---
title: "EU Blue Card Germany for Indonesians: Rules and Salary"
description: "Germany's EU Blue Card for graduates with a job offer: the 2026 salary threshold, occupations with a lower threshold and how to apply."
lang: en
canonical: "https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/germany/eu-blue-card/"
datePublished: "2026-10-07"
dateModified: "2026-10-07"
sources:
  - "https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Migrathek/BlaueKarteEU/blauekarteeu-node.html"
  - "https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html"
  - "https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__81a.html"
  - "https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/fachkraefte"
  - "https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/visa-und-einreise/nationale-visa-1686952"
  - "https://peraturan.go.id/files/uu18-2017bt.pdf"
  - "https://peraturan.go.id/files/permen-p2mi-no-17-tahun-2025.pdf"
  - "https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/pub/publication/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/content/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/BAnz%20AT%2018.12.2025%20B3.pdf"
---

> Markdown version of https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/germany/eu-blue-card/. Cite that HTML page and its update date.

# Working in Germany with the EU Blue Card: requirements, 2026 salary thresholds and visa

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by [Kaiser Khan](https://kariraman.com/en/authors/kaiser-khan/) (editor), 8 October 2026 Updated and verified 7 October 2026

Open **EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)**

**Open.** Blue Card salary thresholds are set every year; the German Interior Ministry announced the 2026 figures on 2 December 2025.

Status as of 7 October 2026 [Bundesministerium des Innern (Bundesanzeiger)](https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/pub/publication/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/content/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/BAnz%20AT%2018.12.2025%20B3.pdf)

## Summary

- Germany's EU Blue Card is for university-educated skilled workers in a job matching their qualification, paid above an annual threshold.
- Shortage occupations and graduates of at most three years use a lower salary threshold with Federal Employment Agency approval.
- According to BAMF, the Blue Card needs an employment contract or binding job offer of at least six months and is usually issued for four years.
- Employers can request an accelerated skilled-worker procedure from the local foreigners authority on your behalf (AufenthG section 81a).

**Official routes, who runs them, and their legal basis**

| Route | Run by | Official link | Who pays placement costs | Legal basis |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)<br>Blaue Karte EU · EU Blue Card | Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer | [Official source](https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Migrathek/BlaueKarteEU/blauekarteeu-node.html) | There is no placement agency; the applicant pays the visa fee and other requirements unless the employer covers them. Do not pay a placement fee to any middleman. See the cost rules | [Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)](https://peraturan.go.id/files/uu18-2017bt.pdf) 7 October 2026<br>[Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)](https://peraturan.go.id/files/permen-p2mi-no-17-tahun-2025.pdf) 7 October 2026 |

[See this route in the comparison table](https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/compare/#jerman-eu-blue-card)

## What do you need to work in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)?

Placement channels from Indonesia for working in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU): Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer.

- **Placement channels from Indonesia:** Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer An independent migrant worker goes without an agency, only to a legal-entity employer, and must report to the labour office and the Indonesian mission. This is not the same as an individual employer (a household), or an individual who places migrant workers, which is banned.
- **Job types:** A job matching the qualification of a university graduate, Shortage occupations: including doctors, nursing professionals, vets, teachers, scientists and engineers, and ICT professionals (certain ISCO-08 groups)

## What does working in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) cost, and who pays?

The EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) route to Germany uses no placement agency: you pay the visa fee and other requirements unless the employer covers them, and no middleman is owed a placement fee.

1. Law 18/2017 Article 30(1): Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs. [Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)](https://peraturan.go.id/files/uu18-2017bt.pdf) 7 October 2026
2. Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025: the employer bears placement costs. A worker may be charged only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. [Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)](https://peraturan.go.id/files/permen-p2mi-no-17-tahun-2025.pdf) 7 October 2026
3. **Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.**

### Cost rules for this route

- **Visa fee:** According to the German Embassy in Jakarta, the only payment is the visa fee charged by the embassy; forms, checklists and appointment booking cost nothing. [Deutsche Botschaft Jakarta (Auswärtiges Amt)](https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/visa-und-einreise/nationale-visa-1686952) 7 October 2026
- **Degree recognition:** The German Embassy asks for qualifications to be recognised early, before the visa application; check the Recognition in Germany portal. [Kedutaan Besar Republik Federal Jerman Jakarta](https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/fachkraefte) 7 October 2026

## What is the minimum pay for working in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)?

The official pay floor for the EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) route in Germany is EUR 45,934.20 per year, in force from 1 January 2026 (Bundesministerium des Innern (Bundesanzeiger)). This is the legal minimum in Germany, not an offered wage.

