The Opportunity Card Germany (Chancenkarte) is a residence permit that lets you move to Germany for up to one year to look for a job, without a job offer. For software developers it is often easy to qualify: if your degree is recognised in Germany, you need no points at all. If it isn’t, you need at least six points, English at level B2 or basic German, and a degree or vocational qualification recognised by the state where you earned it. In both cases you must show you can support yourself, which in 2026 usually means about €1,091 a month.
This guide explains the Chancenkarte requirements, the points table, what you may do while you are in Germany and how to move on to a work permit. It is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change; check the official links and your German mission’s website before you apply.
What the Opportunity Card is
The Chancenkarte is a residence permit “to look for employment or for measures to have foreign professional qualifications recognised” (§ 20a Residence Act). There are two stages:
| Stage | How long | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity Card for job search (Such-Chancenkarte) | Up to 1 year | Living in Germany while you look for a qualified job |
| Follow-up Opportunity Card (Folge-Chancenkarte) | Up to 2 more years | Working in a qualified job when you don’t yet meet the conditions of another work permit |
For most software developers, the realistic path is: come on the Opportunity Card, find a job, then switch to an EU Blue Card or another work permit. The follow-up card exists for people whose job does not yet meet those conditions.
Chancenkarte requirements: two routes
The law gives two ways to qualify (§ 20a(3) Residence Act).
Route 1: you are a skilled worker (no points)
You qualify without points if you are a skilled worker (Fachkraft). For developers, that usually means you have a German degree, a recognised foreign degree or a foreign degree comparable to a German one (§ 18(3) Residence Act). Vocational training that is equivalent to German training also counts.
How do you show your degree is comparable? The Federal Employment Agency explains that you don’t need a separate evaluation if your university has the status “H+” in the anabin database and your degree is listed as equivalent (“entspricht”) or comparable (“bedingt vergleichbar”). Otherwise, you can apply to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) for a Statement of Comparability (Federal Employment Agency). The statement costs €208 (ZAB).
On this route, the law sets no extra language requirement for the Opportunity Card itself.
Route 2: the points system
If you are not a skilled worker in this sense, you can still qualify if you meet all of these (§ 20a(4) Residence Act):
- A qualification: a university degree, or vocational training of at least two years, recognised by the state where you earned it. A vocational qualification from a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad that meets German standards also counts. A competent German body must confirm this; for degrees, that is usually the ZAB.
- Language: at least basic German (level A1) or English at level B2 or higher.
- At least six points from the table below.
Opportunity Card Germany points table
The points are set in the annex to the Residence Act (Annex to § 20b, § 20b). You need at least 6.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Partial recognition of your foreign qualification (the authority found you need adjustment or further training) | 4 |
| German at B2 (“good”) | 3 |
| German at B1 (“sufficient”), if not counted above | 2 |
| German at A2, if not counted above | 1 |
| English at C1 | 1 |
| At least 5 years of relevant work experience in the last 7 years | 3 |
| At least 2 years of relevant work experience in the last 5 years, if not counted above | 2 |
| Your qualification is in a shortage occupation group | 1 |
| Age up to 35 | 2 |
| Age 36 to 40 | 1 |
| At least 6 months of legal stay in Germany in the last 5 years | 1 |
| Your spouse or partner also qualifies and applies with you | 1 |
The German levels follow the Common European Framework: “good” is B2, “sufficient” B1, “adequate” A2 and “basic” A1 (§ 2 Residence Act). Work experience must be related to your qualification and gained after you obtained it.
Why developers often get the shortage point
The shortage point applies to the occupational groups listed in § 18g(1) Residence Act, which include ISCO-08 group 25, information and communications technology professionals. Software developers fall into that group, so if your qualification is in IT, you can usually count this point.
A points example
A 30-year-old backend developer with a computer science degree that is state-recognised in their home country but not listed as comparable in Germany, three years of experience since graduating, English at C1 and no German:
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Age up to 35 | 2 |
| 2+ years of work experience in the last 5 years | 2 |
| English at C1 | 1 |
| Shortage occupation (IT) | 1 |
| Total | 6 |
This person reaches the minimum. With English at B2 instead of C1, they would have five points and would need, for example, German at A2 to make up the difference. Every case is assessed individually, so treat this as an illustration.
Proof of funds: the blocked account
You must show that you can support yourself for your stay, including adequate health insurance, without public funds (§ 2(3) Residence Act, § 20a(4)). According to the Federal Employment Agency, the usual requirement in 2026 is €1,091 a month, for the whole stay. You can prove it with a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or with a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from someone in Germany (Federal Employment Agency).
For a full year, €1,091 × 12 is €13,092. Your German mission decides what it accepts, so check its website before you open an account.
What you can do in Germany on the Opportunity Card
While you look for a job, the Opportunity Card allows (§ 20a(2) Residence Act):
- Part-time work of up to 20 hours a week on average, in any job.
