Here you learn ...
what an Opportunity Card is and the difference to the Job Seeker Visa
the requirements for issuing the Opportunity Card
what you should pay attention to when applying for the Opportunity Card
whether family reunification and settlement are possible with the Opportunity Card
Written by:
lawyer
Publication date:
February 8, 2025
Reading time
10 minutes
Table of Content
1. What is the Opportunity Card?
2. Requirements for issuing the Opportunity Card
2.1 Securing a livelihood
2.2 Skilled worker or sufficient points (points table)
2.3 Language skills and other requirements
3. Rights with the new opportunity map (2025)
4. Apply for an Opportunity Card from abroad
5. Family reunification with the Opportunity Card
6. Settlement permit with the Opportunity Card
7. FAQ on the Opportunity Map
1. What is the Opportunity Card?
The Opportunity Card (not to be confused with the Opportunity Residence Right pursuant to Section 104c of the Residence Act) is one of the major new introductions of the reform of the Skilled Immigration Act in 2023. It was created based on the Canadian model and is intended to enable well-trained or experienced skilled workers to stay in Germany under certain conditions. In contrast to other residence permits, the Opportunity Card is not tied to mandatory requirements that must be met, but allows missing requirements to be compensated for by other features.
The legal regulations for the Opportunity Card came into force on June 1, 2024 and are similar to the Job Seeker Visa in certain cases. The Opportunity Card ( Section 20a of the Residence Act ) therefore partially replaces the Job Seeker Visa ( Section 20 of the Residence Act ).
2. Requirements for issuing the Opportunity Card
2.1 Securing a livelihood
Just like the Jobseeking Visa, the requirement for the Chance Card to be issued is that you can secure your livelihood . In concrete terms, this means that you are able to finance your rent, health insurance and your daily needs during your stay in Germany. These expenses usually amount to at least around 1,500 euros per month . So if you apply for the Chance Card for 6 months, you must have financial resources of 9,000 euros (6 x 1,500 euros). You must therefore prove this amount when applying for the Chance Card (for example by submitting bank statements or a so-called blocked account). Securing your livelihood is a mandatory requirement for applying for the Chance Card. The immigration authorities cannot deviate from this.
2.2 Skilled worker or sufficient points
The second important requirement for applying for the opportunity card is that you are a skilled worker ( Opportunity card for skilled workers ) or that you have enough points according to the points table ( Points opportunity card ). If you are a trained skilled worker (i.e. have a qualification recognized in Germany), you do not have to achieve the minimum number of points. Your training then replaces the necessary points. The points are therefore only relevant if you do not have training recognized in Germany. If you do not have training recognized in Germany, you must achieve at least 6 points .
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The points table for the chance card is as follows:
1. (partially recognized) degree or training abroad - 4 points
2. B2 knowledge of the German language - 3 points
3. B1 knowledge of the German language - 2 points
4. A2 German language skills - 1 point
5. C1 English language skills - 1 point
6. 5 years of professional experience in a relevant field in the last 7 years - 3 points
7. 2 years of professional experience in a relevant field in the last 5 years - 2 points
8. Qualifications in a STEM field - 1 point
9. not older than 35 years old - 2 points
10. not older than 40 years old - 1 point
11. 6 months of legal residence in Germany in the last 5 years - 1 point
12. have a spouse who meets the requirements for the opportunity card - 1 point
2.3 Language skills and other requirements
A further requirement for the issue of the Opportunity Card is that you have A1 German language skills . Finally, the general visa requirements must of course always be met (in particular, a valid passport must be available). You can find further information on the general visa requirements for the Opportunity Card in our VISAGUARD guide to applying for a residence permit .
3. Rights with the new opportunity map (2025)
The Opportunity Card allows skilled workers to stay in Germany for a limited period of time to look for a job locally. The Opportunity Card facilitates access to procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications, which accelerates integration into the labor market. Once a job has been found, the Opportunity Card can be converted into a regular residence permit for gainful employment.
