EU Blue Card salary thresholds 2026: Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland compared

Each country publishes its own figure, in its own unit. Germany and Ireland set an annual amount; the Netherlands sets a monthly one. The annual and monthly equivalents in brackets are our own arithmetic (12 months), added so you can compare.

Country and permit	Who it applies to	Official 2026 minimum	Equivalent
Germany, EU Blue Card	General rule	50,700 euros a year 1	4,225 euros a month
Germany, EU Blue Card	Shortage occupations, recent graduates, IT specialists without a degree	45,934.20 euros a year 1 2	3,827.85 euros a month
Netherlands, EU Blue Card	General rule	5,942 euros a month 4	71,304 euros a year
Netherlands, EU Blue Card	Graduates within 3 years	4,754 euros a month 4	57,048 euros a year
Netherlands, highly skilled migrant	Aged 30 or over	5,942 euros a month 4	71,304 euros a year
Netherlands, highly skilled migrant	Under 30	4,357 euros a month 4	52,284 euros a year
Netherlands, highly skilled migrant	Reduced criterion (orientation year, graduates within 3 years)	3,122 euros a month 4	37,464 euros a year
Ireland, Critical Skills	Occupation on the Critical Skills list, relevant degree	40,904 euros a year 6	3,408.67 euros a month
Ireland, Critical Skills	Same, qualification obtained in the last 12 months	36,848 euros a year 6	3,070.67 euros a month
Ireland, Critical Skills	Any occupation outside the ineligible list	Over 68,911 euros a year 6	5,742.58 euros a month

Germany's figures are set as percentages of the pension insurance contribution ceiling: 50% for the general rule and 45.3% for the lower one ¹. The Netherlands changes its amounts every year on 1 January ⁴. Ireland raised its thresholds on 1 March 2026 under a roadmap published in December 2025 ⁸. Many sites still quote 2025 figures: check the year on any number you find.

The general threshold of 50,700 euros applies to a skilled worker with an academic degree, and the Blue Card is then issued without approval from the Federal Employment Agency ^{2 1}. The lower threshold of 45,934.20 euros applies in three cases, and the Federal Employment Agency must approve ²:

• your job falls in one of the occupation groups the law lists by ISCO-08 code: 132, 133, 134, 21, 221, 222, 225, 226, 23 or 25 ²; the German embassy in San José summarises these as scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and IT specialists, plus shortage occupations ³
• you obtained your degree no more than three years before applying ²
• you work in ISCO groups 133 or 25 without a degree, with at least three years of comparable professional experience gained in the last seven years ²

Your degree must be comparable to a German one. The embassy checklist asks for anabin database printouts, or a statement of comparability from the ZAB, and for regulated professions such as doctors a licence or a promise of one ³.

The Dutch highly skilled migrant permit and the EU Blue Card share one table ⁴. For highly skilled migrants the figure depends on age: 4,357 euros a month under 30 and 5,942 euros from 30 ⁴. If you got your first permit before 30, the under 30 amount keeps applying after your birthday, unless you change employer after turning 30 ⁴.

The reduced criterion of 3,122 euros applies if you apply during or after an orientation year permit, or within 3 years of graduating, a doctoral defence or the end of a research permit ⁴. The reduced Blue Card amount of 4,754 euros is for graduates of a higher education programme whose sponsor applies within 3 years of graduation ⁴.

You must meet the amount that applies on the date of the application; when you change employer, the amount on the start date of the new contract applies ⁴. For the highly skilled migrant permit only an employer recognised by the IND as a sponsor can apply, and the salary must be in line with the market rate ⁵.

Ireland counts two components toward the Critical Skills threshold: basic salary, which must reach at least the National Minimum Wage, and health insurance payments to an insurer registered with the Health Insurance Authority ⁶. Bonuses are excluded from the annual remuneration you declare ⁶. The job offer must last at least 2 years ⁶.

If your role is not on the Critical Skills Occupations List and pays less than 68,911 euros, the General Employment Permit may fit: its 2026 minimum is generally 36,605 euros a year, with a Labour Market Needs Test in most cases ⁷.

1. Use the gross figure in your contract. Germany and the Netherlands set gross amounts, before tax ^{1 5}; Ireland sets annual remuneration as defined in the section above ⁶.
2. Convert to the country's unit. For the Netherlands, divide an annual offer by 12 and compare with the monthly amount; for Germany and Ireland, compare the annual amount ^{4 1 6}.
3. Remove what does not count. In Ireland, leave out bonuses and keep only basic salary and qualifying health insurance payments ⁶. In the Netherlands, leave out holiday allowance, payments in kind and irregular pay such as overtime ⁴.
4. Find your category. In Germany, check your occupation code and the date of your degree ²; in the Netherlands, your age and graduation date ⁴; in Ireland, whether your job is on the Critical Skills list ⁶.
5. Check the year. Use the figure in force on your application date ^{4 1}.

Example with synthetic numbers: an offer of 4,500 euros gross a month is 54,000 euros a year. That clears Germany's 50,700 euros, Ireland's 40,904 euros for a listed occupation, and the Dutch under 30 amount of 4,357 euros, and falls short of the Dutch 5,942 euros that applies from 30 ^{1 6 4}.