- Trial work (Probebeschäftigung) of up to two weeks at a time with a potential employer, if the job is a qualified one.
The Federal Employment Agency does not need to approve this part-time or trial work (Federal Employment Agency). The law does not mention self-employment as permitted work, so ask your foreigners’ authority before you take on freelance projects.
A paid trial fortnight is useful for developers: you can work with a team before either side commits. A 20-hour job can cover part of your costs, but plan your budget on the assumption that you may not find one quickly.
After you find a job
When you get a qualified job offer, you have two options:
- Switch to a work permit. If the job meets the conditions of the EU Blue Card or the skilled worker permit, you apply for that. Use our visa salary check to compare an offer with the Blue Card minimum. The follow-up Opportunity Card is only available if you don’t meet the conditions of another work permit (§ 20a(5) Residence Act).
- Follow-up Opportunity Card. If you have a contract or binding job offer for qualified work and the Federal Employment Agency approves it, the card can be extended by up to two years. You must apply while your first card is still valid. It cannot be extended again after that (§ 20a(5)). The Federal Employment Agency explains that this gives you time to meet the missing conditions for a longer-term permit, such as two years of work experience (Federal Employment Agency).
If you don’t find a job in time, you must leave when the card expires. You can only get a new Opportunity Card for job search after spending at least as long outside Germany (or legally in Germany on another permit) as you spent on the last one (§ 20a(5)).
How to apply and what it costs
If you live outside Germany, you apply for a national (D) visa for the Opportunity Card at the German embassy or consulate responsible for where you live. The Federal Foreign Office’s Consular Services Portal takes online applications for national visas; check whether your mission uses it (Federal Foreign Office).
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National visa | €75 (€37.50 for minors) | Federal Foreign Office |
| ZAB Statement of Comparability (if needed) | €208 | ZAB |
| Residence permit, if issued or extended in Germany | €100 to issue; €93 or €96 to extend | § 45 Residence Ordinance |
| Proof of funds | €1,091 a month (2026) | Federal Employment Agency |
| Health insurance, language certificates, translations | varies | Your providers |
Typical documents include your passport, degree and recognition proof (anabin printout, ZAB statement or confirmation from the competent body), language certificates, proof of work experience if you claim points for it, proof of funds and health insurance. Your mission’s checklist is the one that counts, so download it before you start.
The government may set an annual limit on the number of Opportunity Cards for people outside Germany (§ 20a(7)). Check your mission’s website for current waiting times.
Is the Opportunity Card the right choice for you?
The Opportunity Card makes most sense if you want to interview in person, or if employers in your field rarely hire from abroad. If you can get a job offer while still at home, the EU Blue Card is usually more direct: you arrive with a job and a permit that leads to permanent residence.
It helps to know how many employers will hire from abroad. On Germany Dev Jobs on 16 October 2026, 559 jobs said you could apply from another country, and 117 jobs mentioned visa sponsorship. Of the 3,583 jobs in our October 2026 report, 1,206 were marked senior and only 87 junior, so experience helps. Our German tech job market guide has more on where the jobs are, and the best German cities for tech jobs helps you decide where to base your search.
Budget carefully: you will pay rent while you search. See the cost of living in Berlin and in Munich, and our guide to finding a flat in Berlin and Munich.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Opportunity Card requirements?
Either you are a skilled worker, with a recognised or comparable degree or equivalent vocational training, or you meet the points route: a state-recognised degree or two-year vocational qualification, English at B2 or German at A1, and at least six points. In both cases you must show you can support yourself, usually €1,091 a month in 2026.
How many points do I need for the Chancenkarte?
At least six, and only if you use the points route. Points come from partial recognition (4), German skills (1 to 3), English at C1 (1), work experience (2 or 3), a shortage occupation such as IT (1), age (1 or 2), an earlier stay in Germany (1) and a partner who applies with you (1).
How much money do I need in the blocked account?
The Federal Employment Agency gives €1,091 a month as the usual amount in 2026, for the whole stay. For a full year that is €13,092. You can also use a formal declaration of commitment from someone in Germany. Check your mission’s current requirement before you open an account.
Can I work on the Opportunity Card?
Yes, part-time: up to 20 hours a week on average, plus trial work of up to two weeks at a time with a possible employer. The Federal Employment Agency does not need to approve this.
Can I apply for the Opportunity Card online?
The Federal Foreign Office’s Consular Services Portal takes online applications for national visas. Whether your mission uses it, and which documents it wants, is on your mission’s website.
Can I switch from the Opportunity Card to an EU Blue Card?
If you find a job that meets the Blue Card conditions, you apply for the Blue Card rather than the follow-up Opportunity Card, since the follow-up card is only for people who don’t meet another permit’s conditions. Our EU Blue Card guide explains the salary thresholds.
Next steps
- See jobs you can apply for from abroad.
- Check an offer with the visa salary check.
- Read how to get a tech job in Germany without speaking German.