Opportunity Card in Germany — Chancenkarte

What the Opportunity Card is

The Opportunity Card has been in force since 1 June 2024. It broadened the existing job-search routes and introduced a points-based pathway for applicants who do not yet have a concrete job offer or full German recognition of their qualification.

§ 20a AufenthG permits the holder to search for employment or self-employment opportunities and to identify suitable measures for the recognition of a foreign professional qualification. The initial Opportunity Card may be issued for up to twelve months; its actual duration may be shorter where secured subsistence is demonstrated only for a shorter period. Regular employment exceeding the statutory 20-hour limit is not covered by the job-search Opportunity Card; before starting such employment, the holder must obtain a residence title authorising it. Those who find a suitable position during this period can transition to an appropriate follow-on residence title.

Two routes to the Opportunity Card

The Opportunity Card can be obtained through two routes: the skilled-worker route or the points route.

For the skilled-worker route, the applicant must have a German qualification or a foreign vocational or academic qualification fully recognised in Germany within the meaning of § 18(3) AufenthG. Applicants who qualify through this route do not need to go through the points system or satisfy the A1/B2 language threshold as a separate entry requirement.

For the points route, a qualifying basic qualification is required: an academic degree recognised by the state in the country in which it was obtained, a vocational qualification recognised by the state in the country in which it was obtained and requiring at least two years of training, or certain Category A vocational qualifications issued through a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (AHK) that meet the statutory requirements — eligibility must be confirmed for the specific certificate. For the points route, the applicant must additionally demonstrate German-language skills at level A1 or English-language skills at level B2, and obtain at least six points.

The points system

Points are awarded from several criteria. What matters is the demonstrable combination, not any single factor.

Four points are awarded for partial recognition of a foreign professional qualification. Three points are awarded for German-language skills at level B2 or higher, or for at least five years of relevant professional experience acquired after completion of the qualifying qualification and related to it, within the previous seven years. Two points are awarded for German at level B1, for at least two years of such relevant professional experience within the previous five years, or where the applicant has not yet reached the age of 35 at the relevant date. One point is awarded for German at level A2, for English at level C1 or native-level English, where the applicant is at least 35 but has not yet reached the age of 40, for a lawful and uninterrupted stay in Germany of at least six months within the previous five years (tourist and ordinary visitor stays do not qualify), for a qualification in a statutory shortage occupation, or where spouses or registered partners intend to enter Germany together and the other partner also meets the requirements for an Opportunity Card.

German-language skills at A2 and above generate points; A1 is the minimum language entry requirement for the points route and does not itself receive a separate point allocation. English at C1 receives one point in addition to any German-language points.

In practice, applications turn not on the concept but on the evidence. What matters is whether each individual point position can be supported by usable documentation — qualification certificates, recognition decisions, language certificates, employment references and proof of previous stays. Missing, insufficient or formally unusable evidence may lead to queries or refusal, particularly where the application depends on points for qualifications, professional experience, language skills or previous residence.

What is permitted during the Opportunity Card period

The holder may engage in one or more employments with an average combined working time of no more than 20 hours per week across all employments. Trial employment (Probebeschäftigung) is permitted for up to two weeks per employer. It must be connected with qualified employment, vocational training or a qualification measure aimed at recognition under § 16d AufenthG; not every form of trial work falls within the statutory provision.

Where a suitable opportunity is found, the available follow-on route may include an EU Blue Card, a skilled-worker permit under § 18a or § 18b, a vocational-training or recognition title, another employment route or, where the conditions are met, a residence permit for self-employment. The appropriate title should be assessed promptly upon finding a suitable position.

Follow-up Opportunity Card — § 20a(5) AufenthG

A follow-up Opportunity Card under § 20a(5) may be issued for up to two years where the applicant has a concrete offer of qualified employment, the Federal Employment Agency has approved the employment where required under the applicable rules, and no other suitable employment residence title can yet be granted. This is not a second general job-search year; the follow-up card is tied to the specific qualified employment opportunity and is not available merely because the holder wishes to continue searching.

The procedure

For applicants who require a visa, the procedure generally begins at the competent German diplomatic mission before entry. Applicants already lawfully resident in Germany may be able to apply through the competent immigration authority if the statutory requirements for an in-country application are met.

Required documents include qualification certificates (with certified translation where applicable), language certificates, proof of secured subsistence and, where relevant, points evidence. For 2026, the official federal information uses €1,091 net per month as the standard reference amount, corresponding to €13,092 for twelve months. The required total depends on the intended duration of the card and should be verified again immediately before filing. Evidence may be provided in particular through a blocked account or a declaration of commitment; income from permitted part-time work that is already specifically demonstrated may also be taken into account.

The Opportunity Card may also be available without a university degree — for example with a state-recognised vocational qualification of at least two years from the country in which it was obtained, or a qualifying AHK Category A certificate.

Those applying on the points route must be able to demonstrate evidence for each individual point category. A legal review of the points calculation before filing can help identify gaps and clarify the evidential position.

How we advise

We first assess which route to the Opportunity Card is available in the specific situation — the skilled-worker route or the points route. We then clarify whether the requirements are met, how the points can be evidenced and what documentation needs to be prepared for the diplomatic mission or immigration authority.

For clients who find a position during the Opportunity Card period, we also accompany the transition to the appropriate employment residence title — so that the change takes place without interrupting lawful residence. We advise in German and English. Advice in Russian may be available by prior arrangement.

Advice is provided by Alexander Kagan, admitted as a German Rechtsanwalt and a member of the Hanseatic Bar Association Hamburg (Hanseatische Rechtsanwaltskammer Hamburg). More about Alexander Kagan →

The content of this page is general information only and does not constitute legal advice.