Germany Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) Application

Atomic Answer: The Chancenkarte, or Opportunity Card, is Germany's new points-based visa for job seekers. Launched in 2024, it allows skilled workers from non-EU countries to come to Germany for up to one year to find employment, provided they meet specific criteria in education, language skills, and age.

The German government has been working to update the Skilled Immigration Act, which has been in force since March 2020, in order to facilitate the immigration of qualified professionals from non-EU countries to Germany. In this regard, the Chancenkarte, or Opportunity Card, bill was approved at the end of November 2022 and has entered the legalization phase.

The Chancenkarte application is a type of immigration visa based on a points system, proposed to facilitate the process of settling in Germany for highly demanded skilled workers. According to the statement made by Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil, the opportunity card is intended to accelerate the arrival of non-EU citizens in Germany to find work and obtain a residence permit.

The Need for Skilled Workers in Germany and the Most Wanted Professions

It has been noted that the need for skilled workers in Germany has increased gradually compared to previous years as of 2022. According to the data of the German Employment Research Institute, it was determined that there were 1.74 million open skilled worker positions across the country at the beginning of 2022.

According to the survey results announced by the IFO research institute in July 2022, it was determined that there was a personnel shortage affecting the majority of companies in Germany and the country's economy was affected by this situation.

According to IFO research, the sectors with the highest current labor shortage in Germany are the service, accommodation and event sectors. After the service sector, the sectors with the highest skilled worker shortage are IT, machinery, metal manufacturing, construction, storage and food.

Chancenkarte Scoring System and Required Criteria

Within the scope of the approved bill regarding the Chancenkarte application, it is stated that qualified employees who will apply for immigration will be required to meet certain application criteria. The opportunity card application criteria are evaluated according to a scoring system similar to the Green Card in the United States and the Express Entry immigration applications in Canada.

In order to settle in Germany with the opportunity card, you must receive sufficient points in at least 3 of the criteria listed below.

Education: You must have a university degree or vocational training certificate that is equivalent in Germany.

Experience: You must have at least 3 years of experience in your profession.

Language proficiency: You are expected to have at least B1 level German proficiency or to have previously resided in Germany.

Age: Being under 35 years of age will make you stand out in the application.

Unlike other types of work visas, you are not required to have found a job in Germany to obtain a Chancenkarte. However, you will be required to have the financial means to cover your living expenses while searching for a job in Germany.

Germany Opportunity Card Application Process

The Germany Opportunity Card application is still in the legalization phase and the application system has not been officially announced. Opportunity card applications are expected to be received through the online system to be created by the German Ministry of the Interior.

Considering similar practices in the US and Canada and current German immigration procedures, the German Chancenkarte application process is expected to proceed as follows.

You must create an account in the online application system.
You must upload your current CV, diploma, certificate, work references, language test results and documents regarding your financial adequacy to the system.
If you achieve sufficient points during the evaluation phase, you will receive a confirmation letter stating that you can apply for a visa.
You must apply for a Chancenkarte visa by making an appointment at the German visa center of the intermediary institution in Turkey.
Once your visa is approved, you can travel to Germany and start looking for a job or starting a trial period.
If you are officially hired, you can get your long-term visa and residence permit from the relevant foreigners office.
If you cannot find a job during the validity period of your opportunity card visa, you will have to leave Germany.

Preparation Tips for Germany Chancenkarte Application

Taking into account the requirements announced in the German Chancenkarte immigration bill, we recommend that you complete the following steps before applying.

Complete your university or vocational education in Turkey.
Check the recognition of your diplomas and educational certificates in Germany and complete the equivalence process.
Improve your German language skills; the higher your language level, the higher your chances of getting an opportunity card.
Obtain work documents from institutions you have worked in before that prove your professional experience.
Getting a reference letter from business partners or academics you have worked with in the past will be an advantage for your application.
Before you can find a job in Germany, you will need to be able to support yourself, so start saving.

Advantages of Germany Opportunity Card

The Germany opportunity card application stands out primarily by removing the requirement to find a job before going to Germany. At the same time, it aims to facilitate the application process and, unlike the Germany job search visa, to speed up the process of going to Germany.

Within the scope of the Chancenkarte visa, the requirement to find a job in the field you are studying is not required as in other types of Germany work visas . With the opportunity card, you have the right to long-term residence after finding a job in Germany.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can find the most frequently asked questions and answers about Germany Chancenkarte "Opportunity Card" under the following headings.

When Will Applications for the Germany Opportunity Card Open?

It is expected that the Germany Opportunity Card will come into effect and the application system will be opened by the end of 2023 at the earliest.

I am over 35 years old, can I apply for Chancenkarte?

If you meet the other criteria listed above for Chancenkarte applications, you are eligible to apply even if you are over 35. However, we would like to remind you that Germany, one of the European countries with an aging population, prefers young people for qualified immigration. Therefore, if you do not meet the age criteria, you will need to have a convincing level of proficiency in educational background, professional experience and skills, and German language skills.

Do I need to get an education equivalency certificate for the Opportunity Card?

Yes, your 4-year undergraduate or 2-year associate degree must be recognized in Germany. Therefore, you will need to complete the equivalence process before applying.

You can check whether your education has equivalence in Germany via the Anabin database .

Do I have to know German to get a Chancenkarte?

The Federal Republic of Germany expects German language proficiency in immigration applications due to the importance it attaches to both the integration of those who settle in the country and the preservation of German culture. Therefore, if you know German at least at B1 level, your Chancenkarte application will have a higher chance of being approved. According to the statement made by the government, having resided in Germany in the past may also be accepted for German language proficiency.

If you do not speak German or have not lived in Germany in the past, you can apply for a Chancenkart if you meet the other requirements.

What is the difference between the Germany Opportunity Card and the Job Seeker Visa?

The differences between the Germany opportunity card visa, which will come into force in 2023, and the current job search visa are as follows.

Germany Opportunity Card Visa	Germany Job Seeker Visa
It is given to qualified employees.	Awarded to highly qualified professionals.
Associate degree graduates can also apply.	Undergraduate or graduate graduates can apply.
At least 3 years of professional experience is required.	A minimum of 5 years of professional experience is required.
Must be under 35 years of age.	There is no age limit for application.
A certain number are given within the annual quota.	Not subject to quota.

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