General Information

The opportunity card is a new feature in the German Residence Act allowing eligible people to come to Germany to look for a job. As well as looking for a job, successful applicants can also take part in additional training for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in Germany.

There are two ways to obtain the opportunity card:

- Third-country nationals who can prove full equivalence of their foreign qualification and are thus considered to be skilled workers can receive an opportunity card without meeting any other special requirements if they provide evidence that they can support themselves.

- All other applicants have to provide proof that they have completed a degree from a foreign university, an at least two-year vocational qualification (both of which need to be officially recognised by the country in which they were completed) or a vocational qualification issued by one of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad. In addition, applicants need to have either basic German (level A1) or intermediate English skills (level B2). If these requirements are met, varying numbers of points can be collected for criteria such as recognition of the qualification in Germany, language skills, professional experience, age and connection to Germany, as well as an eligible civil partner or spouse who is accompanying you. You need at least 6 points to be granted the opportunity card.

The opportunity card is issued for a maximum of one year provided you can support yourself for this period. During your time looking for a job in Germany, you can complete work trials or engage in secondary employment for a maximum of 20 hours per week.

You can find out more about the opportunity card (including a self-check) as well as general information on living and working in Germany here: 'Make it in Germany'.

Documents

All documents must be submitted in the original and with two sets of photocopies.

The originals will be returned after completion of the procedure.

Documents not in the German or English language must be submitted with a certified German translation.

⬜ Two fully completed application forms

⬜ Declaration pursuant to § 54 (2) no. 8 in conjunction with. § 53 of the Residence Act, completed and signed by hand

⬜ Two recent biometric passport photos (size 35 x 45mm) in front of a light background

⬜ A valid and signed passport (with at least six months of validity remaining, issued within the last 10 years and at least two blank pages).

⬜ Other valid and already expired passports

⬜ NPC birth certificate (if born after 13th December 1992) / certified copy of the local birth register OR affidavit (“declaration of age” deposed to by one of the parents or the head of the family, if both parents are late)

⬜ For non-Nigerian nationals: Nigerian residence permit

⬜ Two biometric passport photos of the spouse living in Germany

⬜ Cover letter: This should outline what fields and jobs you are interested in in Germany, where you want to apply and where you want to live in Germany (including details of accommodation and how you will support yourself). And, if applicable, what additional training you plan to complete to have your foreign professional qualification recognised.

⬜ Curriculum vitae in tabular form indicating professional experience to date

Financing

You can cover your living costs in Germany through your own means or a formal declaration of commitment. In addition, if you have concrete plans, income from secondary employment that is permitted with an opportunity card can be taken into account. Please provide the following proof depending on your individual case:

⬜ Blocked Account: To stay in Germany, each individual applicant must have at their disposal at least 1027 euro per month, which for the standard 12-month stay with an opportunity card totals 12,324 euro. You can prove you have sufficient resources by presenting a so-called blocked account. Please open the blocked account in good time before you apply for a visa. When applying for a visa, only the official confirmation of the opening of the account issued by the bank, including information on the amount paid in and the amount available per month, will be accepted. Confirmation which does not cite these amounts is not sufficient, nor is proof of lodgement or transfer of funds without confirmation from the bank.

OR

⬜ Secondary employment: If you have a concrete opportunity for secondary employment in Germany, you can present an employment contract or a binding job offer detailing the weekly working hours and your monthly wage.

OR

⬜ Declaration of commitment: Proof by means of a formal declaration of commitment in accordance with §§ 66, 68 AufenthG, in which a person undertakes in writing to the German immigration authority to bear the costs (original + copy)

Skilled worker

Have you completed German vocational training or a degree from a German university? Or foreign vocational training or a degree from a foreign university which are recognised in Germany? Then you are considered a skilled worker pursuant to Section 18 III Residence Act and you do not need to collect points to get the opportunity card. Please provide proof of your qualification as a skilled worker in the form of:

⬜ Vocational training qualification in Germany (original + copy)

OR

⬜ University degree in Germany (original + copy)

OR

⬜ Recognition of the equivalence of the foreign professional qualification by the respective body responsible for recognition (original + copy)

OR

⬜ Recognition of the equivalence of the foreign university degree (printout from the anabin database for your university degree)

OR (if the degree in the anabin database is not rated “equivalent” or “equivalent” and/or the university is not rated “H+”)

⬜ Certificate evaluation by the 'Central Office for Foreign Education' ZAB (original + copy)

OR (in the case of regulated professions in which permission is required to exercise the profession, for example, doctors, engineers; complete list is available from the Federal Employment Agency or the European Commission)
⬜Professional license from the competent recognition body or assurance of the professional license - e.g. for medical professions: Decision of the licensing authority in the federal territory, i.e. assurance of the professional license or granting of the medical license (original + copy)

Unskilled worker

If you are not a skilled worker (see definition above), you must fulfill and provide proof of the following requirements:

⬜ Foreign vocational training qualification (original + copy) AS WELL AS

⬜ Certificate (original + copy) from the 'Central Office for Foreign Education' ZAB about your foreign professional qualification (state recognition, at least 2 years of training)

OR

⬜ Partial recognition notice/deficit notice for your professional qualification (original + copy)

OR

⬜ Foreign university degree (original + copy) AS WELL AS

⬜ Proof of state recognition of the university degree - either by

⬜ Determination of the (conditional) comparability of the foreign university degree (printout from the anabin database for your university degree and your university)

OR (if the degree is not rated “equivalent” or “equivalent” in the anabin database and/or the higher education institution is not rated “H+”)

⬜ Certificate evaluation by the 'Central Office for Foreign Education' (original + copy)

OR

⬜ Vocational qualification from a German Chamber of Foreign Trade with corresponding confirmation from the 'Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training' BIBB (original + copy)

Language skills

⬜ Certificate (original + copy) of your knowledge of the German - at least A1!

OR

⬜ Certificate (original + copy) of your knowledge of English - at least B2! ¨ The issuer of the certificate must be certified by the Association of Language Testers in Europe(ALTE); alternatively, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also accepted.

Points for the opportunity card

You can also collect points for the opportunity card (details on the number of points awarded are available on our website and at Make it in Germany) by proving the following:

⬜ Proof of your professional experience in the last 5 or 7 years, if this is related to your professional qualification: Employment references, employer certificates, etc. (originals + copy)

⬜ If you have been legally resident in Germany for an uninterrupted period of at least 6 months in the last 5 years (short stays under the Schengen Agreement do not count!), please prove this by providing suitable documents, for example,
- valid rental contracts
- terms of employment, service contracts, etc.
- passports with visas and entry stamps

⬜ Does your spouse/registered partner also want to apply for an opportunity card – or have they already done so – to then enter Germany together with you? If yes, one of you can collect 1 additional point for the opportunity card. Please enclose proof of the opportunity card application submitted by your spouse/partner.

Additional documents may be required depending on the individual case. All costs associated with obtaining the necessary documents are to be borne by the applicant.