The EU Blue Card is the most common work permit for software engineers moving to Germany from outside the EU. Austria has its own EU Blue Card and a national alternative, the Red-White-Red Card. This guide covers both countries: who qualifies, the 2026 salary thresholds, the steps, the fees and how long it takes.
Rules and thresholds change every year. Always check the official links in this guide before you apply.
EU Blue Card Germany: the 2026 salary thresholds
The minimum salary is linked to the contribution ceiling of the German statutory pension insurance, so it changes every 1 January (§ 18g Residence Act). For 2026 the Federal Employment Agency and the Federal Foreign Office list these gross amounts:
| Blue Card type | Gross salary per year (2026) | Per month | Federal Employment Agency approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | €50,700 | €4,225 | Not needed |
| Shortage occupations, recent graduates, IT specialists without a degree | €45,934.20 | €3,827.85 | Needed |
Good news for software engineers: ICT professionals (ISCO-08 group 25, which includes software developers) and ICT service managers (group 133) are on the shortage list. So a software engineer with a recognised degree qualifies with a salary of at least €45,934.20, with the agency’s approval (§ 18g(1) Residence Act). The lower threshold also applies if you finished your degree no more than three years before you apply.
Who qualifies in Germany
You can get an EU Blue Card in Germany if all of these apply (§ 18g Residence Act):
- You have a degree that is recognised in Germany or comparable to a German degree. Tertiary programmes of at least three years at level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework also count.
- You have a job offer or contract in Germany that matches your qualification and lasts at least six months.
- Your salary meets the threshold in the table above.
IT specialists without a degree
Germany also gives the Blue Card to IT professionals without a degree, if they (§ 18g(2) Residence Act):
- work in ISCO-08 group 133 or 25 (ICT managers or ICT professionals),
- have at least three years of relevant professional experience gained in the last seven years, at a level comparable to a degree, and
- earn at least €45,934.20 a year (2026).
The Federal Employment Agency must approve this route.
Is your degree recognised?
Many foreign degrees are listed in the anabin database of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers. If yours is not listed, or not listed as comparable, you can apply to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) for a Statement of Comparability. The first statement costs €200. Start this early, before you apply for jobs.
Step by step: getting a Blue Card for Germany
Step 1: Get a job offer
Find a job that meets the salary threshold. Browse visa sponsorship jobs and jobs you can apply for from abroad. Our companies that sponsor visas guide explains what employers usually do.
Step 2: Choose the normal or the accelerated procedure
- Normal procedure: you apply for a national visa for employment at the German embassy or consulate in your country.
- Accelerated skilled worker procedure: your employer starts the process at the immigration office in Germany on your behalf (§ 81a Residence Act). It costs €411 (§ 47 Residence Ordinance) and has fixed deadlines (see below). Employers often pay this fee.
Step 3: Apply for the visa
Apply at the German mission responsible for where you live. Most missions accept long-stay visa applications online through the Consular Services Portal. You still need an in-person appointment for fingerprints, the fee and original documents.
Typical documents (check your embassy’s list):
- valid passport
- employment contract or binding job offer
- degree certificate and proof of recognition (anabin printout or ZAB statement)
- CV
- the employer’s “declaration of employment relationship” form, if the Federal Employment Agency must approve
- proof of health insurance from the start of your job
Visa-free entry: nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States can enter Germany without a visa and apply for the Blue Card at the local immigration office within three months. They may only start work once the Blue Card is issued (BAMF).
Step 4: Move and register
After you arrive, register your address (Anmeldung) and book an appointment at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) to convert your visa into the Blue Card card. Our relocation checklist covers the first weeks.
Costs in Germany
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National visa (long stay) | €75 | Federal Foreign Office |
| Issue of the EU Blue Card | €100 | § 45 Residence Ordinance |
| Extension of the EU Blue Card (more than three months) | €93 | § 45 Residence Ordinance |
| Accelerated skilled worker procedure (optional) | €411 | § 47 Residence Ordinance |
| ZAB Statement of Comparability (if needed) | €200 | ZAB |
Add the cost of translations, certified copies and travel to the embassy.
How long it takes in Germany
- Normal procedure: the Federal Foreign Office says long-stay visas “may take several months to process, depending on the purpose of the stay” (Federal Foreign Office). Waiting times for appointments vary a lot by country.
- Federal Employment Agency approval: it counts as given if the agency does not respond within two weeks (§ 36 Employment Ordinance).
- Accelerated procedure: the agency has one week. The embassy offers an appointment within three weeks after it receives the pre-approval, and usually decides within three weeks of a complete application (§ 31a Residence Ordinance).
Life with a German Blue Card
- Validity: usually four years. If your contract is shorter, the card is valid for the length of the contract plus three months (BAMF).
- Changing jobs: you don’t need permission from the immigration office. In the first 12 months of employment, the office can pause a job change for 30 days and refuse it if the new job does not meet the Blue Card conditions (§ 18g(4) Residence Act).
- Family: your spouse gets a residence title without needing German and may work straight away (BAMF).
- Permanent residence: you can get a settlement permit after 27 months with basic German, or after 21 months with German at level B1, if you meet the other conditions (BAMF).
- Moving within the EU: the Blue Card makes it easier to move to another EU country. Every EU country except Denmark and Ireland issues it, with its own salary threshold (BAMF).
