Germany’s new scheme – Opportunity Card

You must have heard of the Germany Opportunity Card which recently replaces the Germany Job Seeker Visa. With all the viral reels and social media posts, the hype is real and true.

But despite the uproar all overseas job seekers get stuck with, “Oh we will need German skills to excel in Germany”? The answer is simple, you get this Germany Opportunity Card of 1 year, secure a job and easily get an EU Blue Card of 2 years. Besides, if you are in Germany for 2-3 years, the effect of culture and language will surely seep into your vocabulary.

Now, that the mouth is repelled, let us get to know about the quick guide for job seekers who wish to know about the new Germany Opportunity Card.

What is a Germany Opportunity Card?

A Germany Opportunity Card allows job seekers to look for employment in Germany for 1 year.

What are the benefits of getting a Germany Opportunity Card?

A Germany Opportunity Card is like a job seeker visa but with added benefits such as: 

• Firstly, this visa is valid for 1 year.
• Secondly, you can look for meaningful employment in Germany.
• Also, you can take up secondary part-time employment for 20 hours per week.
• Besides, you can take trial employment for 2 weeks each with any German employer.
  • This helps you see your work compatibility with a German employer and vice versa.
  • However, the aim of this must be to claim a job, internship, or a qualification program.
• Further, you can connect with the vast German employers’ network to choose the best employment options for you.

As a job seeker who qualifies to apply for a Germany Opportunity Card?

Job seekers, are you ready to build your career in Germany? Remember some unidirectionally wise person will advise you, why not get a German work permit? Yes, you can, but do you have a prior job offer? 

Germany to attract more skilled workers introduced this Germany opportunity card. So, you can enter the country even without a job offer. So, if you wish to move to Germany as a job seeker then you have 2 options:

Option 1 – Skilled Professional Pathway

Under this you simply need to:

• Have an academic or professional qualification that is fully recognised in Germany, OR
• Have academic or professional qualifications from Germany.

Option 2 – Point-based Pathway

If you do not clear option 1 then Germany gives you option 2 to get a Germany Opportunity Card. As per this, you must meet certain basic requirements and get a minimum of 6 points on the points table.

Basic criteria

• Firstly, German A1, or English B2 language skills + 2 years of recognised university degree or vocational training.
• Secondly, Sufficient financial means. 

How to apply for a Germany Opportunity Card as a job seeker?

Once you meet the eligibility for either option 1 Skilled Professionals Pathway or option 2 Points-based Pathway, all you need to do is:

• Firstly, submit a videx application online.
• Secondly, prepare supporting documents such as:
  • Valid passport.
  • Proof of funds:
  • German or UK bank account OR
  • Blocked account [€12,324] OR
  • Formal obligation Verpflichtungserklärung [Employer Sponsorship] OR
  • Combination of the above.
  • Health insurance
  • Updated CV
  • Additional documents for your chosen option.
    • Formal assessment report (Anabin or ZAB).
    • Language skills proof (German/English).
    • Proof of past work experience.
    • Proof of past residence in Germany.
• Also, submit the visa fee and schedule an appointment for visa submission.
• Finally, get a Germany Opportunity Card.

Do job seekers need to take a language exam for the Germany Opportunity Card?

If you do not qualify for option 1 Skilled Professionals Pathway, then you will have to opt for option 2. Here, you will have to either give German or English language test results. The following are your options and score requirements:

English language tests

IELTS

• B2 – 5.5 to 6.5
• C1 – 7 to 8

TOEFL

• B2 – L: 17, S: 20, R: 18, W: 17 [Total 72 to 94]
• C1 – L: 22, S: 25, R: 24, W: 34 [Total 95 to 113]

Cambridge Certificate

• B2 – 160 to 172.
• C1 – 180 -190.

German language tests

Goethe-Institut Exams

• A1 – 30 to 39
• B1/B2/A2 – 60 to 69.

Other German exam options:

• GER
• Goethe Certificates
• TestDaF
• DSD

What are the fund requirements I need to show?

For the Germany Opportunity Card irrespective of the option you qualify to apply for you must show:

• Proof of €12,324 (minimum €1,027 per month) funds.
• To do the same you can choose 1 of the following methods:
  • Have a blocked account (Sperrkonto) in Germany, OR
  • Have a German sponsor who will give a sponsor letter (Verpflichtungserklärung), OR
  • Latest bank account statements.

How can I show past stay in Germany?

The most common mistake you can make for this is to show travel history to Germany. However, for this, you need to show past study, work, or language purposes.

How do I show proof of my academic and professional experience being recognised in Germany?

To do the same, you need to get your qualifications assessed by the Anabin database or the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

How much do I need to pay while applying for the Germany Job Search Opportunity Card?

The visa fee Germany Job Seach Opportunity Card is €75.

What is the visa processing time?

As per government sources, the visa processing time for a Germany Job Search Opportunity Card is stated as 2 weeks. However, this may take up to 4 to 12 weeks as per the arrangement of documents, meeting requests for additional documents, and any unexpected delays from the German embassy’s side.