Route: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
The Opportunity Card lets you come to Germany to look for a job. It needs no job offer, but it is not a shortcut: you must show money, language and a recognised qualification.
Two ways in
- Route A: you are already a "skilled worker", meaning your qualification is fully recognised in Germany. No points needed.
- Route B (points): you need all of: a qualification recognised in India (at least 2 years of vocational training, or a degree; proof via ZAB or anabin), German A1 or English B2 (ALTE-certified test), and at least 6 points.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Partial recognition in Germany | 4 |
| German B2 / B1 / A2 | 3 / 2 / 1 |
| English C1 | 1 |
| At least 5 years of experience in the last 7 years | 3 |
| At least 2 years of experience in the last 5 years | 2 |
| Shortage occupation | 1 |
| Age up to 35 / 36 to 40 | 2 / 1 |
| At least 6 months of continuous legal stay in Germany in the last 5 years | 1 |
| Spouse also qualifies and applies | 1 |
Money and documents
- You must show €1,091 a month (blocked account of about €13,092 a year, a sponsor's obligation letter, or a part-time contract). The Embassy checklist is dated September 2024; the amount may rise from summer semester 2027, check before you apply.
- Health insurance; a statement of purpose with proof of job applications; for degrees proof that you studied on campus, or that distance learning was approved. Visa fee €75.
Work rights
Up to 20 hours a week on average, trial work of up to 2 weeks per job, and up to 1 year in total. A follow-up Chancenkarte of up to 2 years is possible with a job offer and approval of the Federal Employment Agency.
Numbers
Government reply (Bundestag document 21/3132): 17,489 Chancenkarte visas worldwide from June 2024 to November 2025; 767 people had moved on to an employment permit (the reply says this undercounts). Press reports name India as the leading country. We found no primary India-specific figure.
Living in Berlin without a job is expensive and the job search takes time. Plan your money and your German honestly. See Avoiding scams before you pay a "job guarantee".
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.