Chancenkarte in Berlin: Job Search Visa for Skilled Workers (2026)

Who qualifies for the Chancenkarte

The Chancenkarte operates on two routes under § 20a AufenthG:

Route 1 (fully recognised degree):If your foreign qualification is fully recognised in Germany — meaning your institution is rated H+ in anabin and your specific degree programme is listed as “entspricht” or “gleichwertig” — you qualify directly as a Fachkraft. No points test, no language certificate required.

Route 2 (points system): If your degree is not fully recognised but you hold a higher-education degree or a state-recognised vocational qualification of at least 2 years, you qualify via the points table in the Anlage to § 20b AufenthG. You need a certificate showing German at A1 or English at B2 as a prerequisite, then at least 6 points.

Points table (Route 2)

The table below covers the most relevant criteria. All points are fixed at the date of application; circumstances changing between application and decision do not retroactively alter your score (§ 20b(1) Nr. 6 + 7 AufenthG):

Minimum: 6 points. Experience tiers (2-year and 5-year) are mutually exclusive. German language tiers are mutually exclusive with each other.

Financial requirement: the Sperrkonto

You must prove you can support yourself without public funds (§ 20a(4) AufenthG). The minimum is €1,091 net per month. For a 12-month Chancenkarte, load at least €13,092 into a German blocked account (Sperrkonto) before your visa appointment. The account releases €1,091 per month after you arrive. Alternatively, a Verpflichtungserklärung from a Germany-resident sponsor covers the requirement. A part-time employment contract (up to 20 hours/week) reaching the same monthly net can top up a smaller Sperrkonto.

Where to apply in Berlin: the Landesamt für Einwanderung

You apply for the national Chancenkarte visa at the German mission in your home country (not at the LEA). After arrival and residence registration in Berlin, the LEA issues your residence permit:

The LEA also handles the conversion appointment when you find a job and want to switch to a Blue Card (§ 18g AufenthG), a skilled-worker permit (§ 18a/18b), or another qualifying residence title.

Tech jobs in Berlin

Berlin has more than 3,000 tech and digital companies including Zalando, Delivery Hero, HelloFresh, N26, AUTO1 Group, SumUp, and Wunderflats, alongside a dense early-stage startup ecosystem. Most product and engineering roles at established Berlin tech companies are conducted in English, which lowers the practical language barrier during job search. ICT roles fall under ISCO-08 group 25 (shortage occupation), qualifying for the lower Blue Card salary threshold of €45,934.20 once you receive a job offer and convert your Chancenkarte.

Converting to the Blue Card once you find a job

When you receive a qualifying job offer while on the Chancenkarte, book a conversion appointment at the LEA Berlin. The conversion is to a Blue Card (§ 18g AufenthG) if your salary meets the threshold (€45,934.20 for ICT shortage roles in 2026), or to an Aufenthaltserlaubnis für Fachkräfte (§ 18a or § 18b) for other qualified roles. After 21 months of Blue Card employment with B1 German (or 27 months with A1), you are eligible for permanent residence (§ 18c(2) AufenthG).

Common mistakes

1. Claiming partial-equivalence points without a recognition decision.The 4-point partial-equivalence criterion requires an actual recognition procedure returning a “partial equivalence” result — not a pending application, not an anabin printout alone. Claiming this point without the formal decision is the most common Chancenkarte denial reason.
2. Language certificate from a non-recognised provider. The A1/B2 language prerequisite and the language points require a certificate from a recognised testing body (Goethe-Institut, telc, ÖSD, IELTS, Cambridge). Self-declarations or employer letters do not satisfy the requirement.
3. Loading the Sperrkonto too late. The blocked account must be fully loaded before the visa appointment, not after. Processing a Sperrkonto with a German bank from abroad takes 2 to 4 weeks. Start early.
4. Missing the LEA appointment after arrival. The Chancenkarte national visa allows entry but not permanent residence. Book your LEA Berlin residence permit appointment immediately after registering at the Bürgeramt. Working the full 20-hour limit without the LEA appointment risks a gap in lawful status.

When you need a lawyer

Most Chancenkarte applications do not require a lawyer. Consider one if you are claiming the partial-equivalence point and need help initiating the formal recognition procedure, if your language certificate is from an unusual provider, or if you have a prior immigration refusal on record.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• § 20a AufenthG: Chancenkarte, Bundesministerium der Justiz
• § 20b AufenthG: Points table (Anlage), Bundesministerium der Justiz
• Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card), Make it in Germany
• Chancenkarte, BAMF
• LEA Berlin appointment booking, Berlin.de

We are not a law firm. This page provides general information only, not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with the relevant German authority before applying.