Blue Card Entitlement Check 2026
Your Blue Card check for 2026—do you meet the requirements?
Do I meet the requirements for the EU Blue Card?
The EU Blue Card has been around since 2012 – a residence permit primarily aimed at well-paid university graduates and IT specialists. In recent years, however, the Blue Card has undergone many changes, including the Skilled Labor Immigration Act of 2020 and its extension in 2023. In addition, the salary limits for the Blue Card change every year. In view of these frequent changes, we have developed this EU Blue Card Check. The test guides you step by step through the currently applicable legal requirements with easy-to-understand questions. After the test, you will also find all the questions explained in detail.
Blue Card EU Check
Basics of the check
Our EU Blue Card check is based on the provisions of the Residence Act, in particular Section 18g AufenthG specifically relating to the EU Blue Card. However, we expressly point out that an online test can never replace a legally sound assessment by lawyers. You should therefore only regard the result of this test as an initial indication and, in case of doubt, always seek legal advice. The team at RT & Partner can offer you this advice. Our lawyers will assist you with your application if you wish and ensure that you quickly obtain your rights.
Overview
Table of contents
Highest qualification
The check begins with a question about your highest qualification. This is important because the EU Blue Card is primarily aimed at foreigners with a university degree . It does not matter whether this is a bachelor's or master's degree. The field of study is also irrelevant in the broadest sense. However, it is important that your university degree is also recognized in Germany. That is why we then ask whether you obtained your university degree in Germany. If this is the case, the degree is automatically recognized. If, on the other hand, you obtained your degree abroad, it must be comparable to a German degree. To qualify, it must be rated as "equivalent" or "equivalent" on the anabin platform and the awarding university must be rated as "H+". Alternatively, you can also have your certificate evaluated by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
However, in one important exception, you can obtain the EU Blue Card even without a university degree: for foreigners working in the IT sector who have gained at least three years of professional experience within the last seven years, the Blue Card is also an option without a university degree in accordance with Section 18g (2) of the Residence Act. That is why we also ask about this possibility. In addition, however, it is important that you can demonstrate theoretical knowledge of IT that is comparable to that of university graduates. Further information on this special regulation can be found on our page on the various residence permits specifically for IT specialists.
Employment contract or binding contract offer
Next, we ask whether you already have an employment contract or a binding offer for such a contract from a German employer. This information is important because one of the requirements for the EU Blue Card pursuant to Section 18 (2) No. 1 of the Residence Act is that you have a concrete job offer . The Blue Card is only intended for stays for the purpose of gainful employment. If you would like to look for a job first, you must apply for a visa for the purpose of seeking employment instead.
In addition, you must also be able to prove that you have a license to practice your profession , if this is required for your profession. This is necessary in regulated professions such as those in the healthcare or legal sectors.
gross annual salary
The question of your salary is important because the EU Blue Card is linked to certain salary thresholds. As a general rule, the general salary threshold of 50% of the contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance applies, i.e., at least €50,700 per year in 2026. In certain cases, however, the requirements for the EU Blue Card are lowered. For example, a lower salary threshold of only €45,934.20 per year applies to young professionals who have obtained their university degree within the last three years and to employees in so-called shortage occupations. Shortage occupations are occupations in which there is a particularly large shortage of skilled workers in Germany. These include occupations in IT, natural sciences, and mathematics. A detailed list of all shortage occupations can be found on our main page on the EU Blue Card.
The salary thresholds refer to the annual salary before deduction of taxes and contributions. Additional payments that are firmly agreed in the employment contract and are not dependent on certain conditions being met, but are paid regardless of performance (e.g., Christmas bonus), can usually be included.
Current residence permit
The next question concerns whether you already have a residence permit in Germany—and if so, which one. This determines where you must submit your application for an EU Blue Card. If you live in a non-EU country and do not currently have a residence permit, you must first apply for a visa at the German diplomatic mission responsible for your country. You can then travel to Germany and apply for a Blue Card at the relevant immigration office. If you already live in Germany with a residence permit, or if you come from one of the eight countries that do not require a visa to enter Germany (USA, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Israel, New Zealand), you can apply for your EU Blue Card directly at the relevant immigration office.
In addition, if you already have a residence permit for skilled workers in accordance with Section 18a or Section 18b of the Residence Act, your university degree is considered to be already recognized, your livelihood is considered to be secure, and it is assumed that you already have the necessary professional license. To find out which residence permit you currently hold, simply look at the front of your residence permit card under the heading "Comments."
Already submitted your application?
Whether you have already applied for an EU Blue Card has no effect on your eligibility. However, we ask this question so that we can assess how far your application has progressed. This allows us to better estimate how much work still needs to be done and how we can best help you if you decide to hire our lawyers.
How our lawyers can help you
Have you completed our EU Blue Card check and found that you appear to meet the requirements and that your application has a good chance of success? If you hire us, we will take care of the application process for you and handle all communication with the embassy or immigration office. If you need to move quickly because your new job is starting soon, we can also initiate the fast-track procedure for skilled workers on your behalf if you wish. Whatever your individual case may be, you are in good hands with RT & Partner.
Our attorneys are also available to assist companies that wish to hire highly qualified foreign professionals in a legally compliant manner. With our expertise and experience in immigration law, we do everything we can to ensure that you can plan ahead with certainty as quickly as possible.