The Federal Ministry of the Interior has published the new minimum-salary figures for Germany’s EU Blue Card and they are higher than many mobility budgets anticipated. From 1 January 2026 applicants in standard occupations must earn at least €50 700 gross per year, while shortage-occupation roles—covering most STEM fields and medical professions—must reach €45 934.20. The thresholds correspond to 50 % and 45.3 % respectively of the national pension-insurance ceiling and represent roughly a five-percent rise on 2025 levels. (visahq.com)
Local Foreigners’ Authorities have already begun rejecting applications that reference 2025 salaries, even when employment contracts were signed last year, because the Residence Act applies the threshold to the intended work-start date. Employers therefore need to issue contract addenda or explore alternative permits if packages fall short. Immigration counsel remind companies that one-off payments such as bonuses and 13th-month salaries must be explicitly quantified in gross terms to count toward the requirement.
VisaHQ’s dedicated Germany team can streamline this scramble: through its portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) employers upload draft contracts for a same-day Blue-Card compliance check, receive salary-benchmarking tips and, if necessary, pivot to alternative permit routes. The platform also books the earliest available consular slots, giving HR teams a single dashboard to monitor every step and avoid costly rejections.
![Germany raises 2026 EU Blue Card salary thresholds, forcing HR budget reviews]()
For global-mobility teams the change is not merely a paperwork issue. A family of four relocating on a Blue Card now faces higher ancillary costs—from social-security contributions to private schooling—raising total assignment budgets. Compensation departments must re-model net-to-gross calculations and adjust balance-sheet allowances before onboarding staff in Q1-Q2. Failure to do so risks last-minute visa refusals, delayed start dates and project overruns.
Some mid-sized engineering and IT firms warn that the higher floor will price out candidates whose global pay bands are set outside Germany. Consultants suggest the forthcoming ‘Chancenkarte’ (Opportunity Card) could absorb part of that demand, but final rules are still pending. In the meantime, proactive salary benchmarking and early contract drafting remain the surest compliance tools.
Visa-facilitation platforms report a spike in enquiries since the figures were released; many employers are asking for pre-checks on offers already in the pipeline. Given that Blue Card processing times in major cities exceed eight weeks, experts advise submitting updated documents immediately rather than waiting for consulate appointments.
Local Foreigners’ Authorities have already begun rejecting applications that reference 2025 salaries, even when employment contracts were signed last year, because the Residence Act applies the threshold to the intended work-start date. Employers therefore need to issue contract addenda or explore alternative permits if packages fall short. Immigration counsel remind companies that one-off payments such as bonuses and 13th-month salaries must be explicitly quantified in gross terms to count toward the requirement.
VisaHQ’s dedicated Germany team can streamline this scramble: through its portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) employers upload draft contracts for a same-day Blue-Card compliance check, receive salary-benchmarking tips and, if necessary, pivot to alternative permit routes. The platform also books the earliest available consular slots, giving HR teams a single dashboard to monitor every step and avoid costly rejections.
For global-mobility teams the change is not merely a paperwork issue. A family of four relocating on a Blue Card now faces higher ancillary costs—from social-security contributions to private schooling—raising total assignment budgets. Compensation departments must re-model net-to-gross calculations and adjust balance-sheet allowances before onboarding staff in Q1-Q2. Failure to do so risks last-minute visa refusals, delayed start dates and project overruns.
Some mid-sized engineering and IT firms warn that the higher floor will price out candidates whose global pay bands are set outside Germany. Consultants suggest the forthcoming ‘Chancenkarte’ (Opportunity Card) could absorb part of that demand, but final rules are still pending. In the meantime, proactive salary benchmarking and early contract drafting remain the surest compliance tools.
Visa-facilitation platforms report a spike in enquiries since the figures were released; many employers are asking for pre-checks on offers already in the pipeline. Given that Blue Card processing times in major cities exceed eight weeks, experts advise submitting updated documents immediately rather than waiting for consulate appointments.
