The new opportunity card – what do I need to know?
Correct as of 1 June 2024
Correct as of 1 June 2024
The term “job search opportunity card” refers to Section 20a of the Residence Act [AufenthG]. It is a residence title that allows the holder to seek employment in Germany. It replaces the previous jobseeker visa.
The opportunity card is aimed at jobseekers who are not nationals of EU/EEA states or Switzerland (referred to as “third-country nationals”) who either have a higher education degree or professional qualification. It gives jobseekers the opportunity to connect with employers in Germany and find qualified employment, a vocational training place, participate in a qualification measure for recognition, or to become self-employed in Germany.
Unlike the previous jobseeker visa (six months), “job search opportunity cards” are issued for a maximum of twelve months. An “opportunity card extension” can be issued for a maximum of two years after the job search title if the skilled worker has found qualified employment but does not meet the requirements for another appropriate residence title.
Depending on the jobseeker’s circumstances, there are two ways to access the opportunity card.
These two options are as follows:
Irrespective of the access route: Applicants must be able to support themselves financially for the entire duration of their stay. To demonstrate this, they can either present proof of a blocked bank account (containing a minimum of €1,027 net per month, amount applicable in 2024) or a declaration of commitment.
The following criteria are relevant for scoring points:
The following points are awarded for previous professional experience in relation to the formal qualification that the applicant gained after graduating:
A certificate of proficiency is required for all language skills. The highest level of German achieved counts once.
If all of these criteria add up to a total of at least 6 points, then the requirements for the opportunity card have been met.
Jobseekers’ visa applications for an opportunity card should be submitted to the competent local German diplomatic mission.
With its new interactive tool Self-Check: Opportunity Card, Make it in Germany offers interested parties the opportunity to test – without obligation – whether they meet the criteria for the opportunity card or achieve the required number of points.
How the Self-Check works:
Enter the country of nationality and click on the country name. You will be guided through the rest of the process.
Users will be prompted step by step to enter information on criteria such as qualifications, language skills, etc. and guided through the tool.
After answering the questions, users are taken to the relevant results page with instructions on how to proceed in each case (the image shows an incomplete and exemplary extract from a successful run). The results page also provides an overview of the questions and answers so that answers can be changed or adapted if necessary.
Even if the basic requirements are not met or the user does not score enough points in the Self-Check Opportunity Card, the results page provides useful tips, such as alternative residence permits or how to increase their score to qualify for the opportunity card.
The results can now be saved:
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[1] Basic information on visa requirements can be found in the “Do I need a visa?” section.
[2] The aim of the job trial must be either to obtain qualified employment, a vocational training place or to take up a qualification measure.
[3] The notice containing conditions is issued if, in the case of a regulated profession, the applicant is required to participate in compensatory measures before obtaining a licence to practise their profession.
[4] See the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
[5] The cut-off date is the 35th birthday.
[6] Tourist stays do not count as relevant previous stays.
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