‘Chancenkarte’ or Opportunity Card in Germany
The Chancenkarte is the new exciting law for people looking for jobs in Germany. The law was passed in November last year to attract skilled foreign employees to the country.
Germany is intensifying its efforts to get highly qualified professionals from outside the EU. To make it simpler for foreign people to work in Germany, the nation is modifying its immigration laws.
Most non-EU citizens currently need a job offer before they can relocate to Germany. Citizens of a number of nations with visa agreements already have access to visa-free entrance into Germany, however, they are only permitted to work temporarily. This law will change that.
The Chancenkarte or the Opportunity Card is a points-based way for interested job seekers. The law is designed to streamline the process of moving to Germany for non-EU citizens.
Foreign nationals will be eligible to work in temporary or secondary jobs with this one-year job seeker visa.
The bill is still in the development phase and is expected to come into force by the end of 2023.
Why is Germany inviting skilled workers from all over the world?
In Germany, the labor shortage has reached an all-time high this year. The Institute for Employment Research (IAB) discovered 1.74 million open opportunities nationwide in 2022. That is equivalent to a setback of roughly 100 billion euros.
Over half of the businesses questioned by the IFO Institute in a study last July were slowed down by employee shortages.
On top of this, the population is also declining in Germany. There are more aging people with a low birth rate. This has caused an acute shortage of workers.
What does ‘skilled worker’ mean?
Professionally trained workers and academically trained workers are the two types of skilled workers.
Professionally trained skilled workers must have successfully finished an officially recognized professional training program. The training program, in accordance with German legislation, should be 2 years long at a minimum.
Academically trained skilled workers must hold a degree from a higher education institution. Germany must formally recognize degrees obtained in different countries.
Only those positions that are regarded as ‘qualified employment’ are open to skilled individuals.
Required Qualifications for the Chancenkarte
According to the information available now, there will be four qualification parameters for the points system. But if you meet three of them, you’ll get a card.
- A university degree, vocational training, or a professional qualification. The degree should be from an officially recognized institute in Germany. If not, the degree credits will have to be converted to the german standard.
- Minimum 3 years of professional experience for any job being applied to.
- Language skills or previous residency in Germany to check familiarity with the german language & work culture.
- The age should be 35 years or younger.
It is important to note that each year, there will be a fixed quota for the number of workers required in particular industries.
Industries Hit by Staff shortage
The following industries have staff shortages. They are arranged in the decreasing order of shortages.
- The Service Sector, particularly lodging & events
- Warehousing & Storage
- Service Providers & Manufacturing in food, data processing equipment, machinery, and metal sectors.
- Wholesale
- Construction Firms
- Retail
- Chemical & Pharmaceutical Industry
- Automotive & Mechanical Engineering
Where to Apply?
As of yet, the law is not in effect. Interested applicants can look at official sources like Make it in Germany for application details in the future.
The Chancenkarte will allow workers to expand their current abilities while advancing in their careers in Germany. Not only are there well-paying jobs and favorable working conditions, Germany is also a favorable place for families. The standard of living and the reliable & affordable education make it so. This new bill will also make it easy for people to get German citizenship.
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