Germany · Chancenkarte
Germany Opportunity Card Consultants in Kerala
The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) lets you enter Germany without a job offer and look for work there for up to a year. You qualify either with a fully recognised qualification or by scoring six points.
Basic requirements
All three are needed before any points are counted.
A recognised qualification
A university degree, or a vocational qualification of at least two years, that is state-recognised in the country where you earned it.Language
German at A1 level or English at B2 level.Proof of funds
Money to support yourself for the stay, usually in a blocked account, or a part-time job contract.
How the six points are scored
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Qualification partially recognised in Germany | 4 |
| Qualification in a shortage occupation | 1 |
| Work experience in your profession: 2 years in the last 5 | 2 |
| Work experience in your profession: 5 years in the last 7 | 3 |
| German at A2 / B1 / B2 or higher | 1 / 2 / 3 |
| English at C1 or native speaker | 1 |
| Age under 35 / 35 to 40 | 2 / 1 |
| Legal stay in Germany of 6 months or more in the last 5 years | 1 |
| Spouse or partner also qualifies and applies with you | 1 |
Check your own total with the Opportunity Card points calculator.
What the card allows
The card is issued for up to one year. During that time you may work part-time for up to 20 hours a week, and take trial jobs of up to two weeks with employers you are applying to. When you find a qualified job, you switch to a residence permit for employment without leaving Germany.
It is a job-search visa, not a job. You need a realistic plan for where you will apply and enough German to be hired. For regulated professions such as nursing, recognition is still required before you can practise, so the nurse recruitment route is usually the better choice.
How we prepare your application
Points check
Use the Opportunity Card points calculator, then have a consultant confirm it against your documents.
Qualification evidence
A statement of comparability for your degree, or the recognition notice for a vocational qualification.
Language certificate
A recognised German or English test at the level you are claiming.
Funds
Opening the blocked account and obtaining the confirmation the mission requires.
Visa application
Forms, motivation and job-search plan, and the appointment at the German mission.
Job-search preparation
A German-format CV and guidance on where employers in your field advertise.
Opportunity Card questions
Do I need to speak German?
Not necessarily. English at B2 meets the basic language requirement. In practice most employers hire in German, and each level of German adds points, so we advise starting classes before you apply.
Can the Opportunity Card be extended?
If you have found a qualified job but not yet the right permit for it, an extension of up to two years is possible. It cannot be extended simply to keep searching.
Can I bring my family?
The card is for the job seeker. Family members normally join once you hold a residence permit for employment.
Related pages
Germany Opportunity Card points calculator
See whether you reach the six points needed for the Chancenkarte.
Germany
Germany immigration consultants in Kerala: the Opportunity Card, Ausbildung vocational training and skilled worker visas, with German language training.
Ausbildung
Ausbildung in Germany from Kerala: paid vocational training with a German employer, the German level you need, the training contract and the Ausbildung visa.
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