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WORK PERMITS

How Germany’s ‘opportunity card’ will allow easier entry for foreign workers from June

Germany is in dire need of skilled workers. A new form of work permit launching soon will provide another route for qualified foreign nationals to come to Germany.

Pharmacist with kids in Halle
Pharmacist Hor Fayed 'treats' the plush toys of children from the Weingärten daycare center in the University Hospital Halle/Saale. Pharmacists and nurses are among Germany's 'bottleneck occupations', or industries facing a worsening shortage of workers. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Hendrik Schmidt

Starting June 1st, non-EU citizens will be allowed to come to Germany to look for a job for one year with the Chancenkarte, or Opportunity Card. 

The Chancenkarte is intended to make it easier for foreign skilled workers to immigrate to Germany and find employment.

Originally announced in 2022, the opportunity card comes as one of several immigration policy changes that the traffic-light coalition government has dreamed up to try to attract badly needed young workers. 

Another major immigration policy change came in the form of Germany’s new rules for naturalisation, which will come into effect on June 27th.

With its ageing population, Germany is estimated to need at least 400,000 new skilled workers each year to fill its growing shortage.

READ ALSO: Better childcare to quicker visas – How Germany wants to attract more workers

What is allowed with a Chancenkarte?

Germany’s new Opportunity Card essentially works like a temporary visa or work permit, but with some specific limitations.

Namely, it allows foreign nationals to enter and reside in the Bundesrepublik for up to one year.

Opportunity Card holders are also permitted to work part-time jobs (up to 20 hours per week), or to take on two-week trial work. 

The idea here being that companies that need specific roles filled can hire foreign workers for part-time roles from abroad more easily – assisting their entry into Germany via the Opportunity Card. 

Alternatively, skilled workers can come to Germany to seek employment, and are then free to start work at a part-time level or on a short-term trial.

READ ALSO: Germany ranked fifth most popular destination for foreign workers

Should opportunity card holders want to work full-time, they can then apply for longer-term residency. In this case, being an Opportunity Card holder with a job offer makes one a prime candidate for a residence permit.

Who qualifies for the Chancenkarte?

The are two ways that you can qualify for an opportunity card. The first applies if you have a foreign professional or academic qualification that is fully recognised in Germany. The second is for those who have completed vocational or academic training that isn’t formally recognised in Germany.

In either case, the most basic requirement for a Chancenkarte is having completed at least two years of vocational training, or having a university degree that is relevant to your vocation, as well as language skills in German or English. 

You also need to prove that you are financially secure – having enough money to finance your stay in Germany. This would amount to a little over €12,000 for the year, or it can otherwise be proven by means of an employment contract, if you already have a job offer.

PODCAST: What is Germany’s planned points-based visa?

If your foreign qualifications aren’t fully recognised in Germany, you can still apply for a Chancenkarte through a points-based system. In this case, your language skills, professional experience, age and connection to Germany will all be considered. Successful applicants will need to achieve at least six points according to the following qualifications:

  • 4 points are given if your foreign professional qualification is recognised in Germany, or if you have permission to practise a regulated profession (e.g. educator, nurse or engineer). Note that very few applicants meet these criteria.
  • 3 points:
    • If you have five years of professional experience in your field (within the last seven years). 
    • For B2 level German language skills.
  • 2 points:
    • If you have two years of professional experience with previous vocational training (within the last five years). 
    • If you are not older than 35 at the time your application is submitted. 
    • For B1 German language skills.
  • 1 point:
    • If you are not older than 40 at the time your application is submitted.
    • If you previously stayed in Germany for at least six months (excluding tourist stays). 
    • For C1 English language skills.
    • For A2 German language skills. 
    • If you are trained in a ‘bottleneck occupation’ (meaning an occupation where there is a shortage of workers in Germany).
    • If you apply for the opportunity together with a spouse.

You can find more information on this website, including a questionnaire to see if you are qualified.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card with the German Consulate in your country, or at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany.

READ ALSO: What happens to your work permit if you lose your job in Germany?

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For members

STATISTICS

What will Germany’s population look like in 2045?

What impact could immigration and an aging population have on Germany over the next two decades? A pretty significant one, according to a new report.

What will Germany's population look like in 2045?

Though Germany may sometimes feel like a country that’s resistant to change, there’s one thing that’s in constant flux: the population. 

