On June 01, 2024, the government of Germany launched the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) as a part of the Skilled Immigration Act (FEG) in Germany. The Germany Opportunity Card replaced the Germany Job Seeker Visa, which was launched with the same purpose. The Chancenkarte visa aims to attract skilled workers to join the workforce in Germany and eventually acquire work and residence permits in the country.
The Germany Opportunity Card is an immigration pathway for non-EU nationals seeking employment in Germany. Also known as the Chancenkarte visa, the Opportunity Card welcomes job seekers to enter and look for jobs in the country. Candidates can even apply for a work permit after receiving a valid offer.
The Opportunity Card provides a streamlined pathway for skilled professionals to enter the German Job Market. Candidates can explore the job market freely and access a wide range of job opportunities across various industries in Germany. The visa was launched to attract skilled professionals to the country and offer them permanent residency.
| Factors | Germany Opportunity Card | Germany Job Seeker Visa |
| Minimum Qualifications | Professional qualification and 2+ years’ work experience | Degree or vocational training recognized by Germany |
| Required language level | IELTS/Minimum A1 level in German Or B2 level in English | Not Mandatory |
| Visa duration | 1 year | 6 months |
| Visa extension | + 24 months | No Extension |
| Required funds | € 12,324 | € 5,604 |
| Cap | Not applicable | Not Applicable |
| Paid work permitted | Yes, up to 20 hours a week | No |
The major benefits of the Opportunity Card include:
According to recent reports, Germany needs around 288,000 foreign workers annually until 2040 to meet its workforce demands, thereby projecting lucrative job opportunities for skilled professionals. Sectors like IT, engineering, healthcare, and hospitality are in the highest demand in Germany. The country has around 1.8 million job vacancies across 20+ industries.
The table below lists the highest-paying industries in Germany:
| Most in-demand jobs in Germany | |
| Green Tech Jobs | Finance and Administration |
| Software and System Developers | Hotel and restaurant industry – Chefs |
| IT specialists/Executives | Healthcare – Doctors, nurses, midwifery, dentists, medical secretaries, care administrators |
| Systems analysts and IT architecture | Teachers – Preschool and primary school teaching |
| Engineers | Electrician |
| Sales and Marketing | Manufacturing |
Foreign skilled professionals can migrate to Germany on an opportunity card to explore jobs in their sector and apply for a German employment visa upon receiving a valid job offer. The government of Germany is constantly improvising and implementing new policies and immigration rules to attract and retain foreign workers in the country.
Germany uses a points-based system to determine the eligibility of the applicants for the visa. Applicants must score at least 6 points to be eligible for the Germany Opportunity Card. The eligibility of a candidate is assessed under the following five factors:
Note: Candidates applying with their spouse who qualifies for the Opportunity Card can get additional points under the Spousal Qualifications factor.
The table below lists the maximum points that can be scored under each factor of the Germany Opportunity Card Points Calculator:
| Criteria | Maximum points |
| Age | 2 |
| Qualification | 4 |
| Relevant work experience | 3 |
| German Language Skills/English Language Skills | 3 or 1 |
| Previous stay in Germany | 1 |
| Spouse qualifying for opportunity card | 1 |
| Total | 14 |
You will be eligible to apply for the Germany Opportunity Card if you:
Note: Tourist visits are not considered a prior tie with Germany.
The following are the documents required to apply for Germany Opportunity Card:
You must be proficient in English, German, or both to qualify for the Opportunity Card. The table below lists details of language proficiency requirements for the Germany Opportunity Card:
| Language | Levels of proficiency |
| German tests | A1 (understand simple German sentences) |
| A2 (basic knowledge) | |
| B1 (intermediate) | |
| B2 (good Intermediate) | |
| C1 (advanced knowledge) | |
| C2 (excellent knowledge / mother-tongue level) | |
| English tests | TOEFL |
| IELTS | |
| Cambridge Certificate |
The steps to apply for a Germany Opportunity Card are listed below:
Step 1: Check your eligibility using the Germany Opportunity Card Points Calculator
Step 2: Gather the required documents
Step 3: Fill out the visa application form
Step 4: Submit your application to the local embassy
Step 5: Wait for a decision on your application
Step 6: Fly to Germany upon visa approval
The processing fee for a Germany Opportunity Card is around €75.
Germany Opportunity Card applications are generally processed within 4 to 6 months, depending on the accuracy of the application and the embassy's workload. Therefore, applicants are advised to apply well in advance to avoid delays.
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The Germany Opportunity Card is a residence permit that authorizes international skilled professionals to live in Germany for 1 year to search for jobs.
International professionals with the required qualifications, fulfilling the language requirements in English or German, and proof of adequate funds to sponsor themselves in Germany are eligible for Germany Opportunity Card.
The German Opportunity Card has a validity of 1 year.
Yes, you can work in Germany with the Opportunity Card. You can be employed in part-time jobs or participate in short-term internships.
If you receive a valid employment offer in Germany while your Opportunity Card is still valid, you can convert your Germany Opportunity Card to regular Germany Work Permit without leaving the country.
To be eligible for Germany Opportunity Card, or "Chancenkarte," you must have:
At least 6 points in the German Point Distribution System.
Getting a German PR is easy, provided you meet the criteria for permanent residency in Germany. The requirements include:
Pathways for German PR
You can apply for German PR through any of the pathways given below.
Sponsorship by a German permanent resident.
To obtain PR in Germany, you must follow the procedure given below.
Step 1: Evaluate if you are eligible for German PR.
Step 2: Gather the required documents to apply for permanent residency in Germany.
Step 3: Submit the biometric information and duly filled visa application form.
Step 4: Wait for the final decision on your German PR application.
Step 5: Receive your PR in Germany.
To be eligible for Germany PR, you must have:
Contributions to statutory pension insurance in Germany for at least 60 months.
No, you cannot bring your spouse and children on a German Opportunity Card, you must apply for another suitable visa to sponsor your eligible family members in Germany. The Opportunity Card is aimed at international individuals looking for employment in Germany and not family reunification.
The type of German visa that lets you bring spouse and children to Germany are given below. The visas are:
