Germany is an industrious country which produces some of the best products in the world. They are mostly famous for their vehicles such as Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, BMW and Audi which are commonly referred to as “German machines”. Being the third largest economy in the world, Germany is a land of opportunity for job seekers from all over the world. They are now offering the German Opportunity Card visa.
The German Opportunity Card was introduced in 2024, whereby skilled workers from outside the EU can go to Germany to search for work.
The German Opportunity Card, also known as Chancenkarte, is an immigration policy that allows qualified individuals to live in Germany for up to 1 year and look for jobs without any prior job offer.
This policy was introduced due to Germany’s high demand for skilled workers which cannot be sustained by its citizens alone. Some of the professions in demand include
- Nurses
- Physicians
- Engineers
- IT specialists
- Scientists
- Craftspeople
If you’re interested in applying for the German Opportunity Card, here’s how you can do it.
Qualifications to apply for the German Opportunity Card
There are two main ways to qualify for the German Opportunity Card. They are as follows:
- Fully recognized qualification – you should prove that you hold foreign professional or academic qualifications that are fully recognized in Germany
- Points based qualifications – if your qualifications are not recognized, you must provide evidence of a vocational training or university degree recognized by the country you obtained it, professional experience of at least two years, or a professional qualification issued by the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad. You must also have basic German or English skills. If you meet these qualifications, you proceed to the points system to receive the Opportunity Card. You need at least 6 points to qualify. Points are awarded as follows:
- Foreign qualification (vocational or degree) recognized in Germany or partial recognition – 4 points
- German language ≥ B2 – 3 points
- German B1 – 2 points
- German A2 – 1 point
- English C1 (in addition to German) – 1 point
- ≥ 5 years relevant experience in last 7 years – 3 points
- ≥ 2 years relevant experience in last 5 years – 2 points
- Age under 35 – 2 points
- Age 35–39 – 1 point
- Profession in a shortage field (e.g. IT, engineering, healthcare) – 1 point
- Legal stay in Germany ≥ 6 months in last 5 years (study, work, language)—tourist stays don’t count – 1 point
- Applying together with a spouse/partner who also qualifies – 1 point
Applicants must also prove that they are financially capable of covering their living expenses in Germany.
You need to open a German blocked account and deposit €1,091 (Ksh 160,900) every month for every month you will be in the country i.e. 12 months. You can also present a formal obligation letter from a sponsor in Germany or a binding employment contract for a part-time job in Germany.
Lastly, you must have a valid health/travel insurance with a minimum cover of €30,000 (Ksh 4,500,000).
Requirements to apply for a German Opportunity Card
You need the following documents when applying for this visa:
- A valid passport and a copy of the data page
- 1 completed and signed application form
- Two recent passport photos
- Language certificates
- Proof of finances
- Proof of academic qualifications
- Proof of professional experience eg employer letters, contracts
- Curriculum Vitae
- Letter of motivation
- Valid health/travel insurance
- Marital documents for couples
- Proof of job search efforts in Germany eg email, applications
Process to apply for a German Opportunity Card
- Fill the VIDEX online application form on the German Federal Foreign Office’s Consular Service Portal
- Upload all required documents. The documents will be checked for completeness and any questions will be sent to you through the portal
- After the documents have been verified, you will receive a link inviting you to book an appointment with the embassy
- Bring all physical copies and original documents that you submitted online
- The embassy staff will verify the documents, collect your biometric data and issue a receipt or tracking link to monitor your application status
- Pay the visa processing fee of €75 (Ksh 11,000) preferably in cash. MPESA is not accepted
- Applications take about 2 to 6 months for processing. Do not request updates through email or phone as it is time consuming
- If approved, the embassy will return your passport with a visa sticker. The visa is valid for 12 months depending on your financial status
- Once in Germany, you can register your residence, open a bank account and begin your job search