Working in Germany with the Opportunity Card

The Opportunity Card gives you a legal residence permit that allows you to look for a job in Germany without a fixed employment contract (if you come from a non-EU country). Part-time employment of up to 20 hours a week is possible, as well as a trial job for two weeks. You can also have your vocational qualification recognised retrospectively with the Opportunity Card.

The duration of stay is limited to one year. If you do not find a suitable job, there is no entitlement to an extension after the time has expired. If you have a job, a longer stay in Germany is not linked to the Opportunity Card. Find out more about this at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office.

Applicants from non-EU countries can enter Germany more easily and look for work there more quickly. In addition, holders of the Opportunity Card have the chance to apply for a permanent residence title in Germany. Companies also benefit from this. For potential employers, the Opportunity Card greatly expands the pool of applicants.

Due to a deficit of skilled workers, Germany would have a shortage of about 16 million workers by 2060 – without immigration from abroad. (Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) Many companies are already dependent on the support of individuals. With the Opportunity Card, both applicants and employers gain a long-term perspective on a positive development in the labour market.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card at the relevant German mission abroad in your country of origin (for example, at the German Embassy or German Consulate). If you are already in Germany, simply submit the application to the relevant local Foreigners’ Registration Office.

In this case, please note that you must already be in possession of a valid residence permit or visa. In order to obtain the Opportunity Card, you must fulfill the necessary requirements and, if applicable, provide proof, for example, of your professional experience (vocational training + work experience) or your language skills (German A1 or English B2). You must also have sufficient financial means. You can prove this by means of an employment contract for a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week), for example. Please register for our newsletter if you are interested in such a part-time job.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card at the competent German mission abroad in your country of origin. To do so, you must fill out an application and hold a valid passport. You must also have proof of your education, language skills, previous stays etc. You must also have sufficient financial means. You can prove your financial security by means of an employment contract for a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week). Please register for our newsletter if you are interested in such a part-time job.

The responsible authority checks to what extent the applicant meets the criteria (based on the points system). Applicants should carry appropriate proof (employment references, certificates) with them. If you have already lived in Germany for a longer period of time, you can prove residence with the help of rental contracts, employment contracts or utility bills, for example.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card from 01 June 2024 at the local Foreigners’ Registration Office or the relevant German mission abroad in your country of origin. It expands the previous Skilled Immigration Act (in force since 1 March 2020) to include another residence title for qualified non-EU citizens. While the Skilled Immigration Act facilitates entry and residence, the Opportunity Card is explicitly intended to help people who do not yet have a permanent employment contract in Germany and want to look for a job locally.

To obtain the Opportunity Card, you must submit an application to the competent German mission abroad (for example, the German Embassy or German Consulate). To do this, you should have important documents ready, such as your passport as well as proof of language skills and your vocational training etc. You will also need these for the next steps with the Foreigners’ Registration Office.

The basic requirements for the Opportunity Card are language skills in German (A1) or English (B2) and (at least) two years of vocational training or a university degree. You must also have sufficient financial means. Proof of this can be provided by means of an employment contract for a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week), for example. Please register for our newsletter, if you are interested in such a part-time job. If you cannot prove that you have the necessary language skills or a professional qualification according to the rules of your country of origin, you must fulfill these criteria before applying for the Opportunity Card.

The Green Card is a residence permit for the USA that is subject to strict conditions. A job-based Green Card requires a job offer, while family-based Green Cards can be applied for by family members in the US state. There is also a lottery process by which applicants can win the Green Card. Through the Green Card, US citizenship can be acquired after about 3-5 years.

The Opportunity Card in Germany differs from the Green Card in that it allows a period of residence of one year. You do not have to have a job offer or an employment contract or a family relationship. However, you must score at least six points in the points system for the Opportunity Card. Calculate your points for the Opportunity Card Germany now!

You do not need an employment contract in Germany if you want to apply for the Opportunity Card. However, you must have sufficient language skills (German A1 or English B2) and (at least) two years of vocational training or a university degree according to the rules of your country of origin. You must also have sufficient financial means. Proof of this can be provided by means of an employment contract for a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week), for example. Please register for our newsletter, if you are interested in such a part-time job.

After receiving the Opportunity Card, you will receive a 12-month residence permit. During this time, you may look for a suitable job here or have your professional qualification recognised retroactively. You are allowed two weeks of work on a trial basis (an unlimited number of times) as well as part-time employment of up to 20 hours per week. The hours may be distributed flexibly.

According to the points system, you must obtain at least six points to receive the Opportunity Card. The criteria are as follows:

• Language skills
• Work experience
• Age
• Link to Germany

After receiving the Opportunity Card, you will receive a 12-month residence permit for Germany. During this period, you are allowed to look for a suitable job. Possible areas of activity are two-week trial jobs and part-time jobs with up to 20 hours per week. The trial work must be qualified or aimed at subsequent training. If you find a part-time / full-time job, you must apply to your local Foreigners’ Registration Office for another (longer) residence title for Germany. We assume that this change of residence title will be possible quickly and unbureaucratically.

You can prove your previous stay in Germany by means of a tenancy agreement, for example. In this regard, service charge statements that you received in the course of your tenancy also apply. Employment contracts and service contracts as well as wage payments also count as proof. Tourist stays are excluded.

With the so-called recognition partnership, the applicant’s recognition procedure only begins in Germany. The applicant’s qualifications are subsequently recognised by way of a recognition procedure. In return, applicants are allowed to pursue qualified employment in Germany from day one. The recognition partnership allows a so-called “post-qualification” with the help of a corresponding contract between employer and applicant. In a written agreement, both must state that they will carry out the procedure as soon as possible. Employers must be capable of providing training or post-qualification. Find out more information on this in our blog post.

In Germany, a skilled worker is someone who has vocational training recognised in Germany or a university degree. As a recognised skilled worker, you receive the Opportunity Card immediately (without a points system) and may also pursue qualified employment in the future. With a recognition partnership, you can have your professional qualification recognised retrospectively so that you can work in Germany immediately after entering the country.

With vocational training, you may take up qualified employment as a skilled worker. After you have applied for a corresponding residence permit, you can have your qualification subsequently recognised in Germany via a recognition partnership. To work in a regulated profession (e.g. in the health sector) you need a professional practice permit. This must be obtained before the residence permit. If you have a foreign university degree, you can apply for the “EU Blue Card” in order to pursue qualified employment in Germany. The Federal Employment Agency (BA) will check that your qualifications match your future job.

You are eligible for the “EU Blue Card” if you meet the minimum salary threshold of 55,200 euros gross per year (source: Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community) and if you can prove that you have a completed university degree. Special rules apply to certain professions (doctors, skilled workers in engineering, natural sciences and mathematics, and IT professionals): Here, an annual gross salary of 43,056 euros is sufficient (source: Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community). IT workers do not have to provide proof of their education for employment in Germany. They only need a concrete job offer with an annual gross salary of at least 52,560 euros.

You can prove your vocational training by means of final certificates or a certificate from your employer. This can be a copy of a training contract or confirmation from the training company. In addition, a recognition body yet to be defined by the German government must confirm “state recognition”. We are working on listing corresponding training courses for selected countries. You can read more about this in our blog. With a recognition partnership, you can prove your professional qualifications retrospectively.

For a recognition partnership or to receive the Opportunity Card, you must prove that your vocational qualification is recognised by the state. The recognition does not necessarily have to have taken place in your country of origin, but in the country where you completed your training. “State-recognised” here means that your qualification is based on state legislation and was awarded to you by an authorised person. Certificates can either be based on vocational training (of at least two years) or a university degree.

To receive the Opportunity Card, basic knowledge of German at level A1 or English at level B2 is required. Other language skills play a role in the points system. German at level A2 is awarded one point, German at level B1 is awarded two points, German at level B2 is awarded three points. English language skills at level C1 earn one point (also in addition to German language skills).

German tests

GER

• Consists of four areas: Listening, reading, speaking and writing
• Includes six levels (like all German tests)
• Free online placement test
  A1 (understand simple German sentences)
  A2 (basic knowledge)
  B1 (intermediate)
  B2 (good Intermediate)
  C1 (advanced knowledge)
  C2 (excellent knowledge / mother-tongue level)

Goethe Certificate

• German tests at Goethe-Institut
• Online courses available
• Certificates internationally recognised
• Free placement test
• Choose a language course at your level
  (A1 – A2 for language beginners, B1 – B2 for advanced knowledge, C1 – C2 as final levels)
• Exams available after each level
• Costs around 100 – 300 euros

TestDaF / Test German as a Foreign Language

• German language skills tested at competence levels B2 – C1
• Offered in over 1000 test centres worldwide
• Tests reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, oral expression
• Available digitally
• Costs around 215 euros

DSD / German Language Diploma of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs

• Developed for foreign students
• Exams twice a year at special DSD schools worldwide
• Two diplomas available: DSD1, DSD2
• Reading comprehension, listening comprehension, written expression, oral expression
• Free of charge
• Suitable for candidates at language levels A2, B1, B2, C1

English tests

TOEFL / Test of English as a Foreign Language

• Online at special test centres
• Duration around 4 hours
• Reading comprehension, listening comprehension, speaking (conversation) and written expression (essay)
• Costs around 200 euros
• Important: Participation at short notice is not possible. You must register in good time at a test centre if you need a TOEFL certificate

IELTS / International English Language Testing Systems

• British English as well as American English tests
• Duration around three hours
• Two variants: General (for expatriates and people who want to stay abroad for a longer period of time) and academic (for students who want to apply to a foreign university)
• Listening (comprehension), reading (comprehension), writing (phrasing), speaking (conversation)
• Costs around 226 euros
• Provided by the British Council, available in 17 cities in Germany

Cambridge Certificate

• Special feature: You must first choose your language level and then pass the test
  Various categories:
  A1 – A2 Basic Users = Elementary language use
  B1 – B2 Independent Users = Independent language use
  C1 – C2 Proficient Users = Competent language use
• Duration around 3-4 hours
• Consists of reading and use (text and reading comprehension), writing (formal language), listening (comprehension), speaking (conversation)
• Costs around 200 euros
• Offered by Cambridge University at 2700 test centres worldwide

With the “EU Blue Card,” persons with a university degree can enter Germany to pursue qualified employment. The minimum salary limit of 58,400 euros gross per year must be observed. Skilled workers who have held an “EU Blue Card” from another EU state for at least 18 months can enter Germany without a visa. Employers can apply for the “EU Blue Card” for a prospective employee at the relevant Foreigners’ Registration Office.

The Opportunity Card enables foreign skilled workers from third countries to stay in Germany for one year, even without a university degree. However, they must have (at least) two years of vocational training according to the rules of the country of origin and basic knowledge of German (level A1) or English (level B2). Those who are skilled workers may in future take up any qualified employment.

As a foreign IT professional, you do not need to have a university degree or formal vocational training to obtain the “EU Blue Card”. Only “non-formal qualifications”, i.e. two years of professional experience (at academic level), must be proven by a certificate from the employer, for example. A fixed employment contract is required, stipulating a gross annual income of more than 40,000 euros. In the case of collective bargaining agreements, a lower income is also sufficient as proof.

With the Opportunity Card, you are allowed to carry out a part-time job of up to 20 hours a week. Working hours can be arranged flexibly. This regulation remains in force even if you complete a language course in Germany or study here. Participants on a language course therefore have another way of supplementing their living expenses. Stays in the form of a student exchange are excluded from this.

To receive the Opportunity Card, you must have sufficient financial means. Proof of this can be provided, for example, by means of an employment contract for such part-time employment, which you conclude before applying for an Opportunity Card. Please register for our newsletter if you are interested in such a part-time job.

Self-employment within the scope of the Opportunity Card is possible if you apply for a change to another residence title at the local Foreigners’ Registration Office. Within the framework of the Opportunity Card, employment of up to 20 hours per week and a two-week trial job (an unlimited number of times) are permitted.

With the Opportunity Card, you are allowed to do an unlimited number of trial jobs lasting up to two weeks each. The trial work must be qualified employment or aimed at the possibility of subsequent training so that you can achieve possible follow-up residence titles. In principle, you can switch between different trial jobs without any problems.

The expanded Skilled Immigration Act will most likely come into force on 01 June 2024. You can obtain the Opportunity Card from the competent German mission abroad in your country of origin (German Embassy or German Consulate) from this date. If you are already in Germany and have a legal residence title, you can apply for the Opportunity Card at the Foreigners’ Registration Office.

In the points system for the Opportunity Card, you will find the criterion “Relevance to Germany”. This is not about language skills, but about previous stays in Germany (at least six months). Tourist trips (e.g. short stays within the framework of the Schengen Agreement, 90 days within 180 days) do not count here. Short-term trips to other EU states during the previous stay, on the other hand, are not a problem as long as the main focus of the stay continues to be in Germany.

As a skilled worker, you must have a vocational qualification or university degree. You do not have to be a recognised skilled worker to apply for the Opportunity Card. Instead, you must prove that you have completed (at least) two years of vocational training / a university degree according to the rules of your country of origin. Certificates of completion or written confirmation from your employer or training institution can serve as proof.

This does not apply to IT professionals, who do not have to prove a university degree or vocational training, but must demonstrate two years of professional experience and provide an existing employment contract. You can have your professional qualification subsequently recognised in Germany via a recognition partnership. If you do not have the relevant documents needed for proof, a qualification analysis may be an option.

With a recognition partnership, you can have your degree recognised in Germany and work at the same time. The recognition procedure only begins for you in Germany, so you can look for work from day one. The “post-qualification” takes place with the support of the employer and must be applied for at the relevant Foreigners’ Registration Office or at the German mission abroad in the country of origin.

For the recognition procedure, you must provide evidence of your vocational training and work experience, for example written confirmation from your workplace. If this evidence is missing, a qualification analysis can be considered, with which you may prove your knowledge and skills in practical terms.

The German authorities can issue as many Opportunity Cards as they wish. However, this may change if the demand is high. If there is too much demand for Opportunity Cards, the authorities are permitted to impose a specific quota.

If you are a person from a non-EU country (“third country”), you may apply for the Opportunity Card. To do this, you must submit an application to the German mission in your country of origin and provide evidence in the form of language skills and professional experience. You can obtain the Opportunity Card via a points system. Calculate your points for the Opportunity Card now!

With the skilled labour pillar, skilled workers with a university degree or recognised vocational training can enter Germany to pursue qualified employment. The experience pillar is intended to make it easier for foreigners to enter Germany by not requiring a university degree but two years of professional experience. With the potential pillar, persons from third countries can prove their skills and knowledge via the points system for the Opportunity Card.

The basic requirement is (at least) two years of vocational training according to the rules of the country of origin as well as sufficient language skills (German A1 or English B2). To receive the Opportunity Card, you must have sufficient financial means. This is possible with a part-time job (up to 20 hours a week). Proof of this can be provided, for example, by means of an employment contract that you conclude before applying for an Opportunity Card. Please register for our newsletter if you are interested in such a part-time job.

In the so-called experience pillar, you can enter Germany if you have a university degree or a two-year vocational qualification according to the rules of your country of origin. In addition, you need a permanent employment contract. As a foreign skilled worker, you can pursue any qualified occupation in Germany (in non-regulated professions). In the potential pillar, you can enter Germany via the points allocation system for the Opportunity Card.

The prerequisite for participating in the points system is a basic knowledge of German (A1) or English (B2). In addition, (at least) two years of vocational training according to the rules of the country of origin is required. To receive the Opportunity Card, you must have sufficient financial means. This is possible with a part-time job (up to 20 hours a week). Proof of this can be provided by means of an employment contract that you sign before applying for an Opportunity Card, for example. Please register for our newsletter if you are looking for such a part-time job.

As the holder of an Opportunity Card, you are not automatically entitled to have your family join you. This is only possible if you change from the Opportunity Card to another residence title. If you apply for the Opportunity Card together with your spouse, children may come to Germany with you.

It can take several weeks or months from the time you apply to the relevant Foreigners’ Registration Office or the German mission abroad in your country of origin until you are granted a residence permit in Germany with the Opportunity Card. The German authorities undertake to process the permit as quickly as possible and to check your documents as soon as possible.

You have to apply for another permit or for a permanent residence title in Germany at the local Foreigners’ Registration Office. You can change from the Opportunity Card to a follow-up residence title if you meet the criteria for the other residence titles. This could be language skills or specialist knowledge in your profession. If you have found a part-time or full-time job in Germany via the Opportunity Card, this counts as a criterion for extending your stay in Germany. Changing to a residence title for regular employment is uncomplicated.

The duration of stay in Germany with the Opportunity Card is exactly one year. An extension is possible by up to two years under certain circumstances. If you have already held the Opportunity Card but left Germany thereafter, you can apply again (after a break of at least one year).

If you cannot prove your degree or professional experience with the necessary documents, you can have your skills and knowledge tested within the framework of a qualification analysis in Germany. You must apply for a corresponding residence title for this at the relevant Foreigners’ Registration Office. In doing so, you must prove that your vocational training qualifies you for qualified employment in Germany. You should have at least sufficient knowledge of German (A1), as the examination of your skills will take place in German.

With the qualification analysis, you can have your vocational training recognised by the state in Germany. Your skills and knowledge are tested in practice in a technical interview, through a work sample or through trial work in the company. This is not an examination, but practical proof of your qualification. After a successful qualification analysis, you will be granted full or partial recognition.

In order to prove sufficient financial means for the Opportunity Card, you usually have to present sufficient bank balances or regular proof of income. In doing so, you must prove that you have sufficient funds to secure your livelihood and, if applicable, that of your family members in Germany without having to rely on public funds from Germany.

The level of financial means that must be proven can vary from case to case. Since 1 January 2023, the assumed annual standard requirement for a so-called blocked account is 11,208 euros per person. The account may only allow the withdrawal of a certain amount per month. However, as mentioned, you may be able to prove your balance or income in other ways.

Another way of proving sufficient income is to sign an employment contract with a German employer for 20 hours per week before applying for the Opportunity Card. The regulations on the type of job are very generous here. For example, you can work in a restaurant or at a bakery. Thanks to the minimum wage that applies in Germany, such an employment contract should also be sufficient for proving financial means to the embassy.

We are currently working on listing offers of suitable part-time jobs (up to 20 hours per week) on this website. Please register for our newsletter service for the latest information.

No, the Opportunity Card is limited to Germany and does not automatically entitle you to work in other EU countries. If you also want to work in other EU countries, you must apply for a separate work permit and residence permit there. However, there are various EU regulations that make it easier to work in other EU countries, especially if you already work or have lived in another EU country. Find out about this from the competent authorities in the respective EU country.

For holders of the Opportunity Card there should be integration courses and language courses in Germany with which you can acquire basic language skills and knowledge of the country. Such courses are available in practically every major city and are offered regularly. If you want to stay in Germany for a longer period of time, you should take advantage of this offer.

The Opportunity Card allows you to work in Germany but not to take up studies. If you want to study in Germany, you must apply and be accepted for a degree program. There are special requirements and procedures for this, which may vary from university to university. You may also have to prove that you have sufficient knowledge of German or take a language test. If you have already completed vocational training or a degree in your home country, parts of your training or studies can be credited towards a degree program in Germany.

An application to determine equivalence for non-regulated professions is a procedure that enables migrants to have their professional qualifications acquired abroad recognised in Germany. In particular, this refers to professions that are not protected by specific professional regulations or laws. Such an application can be made, for example, for professions such as journalist, IT professional or management consultant. The procedure for determining equivalence is carried out by the competent bodies in the respective German federal state and usually relates to the professional competence and training of the applicant. If equivalence is established, the applicant can use the qualifications in Germany and, if applicable, also obtain a work permit.