📖 Reading time: 9 minutes  |  🗓️ Last reviewed: 2026  |  ✍️ ExpatWiki Editorial Team ⚡ Key Takeaways The Germany Opportunity Card ( Chancenkarte ) allows skilled professionals to move to Germany without a job offer You need at least 6 points from a points-based system covering qualifications, age, language and experience The card is valid for 1 year — you job-hunt while living and working part-time in Germany Minimum € 1,027/month in funds required to support yourself during the search period Getting a job converts your card to a full work visa — no need to leave Germany G ermany's Opportunity Card visa changed the conversation about European immigration in a way that very few visa changes ever do. When the Chancenkarte launched in June 2024, my inbox filled with messages from professionals across Asia, Africa and Latin America asking the same question — is this real? Can I actually move to Germany without a job offer, live there for a year, look...