Germany
Germany Opportunity Card points: how the 6-point system works
The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) gives qualified people up to one year in Germany to look for a job, with the right to work part time meanwhile. There are two ways in: a qualification fully recognised in Germany (no points needed), or the points route.
By The Visa Blueprint · 3 min read
The three mandatory conditions on the points route
- A vocational qualification of at least two years recognised by the state where you obtained it, or a university degree recognised in that state.
- German at A1 or English at B2.
- Confirmation of your qualification by the ZAB (Central Office for Foreign Education), for degrees, a positive anabin listing or a Statement of Comparability (€208); for vocational qualifications, the ZAB's digital vocational information (€150).
Then you need at least 6 points.
The points table
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Partial recognition of your qualification | 4 |
| German B2 or higher / B1 / A2 (only the highest counts) | 3 / 2 / 1 |
| English C1 or higher | 1 |
| Experience: 5 years in the last 7 / 2 years in the last 5 | 3 / 2 |
| Qualification in a shortage occupation | 1 |
| Age: up to 35 / over 35 and up to 40 | 2 / 1 |
| Previous lawful stay in Germany of 6+ months in the last 5 years (not tourism) | 1 |
| Eligible spouse or partner applying together | 1 |
Example: a 31-year-old engineer (2 points for age) with 5 years' experience (3 points) and English C1 (1 point) reaches 6 points.
Money and insurance
You must show €1,091 net per month for twelve months (€13,092): usually through a blocked account or a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a sponsor living in Germany; a qualifying part-time contract can also work depending on the mission. Insurance requirements vary: Dhaka asks for Schengen-wide incoming insurance of at least €30,000; the UK mission asks for cover equivalent to German statutory insurance.
Apply from abroad
Even if you are a US, UK or Canadian national, apply from abroad: in Germany the card is only issued to people already holding certain residence permits (Berlin lists skilled-employment permits and the EU Blue Card, or entry on a job-search visa), and Berlin states it cannot be issued after visa-free entry. In the UK, applications have been online-only through the Consular Services Portal since 1 October 2026, with weekly caps.
What you can do with the card
Work up to 20 hours a week on average, do trial work of up to two weeks per employer, then switch to an EU Blue Card or skilled-worker permit once you have a qualified job offer.