The Opportunity Card also allows you to work up to 20 hours a week . If you use this option, it can make it much easier to earn a living. It is therefore advisable to look for a part-time job in Germany if you want to apply for the Opportunity Card.
The opportunity card is generally issued for one year (so-called search opportunity card ) and can be extended to two years under certain conditions (so-called follow-up opportunity card ).
4. Apply for an Opportunity Card from abroad
The Opportunity Card gives qualified professionals from third countries the opportunity to look for a job in Germany. Especially for professionals who are still abroad, the question often arises as to how the application is made and what steps are required. In this guide, you will learn how to successfully apply for the Opportunity Card from abroad.
To apply for the Opportunity Card from abroad, you must first find the responsible embassy . You can find out how to find the responsible embassy in our corresponding VISAGUARD guide to applying for a visa . You must then submit the necessary documents to the responsible embassy and make an appointment. You can generally find out which documents are required on the homepage of the respective embassy (see also the Federal Foreign Office's overview page on applying for the Opportunity Card ).
Once you have collected the documents , you can request an appointment at the embassy. Your documents will then be checked there and, if successful, the Opportunity Card Visa will be issued. You can then enter Germany with this Opportunity Card Visa.
The processing time for the Opportunity Card can vary greatly depending on the embassy and country. By law, foreign representations (embassies and consulates) have up to 3 months to process an application for the Opportunity Card (Section 75 of the Administrative Court Act). You can find more information on the processing time for the Opportunity Card in our VISAGUARD guide to speeding up the processing time .
5. Family reunification with the Opportunity Card
Family reunification is theoretically possible with the Opportunity Card, but is subject to the general conditions for issuing the card, without any special relief being granted. This means in particular that the livelihood of the entire family must be secured. You must therefore be able to pay for housing, everyday needs and the necessary insurance with the Opportunity Card. Given that the Opportunity Card only allows for part-time employment of up to 20 hours per week (see above), this is likely to be relatively difficult.
Furthermore, the spouse joining the country must also provide evidence of basic language skills when applying for the Opportunity Card, as the Opportunity Card is not privileged for family reunification (as is the case with the EU Blue Card, for example) (see Section 30, Paragraph 1, Sentence 2 of the Residence Act ).
6. Settlement permit with the Opportunity Card
The granting of a settlement permit on the basis of the search opportunity card (Section 20a, Paragraph 5, Sentence 1 of the Residence Act) is excluded (Section 20a, Paragraph 6 of the Residence Act). With the so-called "follow-up opportunity card" (Section 20a, Paragraph 5, Sentence 2 of the Residence Act), however, a settlement permit can be applied for in accordance with the general requirements of Section 9 of the Residence Act . The decisive criteria for this are in particular the complete security of one's livelihood, the payment of contributions to statutory pension insurance over a period of 60 months and the possession of a residence permit for at least five years. Periods spent with a search opportunity card are counted towards these requirements.
CONTACT US
Are you looking for a lawyer in German immigration and foreigners law? Our lawyers will be happy to support you in residence procedures before embassies, immigration authorities and administrative courts in Germany..
Contact us to book a consultation via video call! with a German Attorney for immigration law!
VISAGUARD.Berlin Legal Services
7. FAQ Opportunity Map
Can I apply for the Opportunity Card online?
No, the application must be submitted in person at the German embassy or consulate. However, some documents can be submitted digitally in advance (see the Federal Foreign Office's overview page on the Opportunity Card ).
What happens if my application for the Opportunity Card is rejected?
If your application for an opportunity card is rejected, you can file an objection (“remonstration”) or try to meet the missing requirements. One of the independent VISAGUARD lawyers will be happy to advise you in this case.
Can I apply for BAföG with the Chancenkarte?
As a rule, there is no entitlement to BAföG, since BAföG usually requires a 5-year prior residence in Germany ( Section 8 Paragraph 3 BAföG ).
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