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Both Sweden and Germany issue the EU Blue Card, but the numbers differ a lot. In 2026 Sweden asks for SEK 53,625 a month, while Germany asks for €50,700 a year, or €45,934.20 for shortage occupations and recent graduates. Germany also turns a Blue Card into permanent residence much faster: after 21 months with B1 German, compared with four years in Sweden.
Side by side
| Sweden | Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary threshold | SEK 53,625/month (1.25 × the average salary) | €50,700/year (€4,225/month) |
| Lower threshold | None | €45,934.20/year (€3,827.85/month) for shortage occupations and people with a degree from the last 3 years. Needs Federal Employment Agency approval |
| Qualification | Higher education of at least 180 credits, or 5 years of relevant professional experience | A qualifying degree. IT specialists: at least 3 years of comparable experience in the last 7 years instead (lower threshold, with approval) |
| Minimum contract | 6 months | 6 months |
| Card length | At least 9 months, up to 4 years | 4 years, or the contract length plus 6 months if shorter |
| Changing job | Notify Migrationsverket. The new job must also meet the Blue Card requirements | No permission needed. In the first 12 months the immigration office can suspend the change for 30 days and refuse it in that time |
| Family | Spouse and children can join, adults can work | Spouse and children can join, no German needed for the spouse |
| Permanent residence | Can be granted after 4 years with permits (a Blue Card counts) in the last 7 | After 27 months (A1 German) or 21 months (B1 German) |
| Citizenship | 8 years (from 6 June 2026) | 5 years |
| Fee | SEK 2,000 | €75 national visa, €100 residence card |
The salary thresholds
Sweden's threshold is 1.25 times the average Swedish gross salary. It has been SEK 53,625 a month from 15 July 2026, about SEK 643,500 a year. Our Swedish Blue Card guide explains how it is calculated.
Germany's thresholds are a share of the pension contribution ceiling (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze), which is €101,400 a year in 2026. The standard level is 50% (€50,700), the lower one 45.3% (€45,934.20). Both move when the ceiling is reset each 1 January, so check a contract close to the line again in January.
Germany's lower threshold applies to shortage occupations (the Federal Employment Agency's examples include academic STEM specialists, ICT service managers, doctors, academic nursing staff and teachers) and to anyone whose degree is no more than three years old. It needs approval from the Federal Employment Agency, which checks that pay and conditions match local staff. Sweden has no lower Blue Card level. Lower-paid roles there use the ordinary work permit instead: see Blue Card vs work permit in Sweden.
Contract length and validity
Both countries ask for a job contract of at least six months. Sweden grants the card for at least nine months and up to four years. German law grants it for four years, or for the contract length plus six months if the contract is shorter.
Changing jobs
A German Blue Card holder does not need the immigration office's (Ausländerbehörde) permission to change jobs. In the first 12 months the office can suspend the change for 30 days and refuse it in that time if the new job does not meet the conditions.
In Sweden a Blue Card holder must report a job change to Migrationsverket, and the new job must also meet the Blue Card requirements. Employers on both sides should check the new contract against the threshold before the start date. For Sweden, see changing jobs on a Swedish permit.
Family
In both countries the spouse and children can come. In Sweden adult family members of a Blue Card holder can work. Germany waives the German language requirement for spouses of Blue Card holders. For Sweden's family rules and maintenance, read family permits in Sweden.
Permanent residence and citizenship
Germany is far quicker. A Blue Card holder can apply for a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 27 months with basic German (A1), or after 21 months with B1. In Sweden permanent residence can be granted after four years with permits (a Blue Card counts) in the last seven, described in permanent residence for work permit holders.
For citizenship, Germany asks for five years of residence (the three-year fast track was repealed by a law published on 29 October 2025). Sweden raised its main requirement from five to eight years from 6 June 2026.
Which one fits?
- Mid-level salary in a shortage field: Germany's lower threshold makes the Blue Card reachable where Sweden's would not be.
- Senior salary, long stay: Sweden's expert tax (25% of pay tax-free for seven years above SEK 88,800 a month) can make the net pay more attractive.
- Fast permanent status: Germany, especially for people willing to learn German to B1.
Comparing more countries? See Sweden vs Germany vs the Netherlands and German Blue Card compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EU Blue Card salary threshold in Germany in 2026?
€50,700 gross a year (€4,225 a month). For shortage occupations and people with a degree from the last three years, it is €45,934.20 a year, with Federal Employment Agency approval.
What is the EU Blue Card salary threshold in Sweden in 2026?
SEK 53,625 gross a month, which is 1.25 times the average Swedish salary. Sweden has no lower threshold for shortage occupations, so those roles use the ordinary work permit.
Can a Blue Card holder change jobs in Germany?
Yes, without the immigration office's permission. In the first 12 months the office can suspend the change for 30 days and refuse it in that time if the conditions are not met.
Which Blue Card leads to permanent residence faster?
Germany's. With B1 German a settlement permit is possible after 21 months, or 27 months with A1. In Sweden permanent residence can be granted after four years with permits in the last seven.
How Settio helps employers and agencies
Settio helps employers and immigration agencies run every work permit and relocation case in one place, from the first step to the renewal:
- Before the move: a plan for every hire, with each step, owner and deadline counted back from the start date, and documents that check themselves as they come in.
- After arrival: the employee portal shows the new hire their next steps on their phone, in their language, with no account or password.
- For the renewal: permit and salary monitoring tracks every expiry date and flags the extension in good time.
Your first hire is free, and agencies can try a real case for free. See plans and start.
Sources
16 official sources
- Migrationsverket: Apply for an EU Blue Card
- Migrationsverket: Employing highly skilled personnel with an EU Blue Card
- Migrationsverket: Work permit for employees
- Migrationsverket: If you change employer or profession or stop working
- Riksdagen: Aliens Act (utlänningslagen 2005:716), 5 kap. 5 §
- Forskarskattenämnden: Remuneration rate for tax relief
- Forskarskattenämnden: About tax relief
- Regeringen: New requirements for Swedish citizenship come into force
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Blaue Karte EU (newsletter 03/2026)
- Auswärtiges Amt (German Embassy Warsaw): Blaue Karte EU
- Auswärtiges Amt (German Embassy Belgrade): Mindestgehalt Arbeitsmigration 2026
- Gesetze im Internet: § 18g AufenthG (Blaue Karte EU, job changes)
- Gesetze im Internet: § 18 AufenthG (permit length)
- Gesetze im Internet: § 30 AufenthG (spouses)
- Gesetze im Internet: § 10 StAG (naturalisation)
- Bundesgesetzblatt 2025 I Nr. 256: Gesetz zur Änderung des Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes
More in our guide toRelocation and immigration in EuropeImmigration to Sweden
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