Germany: increased salary threshold for EU Blue Card 2018 holders.

Starting from January 1, 2018, the annual salary threshold for highly qualified specialists whose occupation is not on the list of professions in demand is 52,000 euros (instead of 50,800 euros in 2017), and accordingly, employees whose occupation is on the list is 40,560 euros (instead of 39.624 euros in 2017).

Thus, in order to receive & renew the EU Blue Card in Germany in 2018, one should focus on the new salary requirements.

It is no secret that an increase in the corresponding salary threshold in Germany (and most other EU countries) occurs annually. The only in EU exception is Italy, where the threshold of 24,800 euros has been preserved since the adoption of the Blue Card law. However, in practice, if we are talking about a job seeker with family (for example, wife and child), then the lower salary threshold of 25,000 euros often becomes a stumbling block for obtaining a residence permit in Italy. “Threshold amount” starts at EUR 35,000 and above.

It should be noted that employers of highly qualified specialists whose professions are not included in the list are not required to obtain the approval of the German Federal Employment Agency for the issue of the Blue Card. Candidates for specialists whose professions are on the list usually require the approval of the agency, unless the foreign employee has a university degree from Germany.

The professions from the list include information and communications specialists, engineers, doctors, and mathematicians. The Blue Card is only available to third-country nationals with a contract to work in Germany and a diploma of graduation from a German university or “equivalent” higher education institution abroad.

Germany rightfully takes the leading place in the number of issued EU Blue Card: 87% of the total number of blue cards issued by EU countries. Currently, the main applicants for the EU Blue Card are "immigrants" from India, China, Russia, Ukraine, the USA, Egypt, Turkey ...