The EU Blue Card: minimum salary in every country
The EU Blue Card is a work and residence permit for highly qualified people from outside the European Union. 25 EU countries issue it; Denmark and Ireland don’t take part. Each country sets its own minimum salary, and many have a lower one for IT specialists or recent graduates.
What you usually need
- A job offer or contract in that country, usually for at least 6 months, paying at least its minimum salary.
- A university degree that fits the job. Several countries accept professional experience instead, especially for IT jobs (see each country).
- The details differ by country, so check the country’s own rules below before you apply.
Minimum salary by country
| Country | Minimum salary (gross) | Lower minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | €55,678 per year | — |
| Croatia | €3,024 per month | €2,419 per month, for people who graduated in the last 3 years |
| Cyprus | €43,632 per year | — |
| Czechia | CZK 885,870 per year | — |
| Estonia | €3,138 per month | €2,594 per month, for managers, ICT and other listed professional jobs |
| Finland | €3,937 per month | — |
| France | €59,373 per year | — |
| Germany | €50,700 per year | €45,934 per year, for IT specialists, other shortage occupations, and graduates within 3 years of their degree |
| Hungary | HUF 1,001,048 per month | HUF 800,838 per month, for listed healthcare jobs |
| Latvia | €2,723 per month | €2,178 per month, for jobs on the government’s shortage list |
| Lithuania | €3,617 per month | €2,894 per month, for jobs on the high value-added professions list |
| Luxembourg | €65,652 per year | — |
| Netherlands | €5,942 per month | €4,754 per month, for graduates who apply within 3 years of graduating |
| Poland | PLN 13,355 per month | — |
| Slovenia | €30,432 per year | — |
| Spain | €41,356 per year | €33,085 per year, for hard-to-fill professional jobs, and people who graduated in the last 3 years |
| Sweden | SEK 53,625 per month | — |
Amounts are in each country’s own currency, as published. Last checked 9 October 2026. Each country’s guide links to its official source.
Countries where the current amount isn’t confirmed
These countries set the minimum by a rule. We show the rule because we couldn’t confirm today’s amount from an official source.
- Belgium
Set by region. Brussels: €4,748 a month base pay (2026). Wallonia: €68,815 a year (€55,052 with under 3 years’ experience). Flanders: €63,586 in 2025; the 2026 figure isn’t confirmed.
- Greece
1.6 × Greece’s average gross yearly salary. No official euro amount found, and Greece is revising the procedure.
- Italy
At least Italy’s average gross yearly pay (ISTAT) and the collective-agreement rate. The ministry’s last published figure was about €36,300 (March 2024); a current figure isn’t confirmed.
- Malta
1.5 × Malta’s average gross yearly salary. Identità doesn’t publish the euro amount.
- Portugal
1.5 × Portugal’s average gross yearly salary (1.2 × for listed shortage jobs). We couldn’t confirm the current euro amount from an official source yet.
- Romania
At least Romania’s average gross monthly earnings. The current amount isn’t confirmed from an official source.
- Slovakia
1.2 × last year’s average monthly wage in Slovakia (1.0 × for recent graduates). The current euro amount isn’t confirmed from an official source.
Find a job that qualifies
Every job on Tech Abroad shows whether its salary meets the Blue Card minimum for that country. Browse tech jobs with visa sponsorship.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: confirm on the official page and talk to an immigration lawyer before you decide.