Are you looking for a job in Germany?

Are you looking for a recognition of your professional qualifications in order to work in Germany?

Do you have at least a vocational qualification or a university degree?

Do you speak English or German?

Then, the Opportunity Card is a possibility for you to find a job without already being able to speak German or already having a binding job offer.

Use the à Self-Check in order to find out if you meet the requirements: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/self-check-opportunity-card.

The Opportunity Card allows you to enter Germany for up to 12 months so that you can look for an employment or to proceed a recognition procedure for foreign professional qualifications.

However, it is necessary that you can support yourself while staying in Germany. During your time looking for a job in Germany, you can complete work trials or engage in secondary employment (20 hours per week).

With a German degree or a foreign vocational qualification or university degree which is assessed as „entspricht“ (comparable) or „gleichwertig“ (equivalent) to a German degree, you are considered as a skilled worker. Besides financing your costs of living, you do not need to meet any further special requirements.

But also without an equivalent or comparable degree, it is still possible to receive an Opportunity Card on the following conditions:

- You can prove basic knowledge of German (A1)

or

- Good knowledge of English (B2)

And you can meet as well one of the three following criteria:

- You have a foreign professional qualification which is which is recognised by the country in which it was completed and which requires at least two years of training

or

- You have a foreign university degree which is recognised by the country in which it was completed,

or

- You have a vocational qualification from a German Chamber of Commerce which requires a training that meets the requirements of a comparable vocational qualification in Germany.

Apply for a visa:

Online application

Further information:

https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/

„Opportunity Card summary“: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/fileadmin/1_Rebrush_2022/a_Fachkraefte/PDF-Dateien/3_Visum_u_Aufenthalt/Visagrafik_EN/2024_Chancenkarte_zur_Jobsuche_EN.pdf

Explanatory video „How do I get the Opportunity Card?“:

in German: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHxfs998P60

in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMh5SIdYQD8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5kZkII1UFk

Digital magazine „Opportunities – Working in Germany“: https://www.deutschland.de/en/digital-magazine-opportunities-working-in-germany