Germany Opportunity Card Visa From Pakistan

Applicants from non-EU countries can enter Germany more easily and look for work there more quickly. In addition, holders of the Opportunity Card have the chance to apply for a permanent residence title in Germany. Companies also benefit from this. For potential employers, the Opportunity Card greatly expands the pool of applicants.Due to a deficit of skilled workers, Germany would have a shortage of about 16 million workers by 2060 – without immigration from abroad. (Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) Many companies are already dependent on the support of individuals. With the Opportunity Card, both applicants and employers gain a long-term perspective on a positive development in the labour market.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card at the relevant German mission abroad in your country of origin (for example, at the German Embassy or German Consulate). If you are already in Germany, simply submit the application to the relevant local Foreigners’ Registration Office.In this case, please note that you must already be in possession of a valid residence permit or visa. In order to obtain the Opportunity Card, you must fulfill the necessary requirements and, if applicable, provide proof, for example, of your professional experience (vocational training + work experience) or your language skills (German A1 or English B2). You must also have sufficient financial means. You can prove this by means of an employment contract for a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week), for example.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card at the competent German mission abroad in your country of origin. To do so, you must fill out an application and hold a valid passport. You must also have proof of your education, language skills, previous stays etc. You must also have sufficient financial means. You can prove your financial security by means of an employment contract for a part-time job (up to 20 hours per week). The responsible authority checks to what extent the applicant meets the criteria (based on the points system). Applicants should carry appropriate proof (employment references, certificates) with them. If you have already lived in Germany for a longer period of time, you can prove residence with the help of rental contracts, employment contracts or utility bills, for example.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card from 01 June 2024 at the local Foreigners’ Registration Office or the relevant German mission abroad in your country of origin. It expands the previous Skilled Immigration Act (in force since 1 March 2020) to include another residence title for qualified non-EU citizens. While the Skilled Immigration Act facilitates entry and residence, the Opportunity Card is explicitly intended to help people who do not yet have a permanent employment contract in Germany and want to look for a job locally.

According to the points system, you must obtain at least six points to receive the Opportunity Card. The criteria are as follows:Language skills, Work experience, Age, Link to Germany, Education/Training.

Acceptable Germans are GER, Goethe Certificate, TestDaF, DSD while acceptable English tests areTOEFL,IELTS,

Cambridge Certificate.

The German authorities can issue as many Opportunity Cards as they wish. However, this may change if the demand is high. If there is too much demand for Opportunity Cards, the authorities are permitted to impose a specific quota.

If you are a person from a non-EU country (“third country”), you may apply for the Opportunity Card. To do this, you must submit an application to the German mission in your country of origin and provide evidence in the form of language skills and professional experience. You can obtain the Opportunity Card via a points system. 

As the holder of an Opportunity Card, you are not automatically entitled to have your family join you. This is only possible if you change from the Opportunity Card to another residence title. If you apply for the Opportunity Card together with your spouse, children may come to Germany with you.

It can take several weeks or months from the time you apply to the relevant Foreigners’ Registration Office or the German mission abroad in your country of origin until you are granted a residence permit in Germany with the Opportunity Card. The German authorities undertake to process the permit as quickly as possible and to check your documents as soon as possible.

You have to apply for another permit or for a permanent residence title in Germany at the local Foreigners’ Registration Office. You can change from the Opportunity Card to a follow-up residence title if you meet the criteria for the other residence titles. This could be language skills or specialist knowledge in your profession. If you have found a part-time or full-time job in Germany via the Opportunity Card, this counts as a criterion for extending your stay in Germany. Changing to a residence title for regular employment is uncomplicated.

The duration of stay in Germany with the Opportunity Card is exactly one year. An extension is possible by up to two years under certain circumstances. If you have already held the Opportunity Card but left Germany thereafter, you can apply again (after a break of at least one year).

In order to prove sufficient financial means for the Opportunity Card, you usually have to present sufficient bank balances or regular proof of income. In doing so, you must prove that you have sufficient funds to secure your livelihood and, if applicable, that of your family members in Germany without having to rely on public funds from Germany.

The level of financial means that must be proven can vary from case to case. Since 1 January 2023, the assumed annual standard requirement for a so-called blocked account is 12,324 euros per person. The account may only allow the withdrawal of a certain amount per month. However, as mentioned, you may be able to prove your balance or income in other ways.

Another way of proving sufficient income is to sign an employment contract with a German employer for 20 hours per week before applying for the Opportunity Card. The regulations on the type of job are very generous here. For example, you can work in a restaurant or at a bakery. Thanks to the minimum wage that applies in Germany, such an employment contract should also be sufficient for proving financial means to the embassy.

No, the Opportunity Card is limited to Germany and does not automatically entitle you to work in other EU countries. If you also want to work in other EU countries, you must apply for a separate work permit and residence permit there. However, there are various EU regulations that make it easier to work in other EU countries, especially if you already work or have lived in another EU country. Find out about this from the competent authorities in the respective EU country.

For holders of the Opportunity Card there should be integration courses and language courses in Germany with which you can acquire basic language skills and knowledge of the country. Such courses are available in practically every major city and are offered regularly. If you want to stay in Germany for a longer period of time, you should take advantage of this offer.

The Opportunity Card allows you to work in Germany but not to take up studies. If you want to study in Germany, you must apply and be accepted for a degree program. There are special requirements and procedures for this, which may vary from university to university. You may also have to prove that you have sufficient knowledge of German or take a language test. If you have already completed vocational training or a degree in your home country, parts of your training or studies can be credited towards a degree program in Germany.