If you’ve ever considered living in Germany, now might be the perfect time to make the move. Germany has recently introduced a new work visa called the Chancenkarte, or “Opportunity Card,” designed to provide non-EU nationals with a new avenue for immigrating to Germany.
Launched on June 1, the Chancenkarte employs a points-based system to evaluate applicants based on various criteria, including academic qualifications, language skills, and professional experience.
Nancy Faeser, Germany’s Federal Minister of the Interior and Community, stated to the BBC, “[The Opportunity Card] will make it easier and quicker for people with experience and potential to find a suitable job and get started.”
The Opportunity Card allows recipients to live in Germany for up to a year while searching for employment, eliminating the need for an employer to sponsor them beforehand. Additionally, the card permits part-time work while job hunting. This initiative represents a significant change in Germany’s approach to its labor shortage, aiming to increase the number of professional workers in sectors such as medicine, education, manufacturing, and engineering. Unlike a digital nomad visa, the Opportunity Card facilitates a more streamlined German immigration process, enabling non-EU citizens to look for work directly in the country. However, this move has sparked debate among conservatives who worry it could allow rejected asylum seekers to find employment in Germany.
Successful applicants must possess either a professional qualification or an academic degree recognized in Germany or meet a combination of criteria such as years of professional experience, age, and language skills, with each factor contributing to a points system. A minimum of six points is required to qualify for the visa. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate their ability to cover living expenses during their job search, with a minimum requirement of €1,027 per month.
Since EU citizens can already live and work in Germany, the Opportunity Card targets individuals residing outside the EU and Switzerland, as Swiss citizens also do not need a visa or work permit to enter Germany. The Chancenkarte is structured to favor non-EU citizens with ties to Germany, offering extra points for German language skills or education in a German school.
Alex Masurovsky, a former Master’s student at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain who now resides in New York, expressed interest in the new visa and the possibility of returning to Berlin. He shared, “For me, [Germany] had just enough of those European sensibilities, like sitting down for coffee and staying out late, to enjoy without it feeling pretentious. It also has a great appreciation for music, mostly electronic, but small and sincere pockets of jazz, blues, and punk rock, too. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
While the cultural and nightlife attractions of Germany are appealing, the primary goal of the new visa is to provide a long-term solution to the country’s labor shortages, which are a significant factor in Germany’s ongoing financial challenges. “We are making sure that we can attract the skilled workers our economy has urgently needed for years,” Fraser said. “This is vital for our country’s future.”
For those interested in learning more, the Make It In Germany website offers detailed information about the Chancenkarte. The site includes a “self-check” tool that allows users to assess their eligibility for the visa. Official applications for the visa must be submitted in person at a local German Diplomatic Mission.
