Skilled immigration via the Opportunity Card

The Opportunity Card came into effect on 1 June 2024, giving qualified professionals from countries outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland the chance to come to Germany to look for work without needing a specific job offer. This simplifies the application process for both job seekers and employers.

Who is eligible to receive an Opportunity Card?

The legal basis for the Opportunity Card is Sections 20a and 20b of the Residence Act. Eligibility is determined either by providing evidence of the equivalence of foreign qualifications (the skilled worker route) or by the points system, provided that the minimum number of six points and requirements are met.

If the requirements are met, the responsible authority can issue an Opportunity Card that is valid for up to one year. This allows Opportunity Card holders to enter and stay in Germany for the purpose of looking for a job or seeking training.

Current figures on the granting of the Opportunity Card

Since the introduction of the Opportunity Card scheme, a total of 11,497 Opportunity Card visas have been issued by German diplomatic missions abroad (as of 15 June 2025). India accounts for almost a third of all visas issued, with 3,721 Opportunity Card visas granted. China comes in second place by a wide margin, with 807 Opportunity Cards. Other countries of origin include Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. On the African continent, most Opportunity Card visas were issued in Tunisia (303) and Egypt (257) (Bundestag, 2025).

The high number of applications from India and China demonstrates the significant interest from technologically advanced countries with a high number of skilled workers.

Opportunity Card Scheme: new skilled labour potential for employers in Germany

The Opportunity Card is a tool that facilitates economic migration and gives employers in Germany access to a new pool of skilled workers by offering:

A broader recruitment base: People with an Opportunity Card are allowed to stay in Germany for up to one year to find qualified employment. Employers benefit from getting to know potential candidates who already live in Germany without having to go through lengthy procedures in advance. This makes it easier to integrate new employees and improves the accuracy of filling vacant positions.

Diversity of qualifications: The selection criteria for the Opportunity Card – such as professional qualifications, language skills, work experience and age – ensure that people with an Opportunity Card have a high level of potential. Many cardholders have degrees in STEM subjects, nursing or skilled trades, all of which are in particularly high demand in Germany.

Promoting integration and retention: As individuals with an Opportunity Card come to Germany with the goal of finding employment, they are generally highly motivated and willing to integrate. Companies that invest in training and language support early on can benefit from loyal and committed employees in the long term.

Flexibility and legal certainty: The Opportunity Card creates a clear legal framework for job seekers and employers. Employers can rest assured that applicants have a valid residence permit. People with an Opportunity Card can work up to 20 hours per week while job hunting without the Federal Employment Agency’s (BA) approval. If a permanent position of more than 20 hours per week becomes available, an appropriate residence permit can be applied for in Germany to take up skilled employment without having to leave the country first.

Challenges of the Opportunity Card Regulation

Despite the positive trend in visa numbers in 2023 and 2024, the practical implementation of migration law regulations remains complex. The 104 legal bases for national visas, with different and sometimes highly specific criteria and requirements, can be difficult for applicants and German employers to understand. This leads to a high demand for advice. Various locations and authorities are reporting an increasing number of issues that are impeding the effectiveness of immigration regulations. These include inconsistent interpretation of legal requirements, delayed processing times for applications and insufficient advice and information for the target groups.

Information and advice: Advice centres report a high demand for information abroad and uncertainty, particularly regarding the application of the new Opportunity Card regulation. Questions repeatedly arise about switching from an Opportunity Card visa (initial issuance) to a residence permit for permanent employment, as well as about the obligations and rights of employers during Opportunity Card holders’ probationary employment periods. This information gap leads to misunderstandings among employers and can result in rejections or contract terminations.

The German Federal government provides information on the Opportunity Card regulation on relevant portals such as the “Make it in Germany” portal. According to current portal data, international interest in the Opportunity Card is very high. The information pages on the Opportunity Card and the self-check tool for the points system are among the portal’s five most-visited pages, receiving almost 500,000 hits in 2025 (Make it in Germany, 2025).

Inconsistent interpretation of legal requirements: Differing interpretations of residence regulations make it difficult to make transparent decisions on visa applications from potential skilled workers. A concrete example is the question of whether an employment contract for a secondary job of a maximum of 20 hours per week is accepted as proof of livelihood security (Kolb, 2025). Some authorities accept an employment contract as proof as required by law, while others do not. For employers and applicants, this means that even with careful preparation, it is not certain what the competent authority will decide. Rather than providing clarity, the current situation causes confusion, and the decision on the visa application remains unpredictable.

Delayed processing times for applications: Lengthy processing times from authorities are a key challenge in the immigration process for third-country nationals. This also applies to Opportunity Card holders. Currently, the time required to process Opportunity Card applications varies considerably from one German diplomatic mission to another. While some make their decision within a few weeks, others report waiting times of several months.

The immigration authorities in Germany are also prepared for the new regulation to a varying extent. The lack of digital networking between the German missions, the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR) and the BA makes tracking and statistical evaluation considerably more difficult. The Federal government itself confirms that there is no reliable information on how many people with an Opportunity Card have found employment after entering the country (Bundestag, 2025). This is mainly because the AZR does not indicate whether persons with a residence permit for gainful employment previously held an Opportunity Card visa. Furthermore, the Opportunity Card is typically granted for an initial period of twelve months. Holders therefore have no reason to apply for a residence permit shortly after entering the country.

Integration and transition into employment: Many individuals with an Opportunity Card meet the language requirement of at least Level A1 in German in the points system. However, a large number also come via the “skilled worker route”, which does not require proof of language proficiency. As a result, these skilled workers enter Germany with insufficient German language skills, which makes it difficult for them to access qualified jobs.

In addition, people with an Opportunity Card often lack the networks and support they need to find their way around the job market. They have little knowledge of the requirements of the application process in Germany and the expectations of employers. This issue is addressed in a recent experience report on the Opportunity Card in the “Make it in Germany” Newsletter. Targeted language support and training opportunities should be made available during the job search to facilitate the transition into employment.

Conclusion and Recommendations

People with an Opportunity Card visa can play a key role in meeting Germany’s demand for skilled workers. To this end, administrative hurdles must not hinder entry or access to the labour market in the case of permanent employment. This can be achieved by increasing the digitisation of the entry procedure and bundling administrative processes. Germany currently operates 167 visa offices in 134 countries. In many of these, digital visa applications are not yet available. The digital application process for residence permits is also progressing slowly with immigration authorities. However, the Opportunity Card scheme was designed from the outset as an exclusively digital process. Therefore, it is necessary to set up the digital Work and Stay Agency as detailed in the coalition agreement as quickly as possible, taking a “one-stop government” approach. This should not be a new federal authority but rather serve as a single digital point of contact for the entire process chain of skilled migration – from visa applications and the recognition of qualifications to the issuance of residence permits.

After entry, a reliable advisory service should also be set up throughout Germany to efficiently bring together Opportunity Card holders and employers. This will actively accelerate the placement process in the labour market. Clear responsibilities and digital support ensure that both sides quickly receive the right information and that administrative hurdles are reduced to a minimum.