Everything companies and candidates need to know in 2026 to live and work in Spain as a highly qualified professional under Law 14/2013: the national PAC permit and the EU Blue Card, salary thresholds, requirements, process, family and renewals.
Hiring Talent or Moving for a Job Offer?
We prepare and file the PAC or EU Blue Card application with the UGE, for companies and professionals, and manage it until the residence card is in your hands.
1) What Is the Highly Qualified Professional (PAC) Permit?
It is a residence and work authorisation under article 71 of Law 14/2013 designed to attract non-EU professionals for qualified, senior or specialist roles in Spain. It is processed by the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE), with a fast, fully online procedure and no labour market test.
2) Two Types: National PAC Permit and EU Blue Card
- EU Blue Card: a higher education degree of at least three years (EQF level 6) or five years of equivalent professional experience (three of the last seven years for ICT profiles).
- National PAC permit: a qualification equivalent at least to higher technician level, or three years of equivalent professional experience.
3) Minimum Salary in 2026
The threshold follows the average salary published by the National Statistics Institute and was updated by the UGE in June 2026:
| Route | Gross annual salary |
|---|---|
| National PAC permit | €41,356.36 (no reduced threshold) |
| EU Blue Card, general | €41,356.36 |
| EU Blue Card, reduced | €33,085.09 for shortage occupations (CNO-2011 groups 1 and 2) and graduates who obtained their degree in the last three years |
4) Key Requirements
- A job offer from a company in Spain for a qualified role, with a salary at or above the threshold.
- The qualification or experience required for the type of permit.
- No criminal record in Spain or in the countries of residence over the last five years.
- Health insurance and a valid passport.
- A company in good standing with tax and Social Security obligations.
Experience must be properly proven: generic letters without duties or dates are a frequent cause of requests for more documents.
5) Application Process
- Filing: the application can be filed online with the UGE by the company or by the professional.
- Decision in 20 days: if there is no answer within that period, the application is deemed granted by positive administrative silence.
- From Spain or from abroad: if you are already in Spain legally, filing extends your current stay or residence until the decision; if you are abroad, you then apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate.
- Start working: during the first six months, your passport is enough to register with Social Security.
- TIE: apply for the residence card within one month of the approval or of your entry into Spain.
6) Your Family Can Come With You
Your spouse or partner, your children and, in certain cases, dependent parents can apply at the same time as you, without waiting for the year of residence required for ordinary family reunification. Adult family members are authorised to work.
Get It Right the First Time
Salary, type of permit and how experience is proven decide whether the 20 days work in your favour. We review the case before filing and handle the whole process.
7) Duration, Renewal and Long-Term Residence
The authorisation lasts up to three years (or the length of the contract plus three months) and can be renewed for two-year periods while the conditions are maintained:
- Keep the qualifying employment, or have a new qualifying offer.
- Avoid long absences from Spain during the validity of the permit.
- Be up to date with tax and Social Security obligations.
After five years of legal residence you can apply for long-term residence, and the time counts towards Spanish nationality by residence.
8) Tax: the Beckham Law
Many PAC holders can opt for Spain’s special regime for inbound workers (the “Beckham Law”):
- Flat 24% rate on employment income up to €600,000 a year.
- For the year of arrival and the following five tax years, if the requirements are met.
- Foreign-source income is generally not taxed in Spain under the regime, with exceptions.
9) PAC Compared With Other Routes
- General work permit: subject to the labour market situation; slower and stricter.
- Researcher permit: tailored to research roles and entities.
- Entrepreneur or self-employed permits: for founders and freelancers, with a business plan.
- France’s Talent Passport: a similar scheme with a higher salary threshold.
10) All Our Guides on the PAC Permit
11) How MigratioLex Can Help
For companies and professionals: assessment of the role and the profile, choice between the PAC permit and the EU Blue Card, preparation of the descriptive report and supporting documents, online filing with the UGE, follow-up, family applications and TIE.
Bring Your Talent to Spain
Tell us about the role and the candidate. We will confirm the right route, the salary that applies and the documents needed, and file within days.
FAQs
Can we apply while the candidate is already in Spain?
Yes. If the candidate is in Spain legally, the application can be filed from Spain and it extends their current stay or residence until the decision.
How long does the decision take?
The UGE has 20 days to decide. Without an answer in that period, the application is deemed granted by positive administrative silence.
What is the minimum salary in 2026?
€41,356.36 gross per year for the national PAC permit and the general EU Blue Card, and €33,085.09 for the reduced EU Blue Card threshold.
Can family members come at the same time?
Yes. Spouse or partner, children and, in some cases, dependent parents can apply together with the professional.
Can the professional file the application, or only the company?
Both. The application can be filed by the company or by the professional.
