EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card (“BlueCard”) is a residence permit for foreign skilled workers with a university degree or comparable qualification.
Prerequisites
To obtain an EU Blue Card, you must meet two requirements:
1st qualification
- a German, recognized or comparable foreign university degree, or
- IT specialist with at least 3 years of professional experience, or
- a recognized tertiary educational qualification (e.g. master craftsman, technician, business administrator)
2. concrete job offer
You need a job offer corresponding to your degree with a minimum salary of:
- EUR 50,700 gross per year (2026) – or
- EUR 45,934 gross per year (2026) – for jobs in natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, medicine or IT, as well as for university graduates who obtained their degree less than three years ago if the Federal Employment Agency confirms that the salary offered is appropriate.
Application
Applications can be submitted to a German diplomatic mission abroad or – if you are legally resident in Germany (e.g. with a Schengen visa) – directly to the immigration authority if you only received the job offer after entering the country.
You can find out whether a foreign university degree is recognized as equivalent in the ANABIN database. If your degree is not listed there, you should apply for an individual certificate assessment.
Even if you do not reach the income threshold for an EU Blue Card, you may be eligible for a residence permit as a skilled worker.
Period of validity and change of job
The EU Blue Card is issued for 4 years, but for a maximum of the duration of the employment contract plus 3 months.
No approval from the immigration authority is required for a change of job – the change only needs to be notified. The authority can suspend the new job for the first 12 months if the requirements are no longer met by the new employer.
Path to a settlement permit
As an EU Blue Card holder, you can obtain a settlement permit after just 27 months – and even after 21 months if you have level B1 language skills. The minimum requirement is level A1 language skills.
Family members
Spouses and underage children receive a residence permit for family reasons with a work permit – without proof of language skills. Spouses can obtain a settlement permit after just 3 years if they themselves are employed for at least 20 hours per week.
Frequently asked questions
My qualification is not in the ANABIN database – what now?
You can apply for an individual certificate assessment from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). This assessment can be used as proof of equivalence to the immigration authority.
Can I apply for a Blue Card before I have a job?
No. A concrete job offer is a mandatory requirement. However, if you do not yet have a job, you can apply for a visa to look for a job.
What happens if my employer becomes insolvent?
The Blue Card does not expire automatically. You have time to find a new employer. How much time you have depends on the remaining term of your residence permit and whether the authorities find out about your dismissal and want to shorten your permit. In this case, the job search opportunity card is an option – act early in any case.
Can I change to other EU countries with the German Blue Card?
After 18 months of legal residence in Germany with a Blue Card, you can, under certain conditions, move to another EU member state and apply for a Blue Card there too. The exact conditions vary depending on the destination country.
Do I have to speak German?
No knowledge of German is required to obtain a Blue Card. Language skills are only required for the subsequent settlement permit.
Can I obtain a Blue Card as an IT specialist without a university degree?
Yes – if you have at least 3 years of relevant work experience as an IT specialist and meet the minimum salary requirements, a university degree is not required.
Our advice
We will check whether you can obtain a Blue Card and help you with the application process.
