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Job Search Visa for Germany

Opportunity Card for Germany: Check Your Points First

The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) lets you come to Germany for up to one year to look for work. If your qualification is recognised in Germany, you need no points. Everyone else needs a qualification recognised at home, German at A1 or English at B2, and at least 6 points. Both routes require €13,092 for the year.

Reviewed by Dennis Maaß, immigration expert at Caselink · Last reviewed

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Key points

  • Skilled workers need no points. Everyone else needs a recognised qualification, German A1 or English B2, and at least 6 points.
  • A1 German and B2 English earn no points. They only meet the language condition.
  • You must show €13,092 for a one-year card, with a blocked account or a formal obligation letter.
  • You may work up to 20 hours a week on average, and switch to a work permit in Germany once you find a job.
  • Refused visas are no longer re-examined on request since 1 July 2025, so a complete first application matters.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); Points table, Annex to the Residence Act (AufenthG); German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; Federal Foreign Office: End of the remonstration procedure (press release)

Requirements

Who Qualifies for the Opportunity Card

The legal basis is § 20a of the Residence Act. It has two routes: skilled workers, whose qualification is recognised in Germany, and the points route for everyone else. Each mission adds its own checklist.

Requirements for the German Opportunity Card
RequirementWhat the law and missions expectWatch out for
QualificationSkilled worker route: a German qualification, or a foreign one recognised or comparable in Germany. Points route: a degree, or vocational training of at least two years, recognised by the state where you gained it.On the points route a German body must confirm the foreign qualification, usually through anabin or a ZAB statement. A partial recognition in Germany replaces this condition.
LanguagePoints route only: German at A1 or English at B2, by certificate.These levels are the entry condition and earn no points. Points start at German A2 and English C1.
PointsPoints route only: at least 6 points from the table below.Points never replace the qualification or language condition.
Money€1,091 a month for the whole stay, so €13,092 for a one-year card. A blocked account or a formal obligation letter from someone living in Germany.Some missions round up to €1,092 a month (€13,104). Budget the higher amount. Missions accept only the bank’s official blocking confirmation.
Health insuranceCover of at least €30,000 for the whole validity of the card.A short travel policy is not enough. You can prove the insurance when you collect the visa.
Application documentsPassport, form, CV, a motivation letter on where and what you will look for, and proof of accommodation.Cairo also asks for proof that your job search has already started.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); § 18 Residence Act (AufenthG); § 20b Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026; § 2 Residence Act (AufenthG); Points table, Annex to the Residence Act (AufenthG); German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026); German Embassy Amman: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of June 2026)

The points table

On the points route you need at least 6 points. Within German, work experience and age, only your highest tier counts. The table has been unchanged since the card started on 1 June 2024.

Points for the German Opportunity Card
CriterionPoints
Partial recognition of your qualification in GermanyA German recognition body found that adaptation measures are still needed. Full recognition makes you a skilled worker instead.4
German at B2 or higherOnly your highest German level counts.3
German at B12
German at A21
English at C1 or higherCounts on top of German points.1
Five years of related work experience in the last sevenGained after your qualification. Only the higher experience tier counts.3
Two years of related work experience in the last five2
Qualification in a Blue Card shortage occupation groupISCO-08 groups 132, 133, 134, 21, 221, 222, 225, 226, 23 and 25, as listed in § 18g.1
Age 35 or younger when you apply2
Age 36 to 40 when you apply1
Six months of lawful, continuous stay in Germany in the last five yearsTourist and other short stays do not count.1
Your spouse or registered partner applies too, at the same mission, and enters with youMissions award this point to one of the two.1

Sources: § 20b Residence Act (AufenthG); Points table, Annex to the Residence Act (AufenthG); § 18g Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026; German Embassy Amman: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of June 2026)

Already have a job offer?

Then the Opportunity Card is the wrong route, and missions point you to a work visa instead. At some missions its queue is far shorter. See our work visa service.

Sources: German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026); German Embassy Yaoundé: Appointment booking

Studied or trained in Germany?

Graduates, trainees and researchers who are already in Germany have their own job-search permit, usually for up to 18 months. Students who still need a place can read our guide to the student visa.

