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Find Out If You Qualify for Germany's Chancenkarte Visa – In Minutes

Germany's Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte Visa) uses a transparent points-based system to assess whether you can enter Germany to search for work. Unlike the old jobseeker visa, you don't need a job offer in hand – just the right combination of qualifications, experience, and language skills.

Use our free calculator above to check your score instantly. You need a minimum of 6 points to qualify.

How Does the Germany Opportunity Card Points System Work?

The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) is governed by Section 20a of the German Residence Act. Instead of requiring you to already have a job, it evaluates your overall profile across eight categories and awards points for each.

There are two routes to qualify:

Route 1

Automatic Qualification (Recognised Skilled Worker)

If your foreign qualification is officially recognised in Germany – or you hold a German degree – you automatically meet the basic threshold. No points calculation needed; you just need to prove you can support yourself financially.

Route 2

Points System

If you don't have full recognition, you must score at least 6 points from a maximum of 14 across the following categories.

Factors	Max Points
Age	2
Academic Qualifications (ZAB positive)	4
Professional Work Experience	3
Qualification in a shortage occupation	1
German & English Language Proficiency	3
Previous Stay in Germany (6 months)	1
Spouse eligibility for OC	1
Total	15

⚡ You require minimum 6 points to qualify for the German Opportunity Card.

Scoring Categories – Detailed Breakdown

Age

Option	Points
Below 35 years	2
Between 35 to 39 years	1
40 & above years	0

Age is one of the simplest factors in the calculator. If you're under 35, you earn the full 2 points automatically.

Academic Qualifications

Qualification Status	Points
Fully recognised (Route 1 – automatic qualification)	6
Partially recognised (Route 2 – points system)	4

Professional Work Experience (in the past 7 years)

Option	Points
5 or more years of relevant experience in the last 7 years	3
2 or more years of relevant experience in the last 5 years	2
Less than 2 years of relevant experience	0

"Relevant" means experience in a role related to your qualification. Your employer confirmation letter or employment references will serve as proof.

German Language Proficiency

Option	Points
German B2 or higher	3
German B1	2
German A2	1
German A1 (basic requirement only – no extra points)	0
No German language skills	0

Language certificates accepted include Goethe-Zertifikat, TestDaF, DSD, and equivalent recognised tests. Note: German A1 is the basic entry requirement but does not earn additional points.

English Language Proficiency

Option	Points
Yes – C1 or above (e.g., IELTS 7.0+, Cambridge C1 Advanced, TOEFL 100+) or native speaker	1
No	0

English proficiency at C1 is an additional bonus point. B2 English is the minimum basic requirement (earns 0 extra points). Native English speakers automatically qualify for this point.

Previous Stay in Germany

Option	Points
Yes – I have lived or worked in Germany for 6+ months continuously in the past 5 years	1
No	0

Tourist stays and short Schengen visits do NOT count. Qualifying stays include study, employment, or residence under a valid permit. You can prove this with rental contracts, employment contracts, utility bills, or wage statements.

Spouse / Life Partner

Option	Points
Yes – my partner independently meets the 6-point requirement	1
No	0

Both applicants must independently qualify. If your partner qualifies on their own, each of you earns 1 bonus point. Family members (children) can accompany you only if you apply together as a couple.

Qualification in a Shortage Occupation

If your formal qualification is in a shortage occupation, you will get 1 point. To find out which occupations are considered as shortage occupations, consult the list below.

Bottleneck Occupations List

If your qualification falls within one of the following categories, you earn 1 additional point in the calculator. These are high-demand professions where Germany currently faces a significant shortage of skilled workers.

Sector	Occupation Groups	ISCO Codes
Information & Communications Technology	Software developers, systems analysts, web developers, database administrators, network professionals	2511, 2512, 2513, 2514, 2519, 2521, 2522, 2523, 2529
Healthcare	Medical doctors (general and specialist), nursing professionals, midwives, veterinarians, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, audiologists, optometrists, dieticians	2211, 2212, 2221, 2222, 2250, 2261–2269
Science & Engineering	Civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, environmental engineers, architects, planners, surveyors, physicists, chemists, geologists	2111–2114, 2120, 2130, 2141–2166
Teaching & Education	University lecturers, secondary school teachers, vocational education teachers, primary school teachers, early childhood educators, special needs teachers	2310, 2320, 2330, 2341, 2342, 2351–2359
Management	Manufacturing managers, construction managers, ICT service managers, healthcare service managers, education managers, social welfare managers, financial services managers	1321–1324, 1330, 1341–1349

How to Improve Your Germany Opportunity Card Score

If your current score falls short of 6 points, here are the most effective steps you can take to bridge the gap:

📜 1. Apply for Qualification Recognition

Even partial recognition from a German authority immediately earns you 4 points – the single largest jump available in the calculator. Apply through the Recognition in Germany portal (Anerkennung in Deutschland) or via a recognised body in your profession.

🇩🇪 2. Improve Your German Language Level

Moving from A2 to B1 gains you 1 extra point. Moving from B1 to B2 gains you another. German B2 alone contributes 3 points to your total – enough to lift many profiles over the qualifying threshold on its own.

📂 3. Document Your Work Experience Carefully

Make sure your relevant work experience is fully evidenced. You need a minimum of 2 years in the last 5 years (2 points) or 5 years in the last 7 years (3 points). Gather employer letters, payslips, contracts, and service certificates now.

🔍 4. Check the Bottleneck Occupations List

A single extra point from being in a shortage occupation could make the difference. Review the full list above and check whether your specific role qualifies.

👫 5. Plan Your Application with Your Spouse

If your partner also has relevant qualifications and can independently reach 6 points, applying together earns both of you 1 additional point each.