Austria: EU Blue Card and Red-White-Red Card
Austria’s rules are different from Germany’s, and so are the thresholds. The official portal is migration.gv.at, run by the Austrian government.
EU Blue Card Austria
You can get an EU Blue Card for Austria if (migration.gv.at):
- you have a degree from a programme of at least three years, or, for ICT professionals and ICT service managers, at least three years of relevant experience at a comparable level gained in the last seven years,
- you have a binding job offer in Austria for at least six months that matches your education,
- you earn at least €55,678 gross a year in 2026, including special payments such as the 13th and 14th salary, and
- the labour market test shows that no equally qualified jobseeker registered with the Public Employment Service (AMS) is available.
There is no points system for the Blue Card. It is issued for 24 months.
Red-White-Red Card
The Red-White-Red Card is Austria’s own points-based permit. Three categories are relevant for tech workers:
| Category | Main conditions (2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Very highly qualified workers | At least 70 points. No job offer needed to apply for a six-month job-seeker visa. | migration.gv.at |
| Skilled workers in shortage occupations | At least 55 points, training in a listed shortage occupation, and at least the minimum pay set by law or collective agreement | migration.gv.at |
| Other key workers | At least 55 points and at least €3,465 gross a month | migration.gv.at |
IT is on the 2026 shortage list. The list includes “TechnikerInnen mit höherer Ausbildung (Ing.) für Datenverarbeitung” (IT technicians with higher technical education) and “DiplomingenieurInnen für Datenverarbeitung” (IT graduate engineers), with job titles such as software engineer, software developer and programmer (migration.gv.at, in German).
Points are given for qualifications, work experience, age and language skills. German is not required, but it earns points. English does too: in the key worker category, for example, English at level B1 gives 10 points and German at level B1 gives 15 (migration.gv.at).
Step by step in Austria
- Check the points table and the salary on the category page for your route at migration.gv.at.
- Get a binding job offer. Browse jobs in Vienna and visa sponsorship jobs.
- Apply. You can apply yourself at the Austrian embassy or consulate in your country, or your employer can apply for you at the residence authority in Austria (migration.gv.at).
- Enter Austria, register and collect your card. Register your address within three days of moving in. See the Austria section of our relocation checklist.
Costs and timelines in Austria
- Application fee for the EU Blue Card or the Red-White-Red Card: €218 (migration.gv.at).
- Job-seeker visa for very highly qualified workers: €195 (migration.gv.at).
- Processing time: the whole process takes about eight weeks, depending on how complete your application is and on the authority’s workload (migration.gv.at FAQ).
Changing jobs in Austria
With a Red-White-Red Card, a new employer means a new application. You may start the new job provisionally 45 days after you submit a complete application. With an EU Blue Card, the waiting period is 30 days. Blue Card holders who have already worked for 12 months or more may start straight away after applying (migration.gv.at FAQ).
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get an EU Blue Card for Germany?
It depends mostly on your embassy. The Federal Foreign Office says long-stay visas may take several months to process, and waiting times for appointments vary a lot by country. With the accelerated skilled worker procedure, the embassy offers an appointment within three weeks of the pre-approval and usually decides within three weeks of a complete application.
Can I get a Blue Card in Germany without a degree?
Yes, if you work in IT. ICT professionals and ICT service managers without a degree can get a German Blue Card with at least three years of relevant experience gained in the last seven years, at a level comparable to a degree, and a salary of at least €45,934.20 a year in 2026. The Federal Employment Agency must approve.
Do I need to speak German to get an EU Blue Card?
No. The German Blue Card conditions are a recognised degree (or the IT experience route), a matching job of at least six months and a salary that meets the threshold. German matters later, because it shortens the path to permanent residence: a settlement permit after 21 months with German at level B1, instead of 27 months with basic German.
What does the accelerated skilled worker procedure cost?
The accelerated skilled worker procedure costs €411, and employers often pay this fee. It is optional. Your employer starts it at the immigration office in Germany on your behalf. In return, the Federal Employment Agency has one week to respond, and the embassy offers an appointment within three weeks after it receives the pre-approval.
Can I change jobs with a German Blue Card?
Yes, and you don’t need permission from the immigration office. In the first 12 months of employment, though, the office can pause a job change for 30 days and refuse it if the new job does not meet the Blue Card conditions. So check that a new offer still meets the salary threshold and the other conditions.
How is Austria’s Red-White-Red Card different from the EU Blue Card?
The Red-White-Red Card is Austria’s own points-based permit, while the Austrian EU Blue Card has no points system. For tech workers, the relevant categories are very highly qualified workers (70 points), skilled workers in shortage occupations (55 points) and other key workers (55 points and at least €3,465 gross a month). IT is on the 2026 shortage list.
Official links
- Germany: Make it in Germany, the federal government’s portal for skilled workers
- Germany: BAMF – The EU Blue Card
- Germany: Federal Foreign Office – Visas for Germany
- Germany: § 18g Residence Act (German)
- Austria: migration.gv.at – EU Blue Card
- Austria: migration.gv.at – Very highly qualified workers
- Austria: migration.gv.at – Frequently asked questions
Next steps
- Find visa sponsorship jobs in Germany and Austria.
- Compare what employers pay in our software engineer salary guide.
- Plan your first month with the relocation checklist.