Route guide
EU Blue Card
Compare salary thresholds, processing timelines, and official sources across every EU country that implements the Blue Card directive.
Quick stats
- Countries
- 23
- Eurostat data year
- 2024
Overview
Who this page is for
This hub aggregates EU Blue Card data across all 23 EU member states that implement the directive. Use it to compare minimum salary thresholds, processing timelines, and best-fit profiles before deciding which country to apply in.
All countries
Compare requirements by country
Eurostat-ranked countries shown first, then remaining countries alphabetically.
Germany Degree holders or other eligible tertiary-qualified applicants with a qualifying German offer
- Min salary
- Statutory annual threshold linked to the pension ceiling; verify the current year's published figure before filing.
- Timeline
- Varies by mission and local authority; do not plan around a short fixed window.
Poland Specialists with higher qualifications or equivalent experience and a qualifying Polish contract
- Min salary
- At least 150% of the previous year's average national salary; verify the current PLN amount before signing and filing.
- Timeline
- Use only for stays longer than 3 months; no fixed nationwide processing time is published.
Hungary Highly qualified hires with a qualifying role and Blue Card-level pay
- Min salary
- OIF lists HUF 1,001,048 per month for 2026, or HUF 800,838 for the listed shortage-style health occupations; verify the current year's threshold on the Blue Card page before filing or extension.
- Timeline
- The OIF route page lists 21 days for procedural administration, a merits decision within 70 days for standard cases, and 30 days for applicants already holding an EU Blue Card from another Member State.
France Highly qualified hires with a matching French offer and Blue Card-level pay
- Min salary
- At least EUR 59,373 gross per year under the 21 August 2025 order; verify the live amount before filing.
- Timeline
- If the stay is under 12 months, Service Public says a VLS-TS talent visa is issued and must be validated within 3 months; at 1 year or more, file for the card online within 2 months after entry.
Austria Highly qualified hires with a matching Austrian offer and Blue Card-level pay
- Min salary
- At least the most recently published Austrian average gross annual salary for full-time employees; verify the current official figure right before filing.
- Timeline
- Austria applies an eight-week authority deadline to listed complete first applications, but appointment lead times and document prep can still stretch the real calendar.
Belgium Degree holders or eligible ICT-sector specialists with a higher-paid Belgian offer
- Min salary
- Regional and indexed; verify the live Blue Card threshold for the competent region right before filing.
- Timeline
- Brussels says the procedure takes up to 90 days from the moment the file is declared complete, but applicants outside Brussels should re-check the competent regional page.
Bulgaria Highly qualified hires with a qualifying Bulgarian offer and Blue Card-level pay
- Min salary
- Verify the current Blue Card salary threshold at filing time; the EC immigration portal still publishes 2,609 BGN for 2023, which should not be treated as a current 2026 figure.
- Timeline
- The current MoI route sheet says a complete Blue Card file is examined within 7 days, while the act says the permit should be issued within 60 days from submission.
Croatia Highly qualified hires with a Croatian contract that meets the Blue Card conditions
- Min salary
- Verify the current Croatian Blue Card salary threshold before filing; the official route pages describe the formula but the exact published figure is date-sensitive.
- Timeline
- The permit can be issued for up to two years, or for the shorter contract term plus three months.
Cyprus Highly qualified hires in Cyprus's current Blue Card sectors
- Min salary
- At least EUR 43,632 gross per year.
- Timeline
- The official Blue Card page gives a 90-day examination period for complete applications and 30 days for long-term mobility cases.
Estonia Highly qualified hires with a qualifying Estonian offer and Blue Card-level pay
- Min salary
- At least 1.5 times the annual average gross monthly salary last published by Statistics Estonia, or 1.24 times for listed shortage-category professions.
- Timeline
- National law sets a maximum Blue Card processing time of 60 days.
Finland Highly qualified hires with Blue Card-level pay and a job lasting at least six months
- Min salary
- At least EUR 3,937 gross per month in 2026, reviewed annually, with fringe benefits and daily allowances excluded.
- Timeline
- About 2 weeks in most cases, up to 2 months in a minority of cases; fast track also targets a decision in 2 weeks when filed correctly.
