EU Blue Card 2027: the salary limit goes up to about €53,100
Many people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal work in Germany on an EU Blue Card. Every autumn the same question comes up in WhatsApp groups: "My salary is just above the limit. What happens next year?" This year the jump is bigger than usual. So here is what changed this week, what it means for you, and what you can do now.
Why the Blue Card limit changes every year
The Blue Card salary limit is not a fixed number. It is a percentage of the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze of the pension insurance (the contribution ceiling). The normal limit is 50 % of that ceiling. The lower limit is 45.3 %.
The ceiling follows wages in Germany. Wages grew by 4.38 % in 2025, so the ceiling for 2027 goes up from €101,400 to €106,200 per year. The Federal Ministry of Labour (BMAS) announced this after the cabinet meeting on 7 October 2026.
| 2026 (in force) | 2027 (expected) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pension contribution ceiling | €101,400 | €106,200 |
| Normal Blue Card (50 %) | €50,700 / year €4,225 / month | €53,100 / year €4,425 / month |
| Lower limit (45.3 %) | €45,934.20 / year €3,827.85 / month | €48,108.60 / year €4,009.05 / month |
Monthly values = yearly value ÷ 12. The 2027 values are our own calculation from the official ceiling. They are not final until the government publishes them.
Who can use the lower limit?
The lower limit (€45,934.20 now, about €48,108.60 next year) is for three groups:
- Shortage jobs (Engpassberufe): for example IT and ICT managers, engineers and other STEM graduates, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses with a degree, and teachers.
- New graduates: your last degree is less than three years old.
- IT specialists without a degree: at least three years of IT work in the last seven years, at a level comparable to a degree.
For the lower limit, the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) must agree to the job. It also checks that your pay and conditions are like those of German colleagues.
I already have a Blue Card. Do I lose it?
No. A higher limit does not cancel a card that is already valid. Your card stays valid until the date printed on it.
The new limit matters at three moments:
- Renewal (Verlängerung): immigration lawyers say your salary must meet the limit that is in force when the office decides. If you renew in 2027, plan with the 2027 number.
- Job change in the first 12 months: you must tell the Ausländerbehörde. They check the new job against the current limit.
- New applications: what counts is the date of the decision, not the date you applied. An application sent in December 2026 but decided in January 2027 may need the 2027 salary.
What counts as "salary" for the Blue Card?
- The gross yearly salary written in your contract counts.
- Bonuses count only when the contract gives a fixed amount. A bonus that depends on sales or company results usually does not count.
- Part-time is not scaled up. If you work part-time, the real yearly gross must reach the limit.
- Write the yearly gross in euros in the contract. That makes the check easy for the office.
What you can do now
- Check your number. Look at your contract, not your payslip. Is the yearly gross above €53,100 (or €48,108.60 for the lower group)?
- Check your renewal date. If your card ends in 2027, the new limit will probably apply to you.
- If you are close to the limit, talk to your employer early. Many raises happen in January or April. Ask now, before the budget is fixed. Show them the official numbers, not a rumour from a group.
- Signing a new job for 2027? Make sure the offer already meets the 2027 number.
- Think about the settlement permit. With a Blue Card you can get the permanent Niederlassungserlaubnis after 27 months with German A1, or after 21 months with B1. Once you have it, the yearly salary limit no longer matters for your stay. Learning German faster can save you a lot of stress. See our page on German courses.
Two more 2027 numbers that matter to you
The same decision also raises the limits for health insurance:
- The health insurance contribution ceiling goes up to €76,500 per year (€6,375 per month). If you earn above the old ceiling, your health insurance contribution will rise.
- The income limit for private health insurance goes up to €84,150 per year. Below this, you stay in public insurance. Before you switch to private insurance, read our Krankenkasse guide. Going back is very hard.
Where to check the official numbers
- BMAS press release, 7 October 2026 (German)
- Make it in Germany: EU Blue Card (official portal, English)
- Your local Ausländerbehörde. Find the right office at servicesuche.bund.de.
We will update this page when the final 2027 numbers are published.
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This page is general information, not legal advice. Numbers for 2027 are expected values from the cabinet decision of 7 October 2026; the Bundesrat must still agree. For your own case, ask your Ausländerbehörde or a free advice centre such as Faire Integration. Last checked: 12 October 2026.