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Good practice Imported

Germany's Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) — Points-Based Job-Search Visa for Non-EU Professionals

Germany · Berlin · See the Germany profile · See the Berlin profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 85% 52/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Since June 2024, Germany's points-based Chancenkarte lets non-EU professionals enter without a job offer to search for work. Official data: 10,148 cards issued in year one (83% grant rate), 11,497 by mid-2025 — uptake still below government targets.

10,148 / 12,177 (~83%)
Visas issued vs applications, first year
11,497
Cards issued (as of 15 June 2025)
Germany's Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) — Points-Based Job-Search Visa for Non-EU Professionals Germany's Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) — Points-Based Job-Search Visa for Non-EU Professionals

Details

Maturity
Established
Promoter
Federal Foreign Office / Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
Period
2024–present
Keywords
immigration policy, talent attraction, skilled labour, points-based visa

Context

Effective 1 June 2024, Germany introduced the Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) under Section 20a of the Residence Act: a points-based visa letting qualified non-EU professionals enter and live in Germany for up to one year without a prior job offer, to search for work locally. Applicants need a minimum of 6 points across qualification level, professional experience, language skills, age and prior ties to Germany.

Activities

Official government data show 10,148 Chancenkarte visas issued against 12,177 applications in the programme's first year — an approximate 83% grant rate. The largest cohorts came from India (4,622), China (898), Pakistan (511), Russia (510) and Turkey (508).

Results

By 15 June 2025, German diplomatic missions had issued 11,497 cards, with the Federal Foreign Office projecting around 18,000 for the full 2025 calendar year.

Conclusions

Independent reporting found uptake has run below the government's initial expectations amid a cooling domestic labour market, and that eligibility prerequisites can disadvantage some applicant groups, including African professionals. Published data track visas issued rather than subsequent employment outcomes.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Low (< €50k) — Administrative visa-processing pathway; no major capital cost is described.
Time to results
Short (< 1 year) — Codified as a permanent legal provision effective 1 June 2024, with continuous issuance since.
Staffing & skills
Federal Foreign Office, Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), German diplomatic missions

Conditions for success

  • Points-based eligibility mirrors established schemes used by Canada, Australia and the UK

Common failure modes

  • Uptake has run below initial government expectations amid a cooling labour market
  • Eligibility prerequisites can disadvantage some applicant groups, including African professionals

Where it fits

Governance type
national immigration policy
Scale
national
Income level
high income

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

Indicative funding routes for practices of this type — always check each programme's current calls and eligibility rules.

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

Attachments

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