Increasing minimum salaries: Blue Card requirements are becoming higher in many places
- Gisma University of Applied Sciences is investigating the minimum salaries required for a Blue Card in EU countries.
- In 19 countries, the minimum income has been increased compared to 2023.
- The largest increase was in Greece, while Luxembourg saw the largest decrease in the minimum income.
Potsdam, October 31, 2024 – No EU country has reduced the minimum income for the Blue Card residence permit as much as Luxembourg: Instead of 84,780 euros, which skilled workers had to earn at least a year to qualify, the sum is now 58,968, almost 25,000 euros less than in the previous year. This is one of the results of the Gisma University of Applied Sciences (www.gisma.com). To obtain the Blue Card, prospective applicants must fulfill various conditions, including, for example, proof of a certain minimum income in the future employment contract in the respective destination country. The minimum income is set individually by the governments.
In Europe, Germany ranks 13th out of 25
Germany is right in the middle of the pack when it comes to the required minimum income: workers from abroad must earn 45,300 euros gross per year in their new job in Germany to be eligible for an EU Blue Card in Germany. Sweden, on the other hand, is way out in front with a gross annual income of 76,818 euros. The second-highest annual income is required in Belgium, or more precisely in the Brussels region: Here, skilled workers must earn at least €65,053 gross per year to qualify for the Blue Card. Meanwhile, third place goes to Finland, where a minimum of €63,981 gross per year is required. Fourth and fifth place are occupied by the Netherlands, with €63,972 gross per year, and the Belgian region of Wallonia, with €60,998 gross per year. In Belgium, different conditions apply due to the federal structure and widely varying living conditions in the regions.
Portugal sets the lowest income requirement
On the other hand, there are EU countries that require a comparatively low minimum income. Portugal stands out here: interested parties have to earn 15,960 euros gross per year, which is lower than in any other Blue Card country. Bulgaria comes in second with 21,132 euros gross per year. Hungary completes the podium in third place: skilled workers from non-EU countries who wish to apply for a Blue Card must earn at least 23,213 euros gross per year for their application to be accepted.
Croatia and Italy occupy fourth and fifth place. In Croatia, the minimum gross annual salary is 23,670 euros, and in Italy 27,000 euros.
The requirements have changed the most here
Luxembourg, Portugal and Germany have reduced the financial requirements for Blue Card applicants the most. In Luxembourg, the required annual income was reduced by 30.45 percent, which corresponds to 25,812 euros. Second place in this ranking goes to Portugal: the country that requires the lowest minimum income in 2024 has also made one of the biggest changes in requirements compared to the previous year: the required sum was reduced by 24.11 percent, which corresponds to 5,070 euros. Germany ranks third here: applicants for the Blue Card must now earn 22.43 percent less gross than in the previous year – the amount fell from 58,400 euros to 45,300 euros.
The requirements for this have become stricter in Latvia, Romania and Poland. In Latvia, the minimum income was increased by 77.08 percent, from 18,216 euros to 32,256 euros. Meanwhile, Romania increased the amount by 52.25 percent and Poland by 46.07 percent.
Prof. Sara Ravan Ramzani, Professor of Research and Quantitative Methods and an expert in HR and business management at Gisma University of Applied Sciences, comments on the research: “Reducing the minimum income threshold for Blue Card applicants is a strategic step in addressing the skills shortage in Germany and the broader demographic challenges facing the country. However, the minimum income requirement is only one aspect of a multifaceted problem. To attract and retain foreign talent, Germany must holistically enhance its attractiveness as a destination for skilled workers. Currently, bureaucratic hurdles such as long lines at immigration offices – sometimes overnight, as in Stuttgart – and high income tax rates erode Germany’s competitiveness. These are significant barriers that cannot be overcome by merely reducing the minimum income threshold.
By contrast, countries such as France and Luxembourg have successfully streamlined their immigration processes. France has introduced extensive digitization to expedite the processing of Blue Card applications, resulting in efficient processing times. Luxembourg has similarly optimized its system through digitization, complemented by high salaries and attractive tax benefits. In addition, Luxembourg and the Netherlands offer a multicultural, foreigner-friendly work environment in which English is widely used as a business language, creating inclusive workplaces that attract international professionals. These examples underscore the need for Germany to adopt similar strategies that focus on both systemic efficiency and cultural inclusivity to strengthen its position as a global center for skilled talent.”
About the study
The study used an online search to determine which provisions apply to the required minimum income for the Blue Card. The European Commission's Immigration Information Portal served as the source. The comparative values were researched last year. The Blue Card minimum income is calculated as one and a half times the gross average income of the respective country.