EU blue map in Spain: terms, salary and term

What is the EU blue map in Spain, and who does it fit?

Tarjeta azul-UE (EU blue card) in Spain: one of two forms of permit for high-level professionals in Ley 14/2013 and requested by a company that needs a foreign specialist or a specialist; the application is made by the Unidad de Grandes Empreas y Coletivos Estratégicos (UGE) and issued by Dirección General de Migraciones [1]It is suitable for someone who will work in Spain under a contract with a local company, not remotely for a foreign company: Other Resolution, DNV.

The law identifies two ways of confirming qualifications [1]:

• Higher education for at least three years, corresponding to level 2 of the Spanish Qualification Framework (MECS), i.e. level 6 of EQF;
• or at least five years of professional experience which recognizes the same qualifications as those of which the contract is a profession.

For IT specialists and managers in information and communications technology, three years of experience are sufficient in the last seven years before delivery [1]. Further homologization of the diploma in industry rules is required for regulated occupations. [1]For people with a diploma from Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan, it is worth checking in advance the apostille, translation and recognition: apostille and legalization of documents.

What kind of salary is needed for the blue card in 2026?

The contract or firm offer of work for a period of at least six months must give the employee a continuous activity for the duration of the card and be in accordance with the law and the collective agreement [1]The annual gross salary shall not be below the threshold set by Orden PJC/44/2026 of 27 January 2026: 1.4 average annual gross salary per employee for Encuesta Anual de Estructura Salaria National Institute of Statistics (INE) [2].

Amounts taken from UGE report of June 2026: INE published average wages for 2024, 29 540.26 and the threshold is recalculated from it on May 28, 2026 [3]This value at the date of verification: under article 3 of the order, the new threshold applies to applications submitted from the month following the publication of the new statistics and can be changed by a separate decision [2]Check the number on the UGE website before you apply.

How is the application filed and how long to wait?

The application is submitted to the UGE electronically. 20 days ’ maximum decision from the electronic application. If no decision is reached, the permit is considered to be granted under silencia positivo, and the decisions are motivated and allowed by the complaint recurso de alzada [1]I. Submission shall extend the current status of the applicant until the decision [1]I'll give you more details on the timing and silence: How many UGEs are considering an application, What is silencia positivo.

If the specialist is abroad, the consulate issues a visa without requiring anything beyond the law and the visa regulations. [1]The law sets the time limit for the decision on the visa at 10 working days, but in cases of prior consultation on the Visa Code, the time limit is applicable [1]After the authorization is granted for more than six months, the TIE must be processed [1]For the company itself, the law provides for a one-time confirmation of claims and a 3-year extension of UGE, changes to be reported within 30 days [1]III. On the body: What UGE is.

How much blue card is issued and what if you lose your job?

The term of the permit is three years or the term of the contract plus three months if the contract is shorter than three years but not more than three years. Extension is requested within 60 days before the end of the term of two years, with conditions remaining. [1].

The card is withdrawn or not renewed, taking into account the circumstances and proportionality, if there is no valid contract for highly skilled work and unemployment exceeds three months with a card held for less than two years or six months with a minimum of two years. [1]The map is also withdrawn if you have moved to another EU country and received a blue map. [1]How to check the change of employer on other grounds: Can you change employer to DNV.

Blue Card or Other Permits: What Is It?

The comparison shows how the procedure differs. Data on timing and conditions are from Ley 14/2013 and Reglamento [1][4].

If you have a contract with a Spanish company and a suitable diploma and salary, the blue card is usually more convenient than general employment authorization: it operates throughout Spain and the UGE decision is shorter. But if you pay below the threshold or you don't have a diploma, you will still have general authorization or another way. Highly qualified person ’s residence permit and Residence permit on a work contract.

If you already have a blue map of another EU country

If you have lived for at least 12 months in another EU State as the holder of the blue map (six months in several countries), you can enter, reside and work in Spain and for that purpose you can apply for a blue card in Spain. If you are already in Spain, you must apply within one month of entry. [1]The application is accompanied by a blue map of the first country, a travel document, a contract or a firm offer of six months, proof of compliance with the threshold and for a regulated profession, recognition of qualifications [1].

Blue card holder family

A spouse or partner, minor children and dependent adult children and parents may request permission at the same time as the application of the holder or later [1]If the family requests are submitted at the same time as the holder ’s application, they are decided at the same time. [1]Family members who are reunited with the holder of the blue card are granted a separate permit after five years in the EU, at least the last two in Spain. [4]III. Rules for family members as a whole: Family reunification in Spain.

Typical errors in blue card preparation

• Take the threshold from the old article: it is updated after each new INE statistics [2][3].
• They think that a diploma of any length would be appropriate: at least three years of study and 6 EQF [1].
• Ignoring homologation for regulated profession [1].
• Based on salary "with bonuses" instead of contract amount: the law refers to the annual gross as specified in the contract [1].
• They serve as DNV, although the contract with the Spanish company: DNV has a different logic, work for a foreign company [1].
• Do not check the reduced threshold: it depends on the profession in the catalogue difícil cobertura and is classified in groups 1 and 2 of CNO-2011 [2].
• It's not planned that when you lose your job, you'll have to find a new three-month time. [1].

What can we help you with?

The NEXO team in Barcelona helps the specialist and employer determine whether the blue card is appropriate, whether the diploma, salary and threshold are appropriate, whether to prepare a package and an application to UGE. First consultation: 30 minutes free, full consultation: 121 I in 45 minutes. Book a consultationService: work permitand the steps and time limits for working reasons collected from WorksheetA general overview of the options is on the page Residence permit in BarcelonaFor the employer: How to employ a foreigner in Spain.

Frequent issues

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The source is viewed on 02.10.2026 · NEXO · Drafting Draft · Sources do not replace individual legal advice.