Work in Germany
Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
Find out whether your qualification opens the skilled worker route or the points route. Get a clear result and the exact next steps for your application.
12 months
in Germany to find a job
20 hours
of work a week while you look
6 points
or a degree equal to a German one
€75
embassy visa fee
Eligibility check
Which route is open to you?
A free check for first applications from UK residents. Check a qualification, calculate points or complete your personal eligibility check.
Your route to Germany
A clear answer, with the reason.
Start with your qualification. We then ask only what your route needs and show what you meet, what is missing and your next step.
- 1Qualification
- 2Your route
- 3Your result
Before you start
Your date controls the UK bank statement rule and any age or language points.
The card
What it gives you
A year in Germany
Live in Germany for up to 12 months while you look for a job that matches your qualification.
Work while you look
Work up to 20 hours a week on average, and do trial jobs of up to two weeks with an employer.
Stay on with a job
A qualifying job can let you switch to a work residence permit. A two year follow-up Opportunity Card is available only when its separate conditions are met and another qualifying work title is unavailable.
Your partner applies too
A spouse or registered partner may apply for their own card. For the partner point, they must qualify independently and apply with you at the same mission. Family reunification has separate rules.
Who qualifies
Two ways to qualify
Everyone needs a recognised qualification, the money and health insurance. Points only matter if your degree is not treated as equal to a German one.
Route 1
Skilled worker route
No points and no language certificate. This is for people whose degree Germany treats as equal to a German degree, or whose qualification is already fully recognised in Germany.
The awarding university and your exact qualification both matter. An institution's H+ status alone does not confirm your degree. You can also use a positive ZAB Statement of Comparability or a full vocational recognition notice.
Route 2
Points route
- A university degree, or a vocational qualification of at least 2 years, recognised by the government where you got it
- German at level A1, or English at level B2
- At least 6 points from the table below
If your degree is not on Anabin, ZAB in Germany issues a statement for €208. For a vocational qualification it is €150. Check ZAB's current processing times before planning your application.
The points on route 2
You need 6. Your highest German level counts once, and work experience must be in the field of your qualification, after you qualified.
| You get points for | Points |
|---|---|
| Your qualification is partly recognised in Germany | 4 |
| German B2 | 3 |
| German B1 | 2 |
| German A2 | 1 |
| English C1 | 1 |
| 5 years of work in your field, within the last 7 years | 3 |
| 2 years of work in your field, within the last 5 years | 2 |
| Your qualification is in a shortage field | 1 |
| Age 35 or younger | 2 |
| Age 36 to 40 | 1 |
| 6 months or more living in Germany, in the last 5 years | 1 |
| Your husband, wife or partner applies with you and qualifies | 1 |
Money and insurance
Showing you can support yourself
The embassy asks for €1,091 for each month, which is €13,092 for the year.
Ordinary bank savings before 1 October
For UK applications before 1 October 2026, bank statements can show sufficient accessible savings. For 12 months, that is €13,092 or its equivalent.
A blocked account
A German account that holds €13,092 and pays you €1,091 a month once you are there.
A sponsor in Germany
Someone living in Germany signs a formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) at their local foreigners office.
A part-time job contract
A contract with a German employer for up to 20 hours a week, paying at least €1,091 a month after tax.
Bank statement rule changes on 1 October 2026
From 1 October 2026 the German Embassy in London does not accept bank statements as proof of money. Use a blocked account, formal sponsorship or qualifying employment income instead. Income below the monthly requirement can be supplemented with blocked funds.
You also need health insurance for the whole stay, at the level of German public health insurance.
From the UK
How the application works
It does not go through TLScontact. Germany takes these applications online, then sees you at the embassy.
Check your degree
We look up your university and degree on Anabin. If they are not listed, you apply to ZAB in Germany for a statement (€208).
Prepare your file
Language certificate less than a year old, CV, letters from employers, proof of money and health insurance.
Apply online
Everything is uploaded to the German Foreign Office portal. The embassy checks it and asks for corrections once.
Your appointment
You bring the originals to the Embassy in London, or the Consulate General in Edinburgh if you live in Scotland, give fingerprints and pay the €75 fee in pounds.
The decision
The embassy in London says most applications are decided within about two weeks after the appointment.
Documents
What you will need
Questions
About the Opportunity Card
What is the Opportunity Card?
A German residence permit, called the Chancenkarte in German. It lets you live in Germany for up to a year while you look for a skilled job.
Do I need a job offer to apply?
No. The card is for looking for a job. You need a job offer only to stay on after the first year.
How do I know if Germany recognises my degree?
Germany keeps an official list of foreign universities and degrees called Anabin. Upload your degree in the degree check on this page and we check it against Anabin for you. If your degree is not on the list, ZAB in Germany can assess it.
Can I apply with a UK degree?
A UK degree can qualify. The exact awarding institution, degree type and any conditions must match a positive Anabin record or a ZAB Statement of Comparability. A UK university name alone is not enough.
Do I need to speak German?
Not always. On the points route you need German A1 or English B2. On the skilled worker route you need neither. More German gives you more points.
How much money do I need?
€1,091 a month in 2026, which is €13,092 for a full year. UK applicants can use ordinary bank statements before 1 October 2026. From that date, the mission no longer accepts bank statements. A blocked account, formal sponsorship or qualifying German part-time employment can be used instead. The full check applies the rule for your intended application date.
Can I work while I look for a job?
Yes. You can work up to 20 hours a week on average, and do trial jobs of up to two weeks with an employer.
What happens when I find a job?
Check whether the job qualifies you for a work residence permit or EU Blue Card. A follow-up Opportunity Card of up to two years has separate conditions and applies when another suitable employment residence title is unavailable.
Can my family come with me?
Your card does not automatically cover family members. Your spouse or registered partner can apply for their own Opportunity Card if they qualify independently. Children and family reunification have separate conditions.
I am British. Do I need this?
British citizens can enter visa-free, but the German missions warn that local Opportunity Card applications can face restrictions, particularly in Berlin. Confirm the local application route before travelling, or apply through the German mission in the UK first. Visa-free entry does not itself authorise work.
Where do I apply in the UK?
Online through the German Foreign Office portal, then at an appointment at the Embassy in London, or the Consulate General in Edinburgh if you live in Scotland. It does not go through TLScontact. The visa fee is €75, paid in pounds.
How long does it take?
The London mission publishes about two weeks after biometrics for most applications in this category. Additional checks can take longer. A ZAB assessment is a separate process; check its current processing times before planning travel.
What happens to the degree I upload?
It is read for the check and not kept. Nothing reaches our office unless you press the WhatsApp button.
Does the check on this page decide my application?
The check gives an eligibility result for the criteria assessed from your answers and qualification evidence. It tells you which route fits and what is missing. It cannot authenticate every document or issue a visa; those checks belong to the German authorities.
Rules and amounts as published in German law and by the German Embassy in London, checked 25 September 2026. The full check separates eligibility criteria from the visa decision. Rules and amounts can change.
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