How many points does the Opportunity Card need?

Six, out of a possible seventeen. But the points only matter once you are through the entry conditions: a recognised degree or at least two years of vocational training, a language baseline, and evidence of subsistence for the whole stay. Points cannot substitute for any of those.

What if my qualification is fully recognised in Germany?

Then you do not need the points test at all — the card is granted on recognition alone. Several calculators score fully recognised applicants through the grid anyway, which is not what § 20a says. This one tells you when the test stops applying to you.

Which source is this built from?

Section 20a of the Aufenthaltsgesetz itself, as published by the Bundesministerium der Justiz, read on 15 August 2026 — the statute rather than a summary of it. The link above goes to the legal text.

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Points test

Germany Chancenkarte points calculator

Checks the six-point threshold for the Opportunity Card under § 20a of the Residence Act, keeping the entry conditions separate from the points that follow them.

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The grid, the source and the method are above — this is the tool that runs them against your own answers.

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The route this scores for

Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)

A score is only half the answer. The route page has what Germany actually requires, what it costs, where you would file it from, and how long it takes — every figure quoted from the official page it came from.

See the full route

What this grid asks

The criteria below are the ones the published grid scores, grouped the way the authority groups them. They are restated here from the source linked above, so you can see what the calculator will ask before you start.

Entry conditions

Do you hold a degree, or at least two years of state-recognised vocational training?: Yes or no
Recognition of that qualification in Germany: Not recognised in Germany · Partly recognised, or licensed for a regulated profession · Fully recognised as equivalent
Can you evidence subsistence for the whole stay (blocked account or declaration of commitment)?: Yes or no

About you

Your age: 16–80

Your qualification

Is your qualification in an occupation on the shortage list?: Yes or no
Relevant professional experience: Less than two years · At least two years in the last five · At least five years in the last seven

Languages

German language level: None · A1 · A2 · B1 · B2 · C1 or above
English language level: Below B2 · B2 · C1 or above

Additional points

Have you spent at least six months in Germany in the last five years (not as a tourist)?: Yes or no
Is a spouse or partner coming who meets the requirements themselves?: Yes or no

Notes and caveats

With a fully recognised qualification you do not need the points test at all — the card is granted on recognition alone.
A degree, or at least two years of vocational training recognised in the country where you did it, is an entry condition. Without one the points do not apply.
German at A1 or English at B2 is an entry condition, not a points item. Without one of them the application cannot proceed.
The Opportunity Card is issued for up to one year to look for work. It can be extended in limited circumstances.
While holding the card you may work up to 20 hours a week, plus two-week trial employment with a prospective employer.

Common questions

How many points does the Opportunity Card need?: Six, out of a possible seventeen. But the points only matter once you are through the entry conditions: a recognised degree or at least two years of vocational training, a language baseline, and evidence of subsistence for the whole stay. Points cannot substitute for any of those.
What if my qualification is fully recognised in Germany?: Then you do not need the points test at all — the card is granted on recognition alone. Several calculators score fully recognised applicants through the grid anyway, which is not what § 20a says. This one tells you when the test stops applying to you.
Which source is this built from?: Section 20a of the Aufenthaltsgesetz itself, as published by the Bundesministerium der Justiz, read on 15 August 2026 — the statute rather than a summary of it. The link above goes to the legal text.

Fursa is an independent information service, not a law firm or a registered immigration adviser. These tools implement published rules; they are not legal advice and they do not decide anything.