Source: § 20 Residence Act (AufenthG)

Self-Check

Check Your Opportunity Card Points

Tick what you can prove with documents. The check applies the statutory conditions, not just the points, so it also tells you what is missing.

Some missions, such as Cairo, require a printout of the federal government’s official Make it in Germany self-check. Ours helps you prepare. It does not replace that printout.

Your qualification
German, by certificate
English, by certificate
Work experience related to your qualification
Your age when you apply
Ties to Germany
Money

Your points: 0 minimum 6

Not yet. Still missing:

  • A degree or at least two years of vocational training, recognised by the state where you gained it. A partial recognition in Germany also counts.
  • German at A1 or English at B2, proven by a certificate.
  • 6 more points, to reach the minimum of 6.
  • Proof of funds for your whole stay.

This check follows § 20a and § 20b of the Residence Act. It is a guide, not a decision: the mission decides, may refuse even when the conditions are met, and checks every document. Nothing you enter here is stored or sent.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); § 20b Residence Act (AufenthG); Points table, Annex to the Residence Act (AufenthG); § 18 Residence Act (AufenthG); § 18g Residence Act (AufenthG); German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026)

In Germany

What the Card Lets You Do

The card is a residence permit for up to one year to look for work, or for a measure to get your qualification recognised.

  • Work up to 20 hours a week, averaged over your whole stay, for one or more employers.
  • Do trial work of up to two weeks with each employer, if the job is a qualified one.
  • Neither needs approval from the Federal Employment Agency.
  • No self-employment while you search. The visa label says so.
  • Once you find a job, switch to a work permit or an EU Blue Card in Germany, without leaving.
  • With a qualified job but not yet the conditions for a work permit, a follow-up card can add up to two years.
  • A new search card is possible only after you have spent as long outside Germany as you spent searching.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026; § 39 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV)

The Reality

Where Opportunity Card Applications Stall

Few applications fail on points. They stall on recognition, money, the queue and the one year itself. Here is what goes wrong, and what you can do about it.

Recognition decides your route

The anabin database decides your route. A degree listed as equivalent, from an H+ university, makes you a skilled worker. One rated only conditionally comparable puts you on the points route. With no anabin match you need a ZAB statement, which costs €208 and takes three months once all documents and the fee have arrived.

What helps

Check anabin before anything else, and start a ZAB statement first if you need one. A partial recognition in Germany is worth 4 points and also replaces the qualification condition.

Sources: Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026; Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB): Fees for a statement of comparability; Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB): Applying for a statement of comparability; § 20b Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025

The entry-level certificate earns no points

German at A1 or English at B2 only meets the language condition. Points start at German A2 and English C1. Missions ask for a certificate even in countries where English is an official language.

What helps

Take German at A2 or B1 instead of A1: one exam meets the condition and adds one or two points. The certificate must come from a full member of ALTE, or be a TOEFL.

Sources: Points table, Annex to the Residence Act (AufenthG); § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025

Authorities disagree on proof of money

There is no hardship waiver for the €1,091 a month. The Interior Ministry’s guidance also allows a part-time job contract as proof, and Munich lists it. The mission in Cairo accepts only a blocked account or a formal obligation letter.

What helps

Plan the full amount with a blocked account or an obligation letter. Treat a job contract as extra security, unless your own mission confirms that it accepts one.

Sources: Expert Council on Integration and Migration (SVR): Short report on the Opportunity Card (February 2025); City of Munich immigration office: Residence permit, Opportunity Card; German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026)

The queue is longer than for a job offer

In Yaoundé the Opportunity Card waits more than a year for an appointment, while a skilled worker with a job offer waits up to one month. Germany records no average waiting time.

What helps

Missions using the online portal release an appointment only for a complete file, so finish your documents before you register. If an employer makes you an offer meanwhile, a work visa can be the faster route.

Sources: German Embassy Yaoundé: Appointment booking; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/5935: Visa waiting times; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/3132: Opportunity Card visas per month; German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026)

One year passes quickly

You may work only part time, self-employment is not allowed, and a follow-up card needs a qualified job and the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. The government does not know how many card holders find work.

