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Quick answer: The Chancenkarte requires 6 points from a points table covering qualifications, language, work experience, age, and Germany connections. It is valid for 1 year, allows job searching in Germany, and permits trial employment of up to 2 weeks.
What the Chancenkarte Is
The Chancenkarte (officially Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Arbeitsplatzsuche für Fachkräfte) is a residence permit for qualified workers from outside the EU who do not yet have a job offer in Germany. It was introduced under the 2024 reform of the Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (Skilled Immigration Act).
It differs from standard work visas in one key way: it does not require a job offer before arrival. Holders enter Germany on the card and search for employment from within the country.
During the Chancenkarte period, holders are permitted to:
- Reside legally in Germany for the duration of the card
- Attend job fairs, interviews, and networking events
- Take on trial employment (Probearbeit) for up to two weeks at a single employer
- Work part-time up to 20 hours per week under certain conditions
The card does not automatically grant full employment rights. Once a qualified job offer is accepted, a separate work permit or Blue Card application is required.
The Points System
The minimum threshold is 6 points. Points come from five categories:
Chancenkarte points table
Qualifications: up to 4 points
A recognised foreign university degree earns 4 points. A recognised foreign vocational qualification earns 3 points. Unrecognised degrees earn fewer points or none depending on the field.
German language: up to 3 points
A1: 1 point. A2: 2 points. B2 or above: 3 points. English at B2 or above: 1 point (if no German).
Work experience: up to 3 points
At least 3 years of qualified work experience in the past 7 years: 3 points. At least 2 years: 2 points.
Age: up to 2 points
Under 35 years of age: 2 points. Between 35 and 40: 1 point.
Connection to Germany: up to 1 point
Previous legal stay in Germany of at least 6 months, or a spouse/partner with German citizenship or a permanent residence permit: 1 point.
Qualification Recognition
Foreign degrees and qualifications are a key part of the points calculation. Germany uses a formal recognition process through Anabin (a database run by the Kultusministerkonferenz) and the anabin classification system:
- H+ (fully equivalent): the foreign degree is accepted as equivalent to a German degree of the same level
- H+/- (conditionally equivalent): the degree is accepted with certain conditions
- H- (not equivalent): the degree is not automatically recognised
For vocational qualifications, the central recognition office is the BIBB (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung). The process is called Anerkennung ausländischer Berufsqualifikationen.
How Language Points Work
German language skills are not required to apply but they increase the points total. The table below shows how language levels translate into points:
Deutsch B2 oder höher
3 points
Englisch B2 oder höher
1 point (only if no German certificate)
For applicants who are already at A1 or A2, increasing German to B2 before applying adds 1 to 2 additional points, which can be the difference between qualifying and not qualifying.
Key Chancenkarte Vocabulary
die Chancenkarte
Opportunity Card (job-seeker residence permit)
das Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz
Skilled Immigration Act
die Anerkennung
recognition (of a foreign qualification)
die Probearbeit
trial employment (up to 2 weeks under Chancenkarte)
die Aufenthaltserlaubnis zur Arbeitsplatzsuche
residence permit for job seeking (official name of the Chancenkarte)
die Blaue Karte EU
EU Blue Card (next permit after finding a qualified job)
die Fachkraft
skilled worker
das Punktesystem
points system