1. Changes related to salary requirements
A) Changes related to the EU Blue Card salary
As we mentioned in our previous newsletter, in all cases, the salary amount must be agreed upon according to the legislation in force at the time of submitting the application, so if the application is submitted in 2024, it is sufficient to indicate the salary according to the currently effective rules. However, we recommend that the monthly salary be indicated in the preliminary agreement in such a way that it cannot be less than the salary amount according to Decree 44/2011. (XII. 16.) NGM on the establishment of the mandatory minimum wage to be paid to third-country nationals employed with an EU Blue Card and on the amendment of certain ministerial decrees on labor matters – or the legislation in force at all times. The employer must monitor the current regulations in the sense that if the minimum wage prescribed by law increases, then at least the minimum wage in force must be paid to the employee employed with the EU Blue Card.
Employer’s duties
The employer is responsible for complying with the provisions of the current legislation, must follow the change in salary and must modify the employee’s salary accordingly.
• The employer must adjust the salary to the higher amount (or to the 883,671 HUF below, if this is the higher amount; or to the average salary related to the FEOR number belonging to the position, if this is the higher amount, which also increases annually).
• The minister responsible for employment policy shall publish the data on the minimum wage rate for the EU Blue Card in the official gazette of the ministry he heads by 31 October preceding the relevant year. This year, the Minister of National Economy published a statement on page 5728 of the Official Gazette, No. 52, Year 2024, according to which the minimum monthly wage pursuant to Section 3 (1) of Decree 44/2011. (XII. 16.) of the Ministry of National Economy on the establishment of the mandatory minimum wage to be paid to third-country nationals employed with an EU Blue Card and on the amendment of certain ministerial decrees on labor matters (hereinafter: NGM Decree) is 883,671 HUF, and the minimum monthly wage pursuant to Section 3 (2) of the NGM Decree is 706,937 HUF in 2025.
• It is possible to mark and accept the wage elements according to the following division:
Wage elements:
basic wage or basic salary,
wage supplements,
additional payment,
sick leave and vacation pay,
reward,
premium,
bonus,
commission,
13th and subsequent monthly payments
Important! In the case of a 13th monthly payment, the employer must declare the wage elements on a monthly basis, the monthly wage must reach the amount prescribed by law).
These must be marked in the preliminary agreement, in one place, summed up, which amount must thus comply with the relevant wage decree.
Non-wage elements (countervalue for non-employee performance):
– Cafeteria,
– Life and accident insurance,
– Private health insurance,
– Housing allowance (e.g. sublet fee).
Benefits in the latter category cannot be accepted as wages.
B) EU Blue Card specific information
The EU Blue Card entitles its holder to work exclusively in the legal relationship that justified its issuance for one year from the date of its issuance (except in the case of employment policy interests of Hungary).
After that, the employee may change employers in the job for which the permit was issued without having to submit a new application for a consolidated permit, but is obliged to notify the OIF.
Budapest, 29.11.2024.