What helps

Start applying before you travel. Cairo even asks for proof that your search has begun. Use trial weeks with employers, and switch to a work permit in Germany as soon as you have an offer.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/2262: Outcomes of Opportunity Card holders; German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026); § 39 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV)

A refusal now means starting over

Since 1 July 2025 missions no longer re-examine refusals through remonstration. What remains is a new application in the queue, or a lawsuit in Berlin that took 8.7 months on average in 2025.

What helps

Submit only a complete file. Cairo warns that insisting on submission without all documents can lead to a refusal. Your motivation letter should name the field, the employers and your plan.

Sources: Federal Foreign Office: End of the remonstration procedure (press release); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; Administrative Court of Berlin: Annual report 2025; German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026)

What nobody can speed up

No consultant can buy an appointment or a faster decision. Missions give out appointments in the order of registration, booking is free, and agencies get no special access. Websites with official-sounding names can be private companies: the federal government’s own information portal is Make it in Germany. What we can do is make sure your file is complete and consistent when your turn comes.

Sources: Federal Foreign Office: Questions on visa appointments; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/692: Opportunity Card visas by mission

Official Figures

How Long the Opportunity Card Takes

The federal government records no average or median waiting time for any visa. Some German missions publish their own estimates, either for the appointment or for the decision after it. They differ widely.

Opportunity Card timelines, as published by German missions
German missionWait forPublished time
Yaoundé, CameroonA skilled worker with a job offer waits up to one month at the same mission. The page calls these rough, non-binding guide values.AppointmentMore than one year
Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, TürkiyeFor all work visas, including the Opportunity Card, depending on the mission.AppointmentOne month to more than a year
San José, Costa RicaDecisionOne to two weeks
Amman, JordanDecisionAbout three weeks
Yerevan, ArmeniaDecisionSix to ten weeks
Jakarta, IndonesiaFor national visas in general. The appointment itself can take up to 25 weeks.DecisionUp to three months

Several mission pages carry no date. We read all of them on 7 November 2026.

Sources: Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/5935: Visa waiting times; German Embassy Yaoundé: Appointment booking; German Missions in Türkiye: Current information and applications; German Embassy San José: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of August 2025); German Embassy Amman: Opportunity Card; German Embassy Yerevan: Opportunity Card; German Embassy Jakarta: FAQ on national visa appointments

German missions issued 17,489 Opportunity Card visas from June 2024 to November 2025, and 7,983 in the first half of 2026. The missions in India issued about 32% of them up to mid-June 2025. Germany publishes no refusal rate for the card, and the government states that it has no reliable data on how many holders find work.

Sources: Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/3132: Opportunity Card visas per month; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/7837: Opportunity Card visas in 2026; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/692: Opportunity Card visas by mission; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/2262: Outcomes of Opportunity Card holders

The Process

How We Get You to Germany

One consultant and one plan, with every document checked before it reaches the embassy.

  1. 1

    Route and points check

    We confirm whether you count as a skilled worker or need points, check your degree in anabin and work out which certificates and evidence will carry your points.

  2. 2

    Recognition and language

    If you need a ZAB statement or a partial recognition, we start it first, because it is the longest step you control. We check that your language certificate comes from an accepted provider.

  3. 3

    Money, insurance and documents

    We set up proof of funds and insurance for the full year, and review your CV, motivation letter and proof of job search before anything reaches the mission.

  4. 4

    Registration and appointment

    You register once, with a complete file, through the channel your mission uses. We prepare you for the appointment.

  5. Arrival and your work permit

    After arrival you register your address and get the residence permit. When you find a job, we prepare the switch to a work permit or Blue Card.

Sources: Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB): Applying for a statement of comparability; Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/3132: Opportunity Card visas per month; § 39 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV)

What It Costs

Official fees are fixed and paid to the authorities. Our flat fee covers the support around them.

Official fees

Official fees for the German Opportunity Card
FeeAmount
National (D) visa at the German mission€75
Residence permit after arrival€100
Extension as a follow-up Opportunity Card€93
Switch to a work permit or Blue Card in Germany€98
ZAB statement of comparability, if anabin is not enough€208

Sources: § 46 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV); § 45 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV); Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB): Fees for a statement of comparability

Not included: the money you show as proof of funds, insurance premiums, language exams, translations and the service fee of the mission’s appointment provider.

