Germany Chancenkarte Points Calculator
Find out if you qualify for Germany's Opportunity Card. Answer a few questions, see your score instantly, and get clear next steps. No job offer required.
What is your highest qualification?
A qualification fully recognised in Germany qualifies you automatically, no points needed. Otherwise this is worth 4 points, the single largest category.
What is the Chancenkarte and how does it work?
The Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) is a points-based job-seeker visa introduced in Germany on 1 June 2024. It is governed by §20a of the German Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) and replaces the previous Job Seeker Visa that was available only to nationals of countries with specific bilateral agreements.
The key difference from the old visa is significant: the Chancenkarte is valid for up to 12 months (vs 6 months previously), allows you to work part-time up to 20 hours per week while searching for a job, and, crucially, your foreign degree does not need to be formally recognised before you apply. There are two separate routes in: a fully recognised German-equivalent qualification qualifies you directly under §20a Abs. 3 Nr. 1, no points needed. Everyone else needs at least 6 points under the criteria in §20b AufenthG.
The points system (§20b AufenthG) covers eight scoring criteria: a foreign qualification needing recognition (4 points, one flat tier, not tiered by degree type), professional experience (up to 3), a shortage-occupation bonus (1, counted separately from your qualification), age (up to 2), German and English language skills combined (up to 4, and the English bonus specifically requires C1, not B2), a prior stay of 6+ months in Germany (1), and a spouse or partner applying for their own Chancenkarte at the same time (1). The achievable maximum is 16 points, and the minimum to qualify is 6.
Before points even matter, all applicants must satisfy three mandatory prerequisites: a recognised university degree or at least two years of accredited vocational training; proof of financial means; and a minimum language level of German A1 or English B2 (that B2 satisfies the prerequisite, but only C1 earns the bonus point above). For financial proof, most applicants use a blocked account (Sperrkonto), a special account that holds approximately €13,092 (€1,091 per month for 12 months, based on the BAföG reference rate) and releases it monthly. Providers such as Expatrio and Fintiba are widely accepted at German embassies worldwide.
Once you are in Germany on the Chancenkarte, you have up to 12 months to find a qualifying job. You can also do short trial periods (Probearbeit) of up to two weeks per employer. If you secure a suitable position, you can convert directly to a skilled worker visa (§18 AufenthG) or an EU Blue Card, without leaving Germany to reapply. Your spouse or partner can accompany you on a dependent visa and is permitted to work without restriction, regardless of whether they applied for their own Chancenkarte. The Chancenkarte is designed exclusively for non-EU nationals; EU citizens already have the right to live and work freely in Germany.