The offer letter from Barcelona says €40,000 a year. It looked generous when you signed it in May. Then in June the government updated the salary threshold for highly qualified professionals, and your contract fell a few hundred euros short of the new figure.
For the highly qualified professional permit (PAC) and the EU Blue Card, salary is not a detail. It is a pass-or-fail requirement, and the threshold changes every year.
Minimum Salary for Highly Qualified Professionals in 2026
In June 2026 the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE) updated the thresholds using the average salary published by the National Statistics Institute on 28 May 2026 (€29,540.26).
- National PAC permit: €41,356.36 gross per year, with no reduced threshold.
- EU Blue Card, general: €41,356.36 gross per year.
- EU Blue Card, reduced: €33,085.09 (80%) for shortage occupations in CNO-2011 groups 1 and 2, and for graduates who obtained their qualification in the previous three years.
The figures come from the UGE’s official threshold notice. Because they follow the average salary, they usually rise each year.
PAC or Blue Card: Which Threshold Applies to You
Both permits fall under article 71 of Law 14/2013, but the profile required is different:
- Blue Card: a higher-education degree of at least three years (EQF level 6) or five years of equivalent experience (three years in the last seven for ICT roles).
- National PAC: a qualification equivalent to at least higher vocational level, or three years of equivalent experience.
- Both are processed by the UGE in 20 days, with positive silence if there is no answer.
If your profile rests on experience rather than a degree, the way you document it matters as much as the salary.
What Happens at Renewal
The permit lasts up to three years and can be renewed for two years if the conditions are maintained. At renewal, the UGE checks the salary against the threshold in force at that time, not the one that applied when you arrived.
Why This Is Harder Than It Looks
- Signing a contract based on last year’s threshold.
- Counting variable bonuses that the contract does not guarantee.
- Applying the 80% reduced threshold to a national PAC, where it does not exist.
- Not adjusting the salary before a renewal after the threshold rises.
That offer from Barcelona was a few hundred euros away from approval. Checking the current threshold before the contract is signed, not after, is what turns a near miss into a granted permit.
Talk to a Lawyer Before You Sign
If you or your company are preparing a PAC or Blue Card application, we check the salary, the profile and the right permit before anything is filed. At MigratioLex, we review your specific case, not a generic checklist. We respond within 24 hours, in English, French or Spanish.
Book Your Initial ConsultationThis article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Based on articles 71 and 76 of Law 14/2013 and the UGE salary threshold update of June 2026.