Job Seeker Package

€399/ applicant

Free points self-check on this page

  • Eligibility and points verification
  • Degree recognition check (anabin)
  • Motivation letter review
  • Blocked account guidance
  • Health insurance recommendations
  • Application form preparation
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Frequently Asked Questions

How many points do I need for the Opportunity Card?

You need at least 6 points, unless you are a skilled worker. Points come from partial recognition of your qualification, German or English skills, work experience, age, an earlier stay in Germany and a spouse who applies with you. German at A1 or English at B2 is an entry condition and earns no points. Points never replace the qualification or language condition.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); § 20b Residence Act (AufenthG); Points table, Annex to the Residence Act (AufenthG)

Do I need points if my degree is recognised in Germany?

No. If your qualification is German, or recognised or comparable in Germany, you count as a skilled worker. You then need no points and no language certificate, only the money and the insurance. A foreign degree is comparable when anabin lists both the degree as equivalent and the university as H+, or when the ZAB confirms it.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); § 18 Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026; Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025

How much money do I need for the Opportunity Card?

In 2026 the missions ask for €1,091 a month for the whole stay, so €13,092 for a one-year card. Some missions round up to €1,092 a month (€13,104). You can show it with a blocked account or a formal obligation letter from someone living in Germany. Whether a part-time job contract also counts depends on the authority.

Sources: German Embassy Cairo: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of November 2026); German Embassy Amman: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of June 2026); Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026; City of Munich immigration office: Residence permit, Opportunity Card

Can I work with the Opportunity Card?

Yes, but only part time. You can work up to 20 hours a week, averaged over your whole stay, for one or more employers. You can also do trial work of up to two weeks with each employer, if the job is a qualified one. Neither needs approval from the Federal Employment Agency. Self-employment is not allowed while you search.

Sources: § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026

What happens when I find a job?

You apply for a work permit or an EU Blue Card at the immigration office in Germany, without leaving the country. If you have a qualified job but do not yet meet the conditions for a work permit, a follow-up Opportunity Card can extend your stay by up to two years. It needs the approval of the Federal Employment Agency.

Sources: § 39 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); Federal Employment Agency (ZAV): The Opportunity Card, International Services Spotlight 02/2026

How long does the Opportunity Card take?

There is no official answer, because Germany records no average waiting or processing time. Missions publish their own estimates, from a decision within one to two weeks in San José to an appointment wait of more than a year in Yaoundé. If you need a ZAB statement first, add at least three months.

Sources: Federal Government answer to the Bundestag, BT-Drs. 21/5935: Visa waiting times; German Embassy San José: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of August 2025); German Embassy Yaoundé: Appointment booking; Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB): Applying for a statement of comparability

Is the old job seeker visa still available?

Since 1 June 2024, looking for work in Germany from abroad goes through the Opportunity Card. People who studied, trained or researched in Germany keep a separate permit to search for a job after their stay, usually for up to 18 months.

Sources: § 20 Residence Act (AufenthG); § 20a Residence Act (AufenthG); German Embassy Amman: Opportunity Card leaflet (as of June 2026)

What can I do if my Opportunity Card is refused?

Since 1 July 2025 German missions no longer re-examine refusals through remonstration. You can apply again, or sue at the Administrative Court of Berlin within one month of the refusal. In 2025 a visa lawsuit there took 8.7 months on average.

Sources: Federal Foreign Office: End of the remonstration procedure (press release); Federal Foreign Office: Visa Handbook (Visumhandbuch), chapter on the Opportunity Card as of January 2025; § 74 Code of Administrative Court Procedure (VwGO); Administrative Court of Berlin: Annual report 2025

Sources and method

Every rule on this page is checked against the current Residence Act and Residence Ordinance. Figures come from German missions, the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Employment Agency, the ZAB and the federal government’s answers to the Bundestag. We use no blogs, agencies or blocked-account providers as sources for figures. Some mission pages still show outdated amounts, so always compare with your own mission’s current checklist. This page was last reviewed on 7 November 2026. It is general information, not legal advice for your individual case.

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