Free Tool

Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) Points Calculator

Check whether you meet the entry conditions for Germany's job-search Opportunity Card and how many of the 6 required points you score — qualification, language, experience, age and the rest, criterion by criterion.

Step 1 — Entry Conditions

My qualification is fully recognised in Germany Fully recognised skilled workers qualify for the card without any points. I hold a university degree, or a vocational qualification of at least two years, recognised by the state where I earned it A degree from an HEC-recognised university, or a two-year diploma recognised in Pakistan, generally meets this. I have at least German A1 or English B2 Needed for the points route, shown with a recognised language certificate — check which certificates the German mission accepts.

Step 2 — Points

German language level

Professional experience in your field

Your age on the day you apply

My qualification is partially recognised in Germany — 4 points A recognition notice (Feststellungsbescheid) showing partial equivalence, or a licence to practise a regulated profession. My English is C1 or higher, or my native language — 1 point My qualification is in a shortage occupation in Germany — 1 point For example IT, engineering, nursing and care, and many skilled trades. I have lived in Germany legally for 6 months or more in the last 5 years — 1 point Tourist visits do not count. My spouse or partner also qualifies for the card and we apply together — 1 point Only one of you gets this point.

Your Result

Criterion	Points
Total (6 needed)

Beyond the Points

Proof of funds	Enough to support yourself for the stay — usually a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a formal declaration of commitment from someone in Germany.
Validity	Up to 12 months to find a qualified job.
Work while searching	Part-time work up to 20 hours a week, plus trial employment of up to two weeks with each employer.
Where Pakistanis apply	The German Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi, depending on where you live.

A points total is not a visa. The embassy assesses your documents, not this form, and the monthly amount required in a blocked account changes each year. Confirm the current figure and document list with the German mission in Pakistan before you open an account or pay for recognition. Never pay an agent for a "guaranteed" Opportunity Card — there is no such thing.

How to Use Germany Opportunity Card Points Calculator

Check the Entry Conditions

Tick whether you hold a recognised degree or two-year vocational qualification, and German A1 or English B2.

Set Your Levels

Choose your German level, your years of experience and your age bracket.

Tick the Extras

Partial recognition, English C1, shortage occupation, previous stay and partner each add points.

See Your Total

Your points against the 6 required, with where to find any missing ones.

Germany's Opportunity Card, in Plain Terms

The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte), introduced in June 2024, lets skilled people from outside the EU move to Germany for up to a year to look for qualified work, without a job offer in hand. It is the first German route built on a points system, and it is open to applicants from Pakistan on the same terms as everyone else.

Two routes in

Without points: if your qualification is fully recognised in Germany, you qualify as a skilled worker and the card does not ask for points. With points: everyone else needs six points, and first has to meet two conditions — a degree or a vocational qualification of at least two years recognised where it was awarded, and German at A1 or English at B2.

Where the points come from

Partial recognition of a qualification is the largest single item at 4 points. Language is next: up to 3 for German and 1 for English C1. Experience gives up to 3, age up to 2, and a shortage occupation, a previous stay and a qualifying partner one each. In practice, most successful applicants from Pakistan combine a degree with professional experience and some German, because age and English alone rarely reach six.

A realistic example

A 29-year-old software engineer from Lahore with a BS from an HEC-recognised university, three years' experience, IELTS-level English and German at A2: age 2 + experience 2 + German 1 + shortage occupation (IT) 1 = 6 points. Eligible — and an English C1 certificate would add a seventh point as a safety margin.

Before you spend money

Check how your degree is listed in the anabin database, which German authorities use to assess foreign qualifications.
Budget for the blocked account, the visa fee, any recognition procedure and language certificates before you begin.
Book only through the German Embassy Islamabad or Consulate General Karachi appointment systems. Agents who sell appointments or "guaranteed" cards are a known fraud in Pakistan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many points do I need for the Germany Opportunity Card?

Six, and only after you meet the two entry conditions: a university degree or a vocational qualification of at least two years recognised in the country where you earned it, and German at A1 or English at B2. Applicants whose qualification is fully recognised in Germany do not need points at all.

How are Opportunity Card points awarded?

Partial recognition of your qualification in Germany: 4 points. German B2 or higher: 3, B1: 2, A2: 1. English C1: 1. Five years of relevant experience in the last seven: 3, or two years in the last five: 2. Age under 35: 2, 35 to 39: 1. A qualification in a shortage occupation: 1. A previous legal stay in Germany of six months or more in the last five years: 1. A spouse or partner who also qualifies and applies with you: 1.

Can I get the Opportunity Card with only English?

Yes, English at B2 meets the language entry condition. But most applicants who rely on English alone struggle to reach six points, because German is where the language points are. Even A2 German adds a point.

Can I work in Germany on the Opportunity Card?

Yes, part time — up to 20 hours a week — while you look for a qualified job, plus trial employment of up to two weeks with each prospective employer. Once you find a qualifying job, you switch to a work residence permit without leaving Germany.

How long is the Opportunity Card valid?

Up to 12 months. It is a job-search permit: the aim is to find qualified employment within that year and move onto a residence permit for work.

How do I prove I can support myself?

Usually with a blocked account (Sperrkonto) holding a set monthly amount for the stay, or a formal declaration of commitment from someone in Germany. The required monthly figure changes each year, so confirm the current amount with the German mission before you open an account.

Where do Pakistani applicants apply?

At the German Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi, depending on your place of residence, by appointment. Applications go through the official appointment and visa system — never through an agent promising a guaranteed card.