Over the next twenty years, demographics in the country could shift significantly, according to a new report unveiled by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) in Bonn on Wednesday.  

Here are some of the key takeaways to be aware of. 

Germany is becoming nation of pensioners

Germany’s aging population has been causing headaches for politicians for several years, sparking fears about skills shortages, the stability of health services and whether or not the working population can fund the increasing number of pensioners.

By 2045, the situation is expected to be even more extreme, with researchers saying the number of over-67s in Germany could grow by 13 percent in the next couple of decades. Compared to 2021 figures, that would equate to an additional 2.2 million people who would likely be claiming a pension.

“Germany is ageing massively,” said scientific project manager Jana Hoymann. “We have individual districts where the number of older people is increasing by 40 percent – an incredibly high figure.” 

In some parts of the country, such as the districts of Vorpommern-Rügen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Mansfeld-Südharz (Saxony-Anhalt), Altenburger Land and Greiz (Thuringia) and Spree-Neisse (Brandenburg), demographers predict an average age of over 50. 

Immigration will have a major impact

As the age of the average German goes up, the population’s relative stability is likely to be shored up by a steady influx of foreigners, BSSR predicts.

Researchers say that the country’s population is set to grow to around 85.5 million by 2045 – an increase of 800,000 people compared to 2024. 

“Without immigration from abroad, Germany’s population would already be significantly lower in 2045 because the number of deaths will far exceed the number of births,” explained Peter Jakubowski, Head of the Spatial and Urban Development Department at the BBSR.

READ ALSO: Germany ranked fifth most popular destination for foreign workers

The institute assumes that net immigration will pick up significantly over the coming decade, with 300,000 more people arriving in Germany than leaving each year from 2031. There are multiple reasons for this, according to researchers: the pro-migration policies of the government, the family members of existing immigrants and the growing impact of climate change. 

Regional differences are becoming more striking

Despite the impact of immigration, there are likely to be huge schisms in the way the population develops in different parts of the country. 

While economically strong cities, their surrounding areas and some rural regions – particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg – will continue to grow, the decline in population in structurally weak areas outside the major cities will continue. Most regions with declining populations can be found in eastern Germany – but not exclusively.

According to BSSR, the biggest growth in the population will happen in Ebersberg, a district in Bavaria to the east of Munich, as well as in the cities of Freiburg im Breisgau, Potsdam and Leipzig. In these regions, the population could swell by around 14 percent.

Freiburg am Briesgau

Freiburg im Briesgau, where the population is predicted to grow significantly in the coming years. Photo by Marco Pregnolato onUnsplash

By contrast, the districts of Erzgebirgskreis (Saxony), Greiz (Thuringia) and Mansfeld-Südharz (Saxony-Anhalt) will lose more than a fifth of their population by 2045, researchers predict. In the western states, meanwhile, populations could decline in northern Hesse, eastern North Rhine-Westphalia and parts of Saarland.

There will also be significant differences in the average age of the population in different parts of the country. While residents in certain districts could have an average age of 50, average residents in Frankfurt am Main, Munich and Heildelberg will be under 41.  

In cities like Munich, Leipzig, Berlin and Potsdam, meanwhile, the working-age population will increase by 10 percent over this period. However, the size of this demographic will sink by two percent in the country as a whole.  

READ ALSO: Where is the population in Germany growing (and declining) the most?

Population shifts will present challenges

The fact that demographics will vary so drastically in different districts could present unique problems in the future, researchers explained. In some cases, governments will face “completely contradictory challenges”, said BSSR head of development Jakubowski.

In structurally strong cities and districts with population growth, governments will need to provide enough education, childcare, healthcare and nursing care, as well as sufficient housing.

In structurally weaker cities and districts with declining populations, on the other hand, the challenge will be ensuring high-quality services and attractive housing and job markets. 

READ ALSO: Germany’s population grows to 84.3 million amid record migration

Unexpected crises could have an impact

Jabowski was keen to point out that the prognosis for 2045 should not be taken as a prediction. With unexpected events such as the wars in Ukraine and Syria having an impact on migration, immigration figures are often incredibly difficult to predict.

Just three years ago, the BBSR predicted that Germany’s population would decline to 81.9 million by 2040.

Since then, more than one million people have come to Germany as a result of the war in Ukraine alone.

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