage—CZK 77,245 gross per month—while assignees under the Intra-Corporate Transfer (ICT) High-Skilled Programme must reach the same benchmark. The change applies to applications lodged on or after 1 January 2026; pending files will be assessed against the previous 2025 threshold.
The Ministry of Labour says the uplift keeps Czechia competitive with neighbouring Germany and Austria, where Blue Card levels were indexed last year. Employers, however, warn of budget pressure. “For a mid-level software engineer the jump is about CZK 8,000 a month—almost EUR 3,900 a year,” notes Petra Nováková, mobility lead at a U.S. tech firm with 120 expats in Prague. Companies unable to meet the new bar must revert to the standard Employee Card, which still requires a labour-market test unless the role falls on the government’s exemption list.
For organisations that need practical, file-by-file guidance, VisaHQ’s Czech Republic team (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) can streamline the entire process—from verifying that salary offers clear the new floor to compiling Blue Card or ICT application packs and securing appointments at Czech missions. The platform’s tracking tools give HR managers real-time visibility, helping them stay compliant and avoid costly delays.
![Higher Minimum Wage Pushes Up Blue Card and ICT Salary Thresholds From Today]()
Global mobility teams are scrambling to reconcile offer letters issued in Q4 2025. Fragomen recommends issuing contract addenda or, where possible, delaying start dates until adjusted budgets are approved. Because Blue Cards carry EU-wide portability advantages, downgrading to an Employee Card can affect onward transfer plans within Schengen.
Authorities insist processing will remain fast: once the applicant meets the salary level and submits a signed contract, Blue Card approvals should issue within 30 days under the MoI’s new digital workflow (see story above). The Ministry will publish the final average-wage figure in March; if it differs by more than 5 %, thresholds will be re-calculated mid-year, creating a potential second adjustment in 2026.
Practical tip: check that posted salary equals or exceeds CZK 77,245 *after* currency conversions if pay is denominated in euros or dollars, and update internal relocation cost projections accordingly.
The Ministry of Labour says the uplift keeps Czechia competitive with neighbouring Germany and Austria, where Blue Card levels were indexed last year. Employers, however, warn of budget pressure. “For a mid-level software engineer the jump is about CZK 8,000 a month—almost EUR 3,900 a year,” notes Petra Nováková, mobility lead at a U.S. tech firm with 120 expats in Prague. Companies unable to meet the new bar must revert to the standard Employee Card, which still requires a labour-market test unless the role falls on the government’s exemption list.
For organisations that need practical, file-by-file guidance, VisaHQ’s Czech Republic team (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) can streamline the entire process—from verifying that salary offers clear the new floor to compiling Blue Card or ICT application packs and securing appointments at Czech missions. The platform’s tracking tools give HR managers real-time visibility, helping them stay compliant and avoid costly delays.
Global mobility teams are scrambling to reconcile offer letters issued in Q4 2025. Fragomen recommends issuing contract addenda or, where possible, delaying start dates until adjusted budgets are approved. Because Blue Cards carry EU-wide portability advantages, downgrading to an Employee Card can affect onward transfer plans within Schengen.
Authorities insist processing will remain fast: once the applicant meets the salary level and submits a signed contract, Blue Card approvals should issue within 30 days under the MoI’s new digital workflow (see story above). The Ministry will publish the final average-wage figure in March; if it differs by more than 5 %, thresholds will be re-calculated mid-year, creating a potential second adjustment in 2026.
Practical tip: check that posted salary equals or exceeds CZK 77,245 *after* currency conversions if pay is denominated in euros or dollars, and update internal relocation cost projections accordingly.
