Germany introduces New Visa Scheme to attract Skilled Workers from Outside the EU

Starting this Saturday, 1st June 2024, skilled workers from non-EU countries will have the opportunity to move to Germany and search for employment for up to a year, provided they meet certain criteria.

This new visa programme called “Opportunity Card” is part of a broader legislative initiative to address Germany’s pressing shortage of skilled labour.

“We are ensuring that the workers and specialists our economy has desperately needed for years can come to our country,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Saturday.

What Does the New Scheme Involve?

Eligible individuals can apply for the Opportunity Card, or Chancenkarte in German, if they have completed at least two years of vocational training or hold a university degree recognised in the country where it was obtained.

Applicants must also demonstrate proficiency in either German or English.

The eligibility for this scheme is determined by a points system, which evaluates applicants based on their language skills, professional experience, age, and connections to Germany. A minimum of six points is required to qualify for a card.

Successful applicants will be granted entry into Germany and allowed to search for a job for up to a year. Participants can work part-time or in trial jobs for up to 20 hours a week during this period.

This scheme eliminates the requirement for non-EU residents to secure a job contract with a German company before being allowed to enter the country.

The following basic requirements must be fulfilled for the Opportunity Card on a points basis:

• Completion of a degree or at least two years of training that is recognised by the state in which it was obtained,
• German language skills at least at level A1 or English language skills at least at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR),
• sufficient financial means to cover your living expenses for the duration of your stay in Germany.

The scoring system at a glance

If the basic requirements listed above are fulfilled and there is no direct qualification as a skilled worker, the required minimum score of six points can be obtained via the following criteria to receive the Opportunity Card.

1. Partial recognition of a foreign educational qualification: If you have already undergone the procedure for recognising your foreign qualification and partial equivalence has been established as a result, you will receive four points for this. The same applies in the case of a regulated profession if compensatory measures are still required for the licence to practise. (4 points)
2. Qualification in a shortage occupation: If your qualification belongs to a so-called shortage occupation, you will receive one point. A shortage occupation is an occupation in which there is a shortage of skilled labour. In the list of shortage occupations linked here, you can find out whether your occupational field is one of them. (1 point)
3. Professional experience: If you can prove that you have at least two years of professional experience appropriate to the qualifications that you have acquired within the last five years, you will receive two points. If you have at least three years of professional experience within the last seven years, you will receive three points. (2-3 points)
4. Language skills: You will receive one point for German language skills at level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), two points for language level B1 and three points for level B2 or higher. You will receive an additional point for English language skills at level C1 or higher and at the native speaker level. (1-4 points)
5. Age: People who are not older than 35 years of age receive two points. One point is awarded for ages between 35 and 40. (1-2 points)
6. Relation to Germany: If you have resided legally and continuously in Germany for at least six months in the last five years, you will receive one point. This includes stays for study, language acquisition or gainful employment. Stays for tourist purposes (e.g. holidays or family visits) are excluded from this. (1 point)
7. Joint applications with your partner: If you wish to enter Germany together with your spouse or registered partner and you both apply for the Opportunity Card at the same German mission, one point can be awarded for one of the two applications, provided the other requirements are also fulfilled. (1 point)

Please note that all details relating to the above criteria must be supported by appropriate evidence or certificates.

Apply online for the Opportunity Card.

Opportunity Card: Info for candidates and employers.