Germany Opportunity Card Points Calculator

Germany Opportunity Card Points Calculator

The Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) has two routes. On the direct route, applicants whose foreign degree or vocational qualification is fully recognised in Germany count as skilled workers and need no points and no language certificate. Everyone else uses the points route, where you need a minimum of 6 points. Use this guide to calculate your score before applying.

How the Points System Works

Before any points count, the points route has basic requirements you must all meet: a university degree or vocational training of at least 2 years recognised by the state where it was obtained, German at least A1 or English at least B2, and proof of financial means. Points are then awarded for recognition, professional experience, language skills, age, previous stays in Germany and a qualifying partner. "Recognition" means your foreign qualification has been checked against a German reference qualification — via the anabin database or Germany's official recognition portal — and found fully or partially comparable. The table below shows the points for each criterion (source: German missions' Opportunity Card guidance, Section 20a and Section 20b of the German Residence Act).

Points Breakdown

Minimum required on the points route: 6 points. Within experience, language and age, only the highest applicable line counts.

Example Score Calculations

IT Engineer, age 28, 4 years related experience, German B1, English B2 (degree not fully recognised in Germany):
Age 35 or under (2) + 2+ years experience in last 5 (2) + German B1 (2) = 6 points ✓ Meets the points threshold (basic requirements met via English B2 / German A1+)

Commerce Graduate, age 32, 1 year experience, German A1, no English certificate:
Age 35 or under (2) = 2 points ✗ Below 6 points (A1 German meets the language minimum but earns no points; experience under 2 years earns none)

Engineer with a degree fully recognised in Germany:
Direct route ✓ — no points calculation or language certificate needed; financial means and the other general requirements still apply.

What Happens After You Have 6+ Points?

The Opportunity Card is a job-seeker visa — it allows you to live in Germany and search for a job for up to 1 year. You may work part-time up to an average of 20 hours per week and do trial employment of up to 2 weeks per employer. Once you find a qualifying job, you switch to a skilled-worker residence permit or the EU Blue Card (if your salary meets the threshold). If you have found qualified work but do not yet meet the requirements for another permit, a follow-up Opportunity Card of up to 2 years is possible.

Financial Requirement

Even if you have 6+ points, you must also prove you can financially support yourself during your job search in Germany. You need to show blocked funds of currently €1,091 per month (12 months = €13,092/year) for example in a German blocked account (Sperrkonto), through a formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) or other proof accepted by the mission. This figure updates annually, so confirm the current amount before you apply.

Is the Opportunity Card Right for You?

The Opportunity Card suits professionals who have qualifications and experience but don't yet have a German job offer. If you already have a job offer with a salary above €45,934–€50,700, the EU Blue Card is a faster and more direct route.