Greece Highly qualified hires with a Greek contract that meets the Blue Card salary rule
- Min salary
- At least the current highly qualified employment threshold, described on the official route page as 1.6 times the Greek average gross annual salary; verify the live threshold before filing.
- Timeline
- The official route page lists up to 90 days for a complete file, with a 30-day decision target for recognized employers on the current Mitos page.
Italy Highly qualified hires whose role and credentials fit Italy's Blue Card rules
- Min salary
- At least the current statutory Blue Card threshold under article 27-quater; verify the live figure on the current official filing guidance before submission.
- Timeline
- Italy's 2024 guidance says the Blue Card decision should normally be taken within 30 days, with a possible extra 30 days in justified complex cases.
Latvia Higher-paid skilled employees whose Latvian offer fits the Blue Card salary logic
- Min salary
- PMLP's 16 March 2026 subsistence page lists EUR 2,723/month for the standard threshold and EUR 2,178/month for shortage occupations, but verify the current published amount before filing.
- Timeline
- PMLP's fee schedule publishes Blue Card review lanes of 10 or 5 working days, but consular appointments and document collection can add time on top.
Lithuania Highly qualified hires who meet Lithuania's qualification and salary rules
- Min salary
- At least 1.5x the latest average gross monthly wage, or 1.2x if the profession is on Lithuania's shortage list for high value-added occupations.
- Timeline
- Usually 2 months under the EU portal, or 1 month for shortage-list or high-salary cases; the Migration Department page also shows a 1-month general procedure entry.
Malta Highly qualified hires whose Maltese offer meets the Blue Card salary formula and qualification test
- Min salary
- At least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary in Malta; verify the current NSO-linked figure on the filing date.
- Timeline
- No single Blue Card processing standard is published on the route page, so treat service time as variable even when the file is complete.
Netherlands Highly educated workers who meet the higher salary rule and want an EU Blue Card route
- Min salary
- EUR 5,942 per month, or EUR 4,754 under the reduced Blue Card criterion for eligible recent graduates, from 1 January to 30 June 2026.
- Timeline
- IND statutory decision period: 90 days.
Portugal Highly qualified hires with a qualifying Portuguese role and Blue Card-level pay
- Min salary
- At least 1.5 times the national average gross annual salary, or 1.2 times it for listed shortage professions; verify the current euro figure right before filing.
- Timeline
- Real timing depends on visa issuance and AIMA scheduling; for holders of a Blue Card from another EU state, the Portuguese filing deadline is 30 days after entry and current official pages disagree on whether the base contract threshold is six months or one year.
Romania Highly qualified hires whose Romanian employer can support the high-skill filing
- Min salary
- Current statutory high-skill threshold applies; verify the current official figure before filing.
- Timeline
- Residence-permit handling follows the usual 30-day IGI rule, with a 15-day extension possible; second-member-state Blue Card cases have a 15-day rule for the stay-extension request.
Slovakia Degree holders or other clearly higher-qualified hires with a Slovak offer that meets Blue Card pay rules
- Min salary
- At least 1.5 times the prior-year average monthly salary in the relevant sector; verify the current Statistical Office figure before filing.
- Timeline
- A complete Blue Card application has a published 30-day decision window, but verify the current vacancy-report lead time before booking around it.
Slovenia Highly qualified hires with a Slovenian offer that meets the Blue Card contract and salary rules
- Min salary
- At least 1.5 times Slovenia's average annual gross salary under the current official formula; verify the live published figure before filing.
- Timeline
- The Blue Card is issued for the contract term plus three months, up to two years, and can later be extended for up to three years.
Sweden Highly qualified roles with a strong salary level and a contract of at least six months
- Min salary
- The threshold is reset annually; the Migration Agency page listed SEK 52,000 per month on 2026-04-23, so verify the live figure before filing.
- Timeline
- Current waiting-time statistics group complete highly qualified first-time cases, including Blue Cards, at about 1 month, but that is not a guarantee for any individual case.
Country guides
Browse country guides
Salary thresholds and processing times are drawn from each country's official sources and are reviewed periodically. Always verify the current figures with the issuing authority before filing. Issuance statistics are from Eurostat. Read the methodology.