🇬🇧 6. Obtain an English C1 Certificate

If you don't speak German yet, an English C1 qualification (such as IELTS 7.0+, Cambridge C1 Advanced, or TOEFL 100+) adds 1 point and demonstrates professional-level communication ability to German employers.

Basic Requirements for a Germany Opportunity Card

Before your points are even counted, you must satisfy two fundamental baseline requirements:

🎓 1. Qualified Education

You must hold either a university degree or at least 2 years of state-recognised vocational training completed according to the rules of your home country. Your qualification does not need to be fully recognised in Germany before you apply – partial recognition or even a pending application counts in your favour for points.

Exception for IT professionals: If you work in the IT sector, you do not need to prove a formal degree or vocational training. Instead, you must demonstrate at least 2 years of professional IT experience and hold an active job offer from a German employer.

🗣️ 2. Language Competency

You must prove one of the following:

German language skills at A1 level or above, OR
English language skills at B2 level or above

Native English speakers are automatically considered to meet the English B2 requirement.

Note: These baseline requirements earn you 0 additional points – they are simply the gateway to using the points system at all.

Do You Need Financial Proof?

Before you can be granted the Opportunity Card, you must demonstrate that you can support yourself financially in Germany without relying on state benefits. You will need to show one of the following:

A blocked bank account (Sperrkonto) with at least €13,092 (as of January 2025) available for the 12-month period, with monthly withdrawal limits
A signed employment contract for a part-time role in Germany (up to 20 hours/week) before you arrive, showing you will earn at Germany's minimum wage
A formal declaration of financial sponsorship (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a sponsor based in Germany

Which Language Tests Are Accepted for the Opportunity Card Points Calculator?

German Language Tests

Test	Levels Covered	Cost (Approx.)
Goethe-Zertifikat	A1 to C2	€100 – €300
TestDaF	B2 to C1	~€215
DSD (German Language Diploma)	A2, B1, B2, C1	Free (at DSD schools)
ÖSD (Austrian Language Diploma)	A1 to C2	Varies

English Language Tests

Test	Notes	Cost (Approx.)
IELTS Academic / General	7.0 = C1	~€200
Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE)	Directly certifies C1	~€200
TOEFL iBT	Score 100+ ≈ C1	~€200
LanguageCert	Available in 30,000+ venues	~€210
PTE Academic	Computer-based, fast results	~€180

Native English speakers (passport from an English-speaking country) are generally exempt from submitting a test certificate for the basic English B2 requirement, though you may still wish to present a C1 certificate for the extra point.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You need a minimum of 6 points out of a possible 14. If you are already a fully recognised skilled worker in Germany, you bypass the points system entirely and only need to prove financial self-sufficiency.

The system awards a maximum of 14 points across all categories combined.

Age is one of eight scoring categories but is not a disqualifying factor. Applicants over 40 simply score 0 in the age category but can still qualify through other criteria.

Yes. You can earn up to 3 points for German language proficiency AND 1 point for English C1 proficiency. These are scored independently, giving you up to 4 language points in total.

Partial recognition means a German recognition authority has reviewed your foreign certificate and determined it is comparable to a German qualification but with some gaps. Even at this stage – before full recognition – you earn 4 points.

No. You can apply while your recognition process is in progress. If you have received a partial recognition decision, that qualifies you for the 4 points. If recognition is still pending, you may still apply under the basic qualification route (2+ years vocational training or university degree).

You simply do not earn the 1 bonus point for that category. You can still qualify by accumulating 6 points across the other seven categories.

Yes. Both you and your spouse must independently assess your own profiles using the calculator. If your partner independently scores 6+ points, you each earn 1 additional bonus point.

Only relevant professional experience – in a role related to your qualification – counts for points. General or unrelated work experience is not scored, though it does not disqualify you either.

The TMS The Migration School calculator is based on the official criteria under Section 20a of the German Residence Act. The final eligibility determination is always made by the German embassy or Foreigners' Registration Office based on the documents you submit.

Yes. Six points is the minimum qualifying threshold and is fully sufficient to proceed with your application, provided you also meet the two basic requirements (qualification and language).

Absolutely. We encourage you to retake the calculator after achieving language certifications, submitting for qualification recognition, or gaining additional work experience to see how your score changes.

How Can TMS The Migration School Help You?

TMS The Migration School is your trusted partner for Germany immigration. Our thorough process and end-to-end support ensure you take the right action at every step. We help you with:

Free eligibility check through Germany Opportunity Card Points Calculator
Expert guidance for Germany Immigration & Chancenkarte Visa
Qualification recognition assistance (ZAB & Anabin evaluation)
German language coaching (A1 to B2)
IELTS & English proficiency coaching for C1 certification
Document preparation & financial proof guidance
Free career counseling – book your slot today
Complete guidance for Germany work visa & Blue Card
Resume marketing services to find related jobs in Germany

* Disclaimer:

Quick eligibility check of TMS The Migration School is only to help the applicants to understand their scores. The points displayed are based on your answers only. Please note the points on each section are evaluated based on various parameters set in the immigration guidelines and a technical evaluation is a must to know your accurate scores and eligibility to find out which immigration program you can apply for. The Quick eligibility check does not guarantee you the below points, you may score high or low points once you are technically evaluated by our expert team. There are many assessing bodies that process skills assessment which will depend on your nominated occupation, and these assessing bodies will have their own criteria in considering an applicant as skilled. State/ territory authorities will also have their own criteria to allow sponsorships which an applicant should satisfy. So, it is very important for an applicant to go apply for a technical evaluation.