Working in Germany with the Opportunity Card

Use your professional training to immigrate to Germany

Advantages for applicants from non-EU countries

Until now, applicants from non-EU countries had to show a permanent employment contract or be considered a recognised skilled worker in order to work in Germany. Complicated entry procedures hinder the immigration of qualified workers from abroad. The Opportunity Card (“Chancenkarte”) is designed to change this. Applicants from non-EU countries are guaranteed a 12-month stay in Germany through the Opportunity Card in order to look for a job.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card either at the Foreigners’ Registration Office or at the competent German mission abroad in your country of origin (for example at the German Embassy).

Key advantages of the Opportunity Card

Fast entry into Germany

Easy and fast entry into Germany possible: If you apply for the Opportunity Card, you do not require a permanent employment contract in advance. You can simply use the points system to prove your existing qualifications (e.g. language skills or work experience). This eliminates the need for a complicated examination procedure. The Opportunity Card permits you to stay in Germany for one year to look for a suitable job. Part-time or casual jobs of up to 20 hours a week are possible, as well as two-week trial jobs. With the Opportunity Card, you can get to know your new employer at your leisure and look for a job that suits you and your qualifications.

A path to permanent residence

Possibility of permanent residence in Germany: The residence permit with the Opportunity Card is limited to one year as its primary purpose is for you to find a job. In addition to an unlimited number of trial jobs, part-time jobs of up to 20 hours a week are also possible, which can be divided up flexibly. Once you have found a suitable job, it is possible to extend your stay. For this purpose, you must also submit an application to the competent Foreigners’ Registration Office. If you intend to change from part-time to a full-time job, you have a good chance of obtaining a longer residence title. This is also possible if you wish to remain in part-time employment. Written proof, such as an agreement with your employer or a permanent employment contract, is important for extending your stay in Germany.

A fair, livable income

Securing your livelihood with a good income: The Opportunity Card allows part-time employment on the basis of the minimum wage (or above). This is currently 12.41 euros gross per hour (as of July 2024). With a part-time job (20 hours per week), you can earn above 1000 euros per month. If you want to change to a full-time job, your net income will rise to well over 1000 euros a month. The earning potential depends on the sector you want to work in and your qualifications. With the Opportunity Card, you have a good chance of earning a fair wage so you can easily finance your everyday life in Germany.

A guaranteed work permit

Guaranteed work permit: Until now, workers from non-EU countries have needed a visa to enter Germany and work here. This requires an existing job offer as the Federal Employment Agency often has to approve your stay. If you are not a recognised skilled worker, you can come to Germany with the Opportunity Card to look for a job locally. The basic requirement is (at least) two years of vocational training or a university degree according to the rules of your country of origin. In addition, you must have basic knowledge of German (A1) or English (B2) and also be able to prove this. To receive the Opportunity Card, you must also have sufficient financial means to secure your livelihood independently. This is usually possible with a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week).

Room to grow into full-time work

Good chance of a qualified part-time/full-time job: As part of the Opportunity Card, you have the possibility to apply for two-week trial work (an unlimited number of times) or part-time work of up to 20 hours a week. If you find suitable employment during your stay, you have the prospect of a qualified part-time or full-time job. In order to be able to seek a full-time job in the future, you must change your residence title. The Opportunity Card only authorises you to look for a job in Germany. For a longer stay, you must apply for a corresponding residence title at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office. This should not be a problem if you can show proof of a future job offer or an employment contract.

You must meet these basic requirements

With the introduction of the new residence title, the Federal Government simplifies entry conditions for prospective workers from non-EU countries. To obtain the Opportunity Card, you only have to prove that you have completed (at least) two years of vocational training or a university degree and that you have basic knowledge of German (A1) or English (B2). You will be required to finance your own living expenses in Germany. If you meet these basic requirements, you can use a points system to check the qualifications you need. You must achieve at least six points to be allowed to work in Germany.

How the points system works

Once you clear the basic requirements, a simple points system decides the rest. Points come from things like language ability, professional experience, age, and any existing ties to Germany — you need at least six of them in total. Language ability alone can take you most of the way there:

Language points

German at level A2 is worth 1 point, B1 is worth 2, and B2 is worth 3. Holding an English certificate at C1 or above adds one further point on top of that.

Certificates that count

For German: the Goethe-Institut certificate, TestDaF, or the German Language Diploma (DSD). For English: TOEFL, LanguageCert, or a Cambridge English qualification.

Calculate My Points

Proving you can support yourself

Because the Opportunity Card is granted for job-seeking rather than for a confirmed salary, you need to show you can cover your own living costs for the year. Most applicants do this with a blocked account: since 1 January 2026, that means holding roughly €13,092 for the full year, paid out to you in monthly instalments.

Already have a part-time offer of around 20 hours a week at minimum wage or better? That income can satisfy the requirement on its own, so a blocked account isn’t always necessary.

Two things worth reading before you apply:

Setting up a blocked account Getting health insurance sorted

Life as a skilled professional in Germany

A glimpse of the everyday — campuses, workplaces, and the people you’ll meet along the way.

How and where to apply

Where to apply

Start at the German embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence. Already in Germany on another visa? You can usually apply directly at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) instead.

Processing usually takes a few weeks to a few months, depending on the mission or office handling your case — so it pays to start early.

What you’ll need to bring

A valid passport
Proof of your vocational training or university degree
Your language certificate — German A1 or English B2 at minimum
Evidence you can cover your living costs — a blocked account or a job offer
Proof of accommodation in Germany, such as a rental contract

Frequently asked questions

Can I be self-employed with the Opportunity Card?

Not directly. The Card is issued for employed job-seeking, so self-employment means switching to a different residence title at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office first.

Can my spouse or children join me?

Not automatically. Family reunification generally requires your own status to change to a longer-term residence title first, after which your family can apply for their own permits.

Can I renew or extend the Opportunity Card itself?

Not as-is. Once you find suitable work, the idea is to change to a follow-up residence title rather than repeat the search year — that follow-up title is what actually gets extended.

Can I use it to study at a German university instead?

No — the Opportunity Card only authorises job-seeking and employment. Studying needs separate admission to a study programme and its own residence title.

Does it let me work anywhere in the EU?

No, it only covers Germany. Working in any other EU country would require that country’s own residence and work permit.

Ready when you are

The Opportunity Card gives you a quick, straightforward way into Germany and a full year to find work that fits your qualifications. Land a job during that year, and you’re in a strong position to move onto a longer-term residence title — you’ll just need to apply at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office with your employment contract or job offer in hand.

To recap what you’ll need: two years of vocational training or a university degree (no German recognition procedure required beforehand), basic German (A1) or English (B2), and a way to cover your own living costs while you search.

If that sounds like you, the points system is usually just a formality — most applicants with a genuine qualification and a bit of language ability clear the six-point bar comfortably. Create your account and we’ll walk you through the rest.

Start Your Application