Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) Points Calculator

The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) is Germany's job-seeker route for skilled non-EU workers, introduced on 1 June 2024 under the Skilled Immigration Act and set out in § 20a of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). It lets you come to Germany to look for qualified work without a job offer. There are two ways to qualify, and this tool checks both.

Route A — full recognition.If your foreign qualification is fully recognised as equivalent to a German one (or you hold a German degree or vocational qualification), the card is granted without the points test, as long as you can prove funds to cover your living costs. The tool short-circuits to "Eligible — no points needed."

Route B — the points system. If your qualification is only partly recognised or not yet recognised, you must first meet three basic requirements, then score at least 6 points. The basic requirements are: a foreign university degree or a vocational qualification of at least two years recognised in the country of training; German at A1 or English at B2; and proof of funds for living costs. If any basic requirement is missing, the points do not apply.

With the basics met, points are the sum of six criteria published by Make it in Germany:

1. Qualification / recognition. Partial recognition, or a permit to practise a regulated profession, scores 4. A shortage occupation (Engpassberuf) adds 1.
2. Work experience. At least 5 years in the last 7 scores 3; otherwise at least 2 years in the last 5 scores 2. Only the higher band counts.
3. German language. B2 or higher is 3, B1 is 2, A2 is 1. A1 satisfies the basic requirement but scores no points.
4. English language. C1 or native speaker adds 1.
5. Age. 35 or younger scores 2; from 36 up to 40 scores 1; over 40 scores 0.
6. Germany ties. A legal stay of 6+ months in the last 5 years (not tourism) adds 1, and a spouse/partner who also fulfils the requirements and applies with you adds 1.

The six criteria add up to a maximum of 16 points. To confirm the arithmetic, the tool computes your total twice — once by building the breakdown table and once through an independent re-sum — and both paths must agree. It estimates your score only; it does not verify your recognition status or shortage-occupation classification, which are decided by BAMF and the German mission.

• Make it in Germany — Opportunity Card (points criteria, values, threshold & basic requirements)
• Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) — Opportunity Card visa procedure, validity & work rules
• Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) — recognition of foreign qualifications & shortage occupations

The point values, the 6-point threshold and the reference funds figure were taken from these official German government pages and last cross-checked on 2026-07-16. The blocked-account amount is indexed annually — confirm the current figure on Make it in Germany before applying. This tool scores the points test only; it does not assess recognition, shortage-occupation status, or make the eligibility decision.