Order PJC/44/2026, of January 27, has recently been published, establishing a new minimum reference salary threshold for granting residence permits to highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card, as provided for in Law 14/2013, of September 27, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalization.
Law 14/2013, of September 27, includes the partial transposition of the provisions regarding residence permits for highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card. Article 71.bis.1.c) of the Law requires, in compliance with Article 5.3 of the Directive, the establishment of a salary threshold for the employment contract of the EU Blue Card holder.
The reference salary threshold for granting residence permits to highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card is set at 1.4 times the average gross annual earnings per worker published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) in its Annual Wage Structure Survey. This threshold will be applied with a reduction coefficient of 0.8 in certain cases, such as for occupations that are difficult to fill or for individuals who obtained their qualifications within the three years prior to applying.
In this regard, and according to the latest Annual Wage Structure Survey from the National Statistics Institute, the average gross annual earnings stand at €28,049.94. Taking this figure into account, the salary threshold is calculated by multiplying this amount by 1.4, resulting in a minimum annual salary of €39,269.92 for 2026.
When a new Wage Structure Survey is published by the National Statistics Institute, the competent body will apply the new salary threshold to applications submitted from one month after the publication of said survey.”>Order PJC/44/2026, of January 27, has recently been published, establishing a new minimum reference salary threshold for granting residence permits to highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card, as provided for in Law 14/2013, of September 27, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalization.
Law 14/2013, of September 27, includes the partial transposition of the provisions regarding residence permits for highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card. Article 71.bis.1.c) of the Law requires, in compliance with Article 5.3 of the Directive, the establishment of a salary threshold for the employment contract of the EU Blue Card holder.
The reference salary threshold for granting residence permits to highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card is set at 1.4 times the average gross annual earnings per worker published by the National Statistics Institute (INE) in its Annual Wage Structure Survey. This threshold will be applied with a reduction coefficient of 0.8 in certain cases, such as for occupations that are difficult to fill or for individuals who obtained their qualifications within the three years prior to applying.
In this regard, and according to the latest Annual Wage Structure Survey from the National Statistics Institute, the average gross annual earnings stand at €28,049.94. Taking this figure into account, the salary threshold is calculated by multiplying this amount by 1.4, resulting in a minimum annual salary of €39,269.92 for 2026.
When a new Wage Structure Survey is published by the National Statistics Institute, the competent body will apply the new salary threshold to applications submitted from one month after the publication of said survey.