**Official floor**

| Area or group | Official floor | Approximate rupiah value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EU Blue Card, lower threshold<br>Applies to: Lower threshold for shortage occupations (certain ISCO-08 groups), graduates of at most three years and experienced ICT professionals, with Federal Employment Agency approval | EUR 45,934.20<br>per year<br>In force from 1 January 2026 | about IDR 919,039,071<br>rate as of 8 October 2026 |
| EU Blue Card, standard threshold<br>Applies to: Minimum gross annual salary for the EU Blue Card in Germany (AufenthG § 18g(1) sentence 1) | EUR 50,700.00<br>per year<br>In force from 1 January 2026 | about IDR 1,014,391,911<br>rate as of 8 October 2026 |

[Bundesministerium des Innern (Bundesanzeiger)](https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/pub/publication/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/content/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/BAnz%20AT%2018.12.2025%20B3.pdf) 7 October 2026

## Which visa do you need to work in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)?

**Visum Blaue Karte EU**: National visa to enter as a future EU Blue Card holder. National visas are usually issued for 90 days, then the residence permit is applied for in Germany. [Official source](https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/visa-und-einreise/nationale-visa-1686952)

## What are the steps to work in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)?

1. Make sure your degree is recognised or comparable to a German degree; the German Embassy asks for recognition before the visa application.
2. Get an employment contract or binding offer of at least six months for a job matching your qualification, paying at least the current threshold.
3. For shortage occupations or recent graduates (at most three years), the lower threshold applies with Federal Employment Agency approval.
4. Apply for the Blue Card visa through the Auslandsportal; employers can also use the accelerated skilled-worker procedure with the local foreigners authority (AufenthG section 81a).
5. After arrival, apply for your residence permit in Germany, and report as an independent migrant worker to the labour office and the Indonesian mission (Law 18/2017 Article 63).

The order and timings are editor estimates, not promises.

## Which schools or training lead to Germany?

The education and training routes linked to working in Germany through EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU): Bachelor's degree (S1) in Indonesia, Scholarships for Indonesians, Language tests for working abroad.

- [**Bachelor's degree (S1) in Indonesia: when jobs require one and how to check a university**](https://kariraman.com/en/education/bachelors-degree/)
- [**Scholarships for Indonesians: LPDP, Chevening, Australia Awards, DAAD, MEXT and GKS**](https://kariraman.com/en/education/scholarships/)
- [**Language tests for working abroad: JFT-Basic, JLPT, EPS-TOPIK, IELTS, OET and telc**](https://kariraman.com/en/education/language-tests-for-work-abroad/)

## Who gets the lower salary threshold?

AufenthG section 18g sets two Blue Card salary thresholds. The standard threshold applies to university-educated skilled workers. The lower threshold, with Federal Employment Agency approval, applies to shortage occupations (including certain managers, scientists and engineers, doctors, nursing professionals, vets, other health professionals, teachers and ICT professionals), to graduates whose degree is at most three years old, and to experienced ICT workers without a degree. The 2026 figures for both thresholds are in the pay table on this page.

## What are the warning signs of offers to Germany through this route?

- A Blue Card job offer pays below the current year's threshold. The card is only issued if the salary meets the threshold announced each year. [Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html) 7 October 2026
- An agent promises a faster German embassy appointment for a fee. The embassy says it does not work with intermediaries and agents have no special access to appointments. [Deutsche Botschaft Jakarta (Auswärtiges Amt)](https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/visa-und-einreise/nationale-visa-1686952) 7 October 2026
- An individual recruiter claims they can send or place you. Law 18/2017 Article 69 bars individuals from placing Indonesian migrant workers. [Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)](https://peraturan.go.id/files/uu18-2017bt.pdf) 7 October 2026

[How to check a P3MI agency in 5 steps](https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/check-a-licensed-agency/) [Learn the signs of trafficking through job offers](https://kariraman.com/en/job-scams/human-trafficking/)

- **Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI)** Overseas recruitment, illegal agents and migrant-worker protection [0800-1000](tel:08001000) [+62-21-29244800](tel:+622129244800) [WhatsApp 0811-8080-141](https://wa.me/628118080141) [kp2mi.go.id](https://kp2mi.go.id/)
- **Peduli WNI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)** Help for Indonesian citizens in trouble or danger abroad [+62-812-9007-0027](tel:+6281290070027) [WhatsApp +62-812-9007-0027](https://wa.me/6281290070027) [peduliwni.kemlu.go.id](https://peduliwni.kemlu.go.id/beranda.html)

**KarirAman is 100% free. We never ask for money. [Our no-fee policy](https://kariraman.com/en/no-fees/)**

Not legal advice. Always check SISKOP2MI before you sign up.

