How many points do you need for Germany's Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)?

Germany's Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) requires a pass mark of 6 points.

Do you need a job offer for Germany's Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)?

No — you can qualify without a job offer.

Skilled MigrationActive

Germany

Q: Does Germany's Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) lead to permanent residency?

It is a route toward residency rather than an immediate grant of PR. The Chancenkarte is a 1-year job-seeker permit, not residence-for-settlement. After finding qualified work you switch to a work residence permit; a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) typically follows after 21–33 months (skilled worker) or up to 5 years.

Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)

Also known as: Chancenkarte, Job-seeker points card

Regulator: Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) / Federal Foreign OfficeOfficial program site ↗

Pass mark: 6 pts
Model: Fixed threshold
Leads to: Temporary → PR
Path to PR: Over time
Job offer: No
Language test: No
Processing: Varies

Points system

Recognition of qualification

4 pts

Partial recognition of a foreign qualification = 4 points. (Full recognition as a skilled worker skips the points test entirely.)

Shortage occupation

1 pts

Qualification in a recognised bottleneck/shortage occupation (Engpassberuf).

Work experience

3 pts

≥2 of the last 5 years = 2 points; ≥5 of the last 7 years = 3 points.

German language

3 pts

A2 = 1, B1 = 2, B2 or higher = 3.

English language

1 pts

C1 or native speaker = 1 point.

Age

2 pts

Up to and including 34 = 2 points; 35–39 = 1 point.

Prior stay in Germany

1 pts

A previous qualifying residence in Germany (≥6 months, not tourism).

Partner / spouse

1 pts

Spouse or partner also meets the requirements and applies jointly.

Pass mark: 6 points.

Path to permanent residency

Grants PR directly: No
Years to permanent residency: Varies

The Chancenkarte is a 1-year job-seeker permit, not residence-for-settlement. After finding qualified work you switch to a work residence permit; a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) typically follows after 21–33 months (skilled worker) or up to 5 years.

Visas & streams

Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)

Eligibility requirements

A recognised foreign qualification OR at least 6 points on the test
At least a two-year vocational or academic qualification
Basic German (A1) or English (B2)
Proof of funds to support the job search (~€1,091/month) or part-time work

Disqualifiers

Fewer than 6 points and no recognised qualification
No proof of subsistence

Recent changes

2024-06-01
Opportunity Card launched as the final stage of the 2023 Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz).

Notes

Recognised skilled workers receive the card without taking the points test. Holders get up to 12 months to seek qualified work, and may work part-time (≤20 hrs/week) and take 2-week trial jobs during the search.

EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or immigration advice. Points tables, thresholds, and salary floors change frequently — always verify with the official program authority before acting.