Chancenkarte: what the German language requirement actually means

The Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) is a residence permit that lets skilled non-EU applicants come to Germany specifically to look for a job — rather than requiring a job offer before you're allowed to move, as most other German work visas do. It's valid for up to a year, during which you can work part-time (up to 20 hours a week) in any field while you search for a role that matches your qualification, or take on short trial work with a potential employer.

To even apply, you need to clear two base requirements: a recognized professional qualification or degree, and either A1 German or B2 English. Clearing those two doesn't guarantee approval on its own — you then need to score at least 6 points on Germany's points table.

You need at least 6 points, built from:

• Qualification: 4 points for a foreign qualification assessed as partially equivalent to a German one
• German language: A2 = 1 point, B1 = 2 points, B2 or higher = 3 points
• English language: C1 or higher adds 1 point, on top of your German points
• Work experience: 2 years in the last 5 = 2 points, or 3 years in the last 7 = 3 points
• Age: under 35 = 2 points, 35–40 = 1 point
• Shortage occupation: 1 point if your profession is on Germany's skilled-worker shortage list (healthcare, engineering, IT, and other STEM fields all qualify)
• Previous Germany stay: 1 point for a continuous stay of 6+ months in the last 5 years
• Joint spouse application: 1 point if you and your spouse apply together at the same embassy

Most applicants can't control their age or manufacture years of work experience overnight. Language is the one category you can realistically move in weeks or months — worth up to 3 points on its own, which is often the entire gap between falling short and clearing 6.

This is the part that catches people out. German shows up as a base requirement (A1, or you can substitute B2 English instead) — and separately as a scored category in the points table, where a higher German level earns additional points on top of whatever you scored for qualification, age, and experience.

In practice: an applicant who enters on B2 English alone gets zero points from German. The same applicant who also reaches German B1 picks up 2 extra points — and at B2, 3 points — often the exact difference between falling short of 6 and clearing it comfortably.

Blocked-account thresholds, exact point weightings, and shortage-occupation lists are updated periodically by the German government — the figures above reflect the rules as of this page's last update. Always confirm current thresholds on the official Make it in Germany portal before submitting an application.