Germany Opportunity Card Eases Move for Foreign Workers

The Germany Opportunity Card allows non-EU nationals to spend a year in Germany looking for work.

If you’ve been considering moving to Germany, this new work visa might be for you.

Germany is looking for more talented workers and has announced an alternate path for eligible foreign people to relocate to the country.

The Germany Opportunity Card permits non-EU nationals to stay for a year in Germany in search of a job.

Also Read, July SAVE Plan Update slashes Student Loan Bills in Half for Millions

There is a New Way for International Workers to Relocate to Germany

The German Chancenkarte, or Opportunity Card, was initially proposed in 2022 as a tool to help international workers find jobs in Germany.

It will now debut on June 1, 2024, as the government strives to supplement its limited supply of young, qualified workers.

To address the gap, Germany requires around 400,000 new qualified people each year, particularly in engineering, information technology, and healthcare.

Germany’s New Work Visa allows you to Seek a job for One Year

The Germany Opportunity Card acts as a temporary visa or work permit, enabling non-EU people to stay in the country for up to a year.

During this time, issuers can work part-time for a maximum of twenty hours per week or take part in two-week work trials.

The goal is to make it simpler for competent people to obtain acceptable employment and for businesses in need of staff to locate foreign workers to fill open positions.

If a cardholder wants to move to a full-time job, they can apply for longer-term residence, which made easier because the candidate already has a job.

Who is Eligible for Germany Opportunity Card?

Germany Opportunity Card Requirements

If you wish to apply for the Germany Chancenkarte, you must have completed at least two years of vocational training or have a university degree from your home country related to your preferred position.

Additionally, applicants must be fluent in either German or English.

Those interested must demonstrate that they have the cash or earnings from a part-time job contract to cover their year-long stay in Germany, which is little more than €12,000.

Using a points system, the nation rate candidates with a minimum of six points.

In Germany, you can earn four points by obtaining recognition for a professional qualification or by being licensed to practice a regulated profession, such as teaching, nursing, or engineering.

Three points are given to candidates who have completed five years of professional experience in their area during the previous seven years or who speak German at the B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

You receive two points if you have two years of professional experience before vocational training within the last five years, are under the age of 35 at the time of application, and have a B1 certificate in German.

You earn one point if you are under 40 at the time of application, have lived in Germany for at least six months (excluding tourism purposes), possess C1 English and A2 German language skills, trained in an occupation where there is a labor shortage in Germany, and apply with a spouse.

Those willing can apply for the Germany New Opportunity Card through the German consulate in their native country or the local Foreigners’ Registration Office in Germany.