## Frequently asked questions

**How long is a German EU Blue Card valid?**

According to BAMF, the EU Blue Card is usually issued for four years and needs an employment contract or binding job offer of at least six months. People living outside the EU usually need a visa from a German mission first.

**Can IT workers without a degree get an EU Blue Card?**

In some cases. AufenthG section 18g(2) opens the Blue Card to ICT workers (ISCO-08 133 or 25) without a degree who have at least three years of relevant experience in the last seven years, a salary at the lower threshold and Federal Employment Agency approval.

## Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published 7 October 2026 Updated 7 October 2026

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: 8 October 2026.

## Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

1. [The EU Blue Card](https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Migrathek/BlaueKarteEU/blauekarteeu-node.html) Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) · accessed 7 October 2026
2. [§ 18g Aufenthaltsgesetz: Blaue Karte EU](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html) Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · AufenthG § 18g · accessed 7 October 2026
3. [§ 81a Aufenthaltsgesetz: Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__81a.html) Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · AufenthG § 81a · accessed 7 October 2026
4. [Fachkräfteeinwanderung (Imigrasi tenaga kerja terampil), Kedutaan Besar Jerman Jakarta](https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/fachkraefte) Kedutaan Besar Republik Federal Jerman Jakarta · accessed 7 October 2026
5. [Nationale Visa (Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Jakarta)](https://jakarta.diplo.de/id-de/service/visa-und-einreise/nationale-visa-1686952) Deutsche Botschaft Jakarta (Auswärtiges Amt) · accessed 7 October 2026
6. [Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia](https://peraturan.go.id/files/uu18-2017bt.pdf) Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed 7 October 2026
7. [Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 17 Tahun 2025 tentang Biaya Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia](https://peraturan.go.id/files/permen-p2mi-no-17-tahun-2025.pdf) Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 17/2025 · accessed 7 October 2026
8. [Bekanntmachung zu § 18g des Aufenthaltsgesetzes über die Mindestgehälter für die Blaue Karte EU (vom 2. Dezember 2025)](https://www.bundesanzeiger.de/pub/publication/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/content/REViP4bN6jVdpGxPaiQ/BAnz%20AT%2018.12.2025%20B3.pdf) Bundesministerium des Innern (Bundesanzeiger) · BAnz AT 18.12.2025 B3 · accessed 7 October 2026

**How to cite**

KarirAman (2026). Working in Germany with the EU Blue Card: requirements, 2026 salary thresholds and visa. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/germany/eu-blue-card/

[Report a fake job](https://kariraman.com/en/report-form/) [Report a data problem](mailto:redaksi@kariraman.com?subject=Data%20correction%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fkariraman.com%2Fen%2Fwork-abroad%2Fgermany%2Feu-blue-card%2F&body=Page%3A%20Working%20in%20Germany%20with%20the%20EU%20Blue%20Card%3A%20requirements%2C%202026%20salary%20thresholds%20and%20visa%0AUpdated%3A%207%20October%202026%0A%0AWhat%20needs%20correcting%3A%0A%0ACorrect%20official%20source%20%28link%29%3A%0A) [How we handle corrections](https://kariraman.com/en/contact/#koreksi)

## Related guides

- [**Germany**](https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/germany/)
- [**Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)**](https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/germany/opportunity-card/)
- [**Highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant)**](https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/netherlands/highly-skilled-migrant/)
- [**How to check a licensed overseas recruitment agency (P3MI) on SISKOP2MI**](https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/check-a-licensed-agency/)
- [**Job checker: is this job offer a scam?**](https://kariraman.com/en/check-a-job/)

- [Panduan Warga passport guide](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/indonesian-passport-m-paspor/)
- [Panduan Warga guide to visas abroad for Indonesians](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/visas-abroad-for-indonesians/)
- [getting your degree recognised abroad (CourseToJob)](https://coursetojob.com/guides/degree-recognition-abroad/)

CariTalent and PanduanHewan are Kode Nirlaba projects; Panduan Warga and The Cast Index are independent publications with the same founder. CourseToJob is a study-guide site with the same owner, run by Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd.