Germany Opportunity Card allows job seekers to stay for 12 months

Germany replaced its old job seeker visa with the Opportunity Card on June 1, 2024, creating a points-based route for qualified non-EU nationals to enter without a job offer and search for work for up to 12 months.

A points system replaced the old route

The Opportunity Card or Chancenkarte, is a residence permit under Germany’s Skilled Immigration Act. Unlike the previous route, it formally scores applicants who don’t already hold qualifications recognized under German law.

Cardholders may work up to 20 hours a week while job hunting and complete short trial placements, typically lasting no more than two weeks. The permit is designed for qualified employment or professional recognition, not general travel.

Applicants have two paths

Workers with a German qualification or a foreign qualification recognized as equivalent can qualify without using the points grid. They must still prove they can support themselves during the stay.

Other applicants need at least six points and must first meet baseline requirements:

• A university degree or vocational qualification involving at least two years of training

• At least A1 German or B2 English

• Proof of sufficient funds without relying on German social benefits

Points can come from professional experience, age, stronger language skills and the recognition status of foreign qualifications. Applicants using this route need qualification and language evidence, proof of funds and enough points documented before filing with a German mission abroad or local foreigners’ office.

Remote work isn’t the permit’s purpose

The Opportunity Card doesn’t function as a digital nomad visa and doesn’t authorize freelancing or foreign-client remote work as its main purpose. Remote workers fit the route only if they meet its requirements and intend to move into qualified German employment.

Once cardholders secure eligible work, they may apply inside Germany for an EU Blue Card, skilled worker residence permit or another qualifying status. Travelers visiting for tourism remain subject to ordinary Schengen rules, while applicants planning a longer move can compare the card with other options in Germany’s residency rules.