Do you qualify?
The Chancenkarte lets you move to Germany without a job offer and search for data engineering roles for up to 12 months. You need a qualifying degree and — if your degree is not fully recognised — at least 6 points from the points table.
Minimum qualification to apply: a foreign higher-education degree of at least 3 years (ISCED 6 or higher). A Diplôme d'Ingénieur d'État (5 years) or a recognised 3-year Licence LMD in Informatique, Mathématiques, or Statistiques meets this requirement. OFPPT diplomas do not.
Which route applies to you?
| Your situation | Route |
|---|---|
| Diplôme d'Ingénieur, programme listed in anabin as "entspricht" | Route 1: no points needed |
| Diplôme d'Ingénieur or Licence LMD, programme not individually listed | Route 2: 6 points required |
| Licence LMD, listed in anabin | Route 1: no points needed |
| UM6P MSc Data or equivalent private-institution degree | Route 2: ZAB recommended first |
| OFPPT Technicien Spécialisé | Not eligible |
Route 2: points table
| Criterion | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Partial equivalence (ZAB decision) | 4 | Formal ZAB assessment required |
| Shortage occupation (data engineering, ISCO-08 group 25) | 1 | |
| At least 2 years qualifying experience in last 5 years | 2 | Post-graduation, in field |
| At least 5 years qualifying experience in last 7 years | 3 | Replaces 2-year tier |
| German at A2 | 1 | |
| German at B1 | 2 | Replaces A2 |
| German at B2 or higher | 3 | Replaces B1 |
| English at B2 or higher (with certificate) | 1 | IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge — French and Arabic do not award points |
| Age under 35 | 2 | |
| Age 35–39 | 1 | Replaces under-35 |
| Prior lawful German residence ≥ 6 months in last 5 years | 1 | |
| Spouse applies jointly and qualifies | 1 |
Worked example: Amine Kettani, 26, data engineer, ENSIAS BI filière (programme unlisted), 3 years post-graduation experience, TOEFL B2, no German: 1 (shortage) + 2 (experience) + 2 (age under 35) + 1 (English B2) = 6 points ✓
Houda Benkirane, 33, data engineer, Licence LMD Maths (programme not in anabin), 4 years experience, no English cert, German A2: 1 (shortage) + 2 (experience) + 1 (age 35–39… she's 33 so under 35: 2) + 1 (German A2) = 6 points ✓
Financial requirement: the Sperrkonto
You must hold €13,092 in a blocked Sperrkonto account before your visa appointment. Providers: Fintiba, Coracle, Expatrio. Open it at least 4 weeks before your appointment — processing takes 1–2 weeks.
What you can do on the Opportunity Card
- Part-time work: up to 20 hours per week on average
- Trial employment (Probebeschäftigung): up to 2 weeks per employer
- Freelancing: not permitted
Document checklist
- Passport (at least 2 empty pages)
- Degree certificate with Moroccan MFA apostille
- Academic transcript with Moroccan MFA apostille
- anabin printout or ZAB Statement of Comparability
- Language certificate (IELTS/TOEFL/Cambridge for English; Goethe-Institut/telc/ÖSD for German)
- Experience letters and payslips
- Sperrkonto certificate (€13,092)
- Travel health insurance
French and Arabic are not recognised in the Chancenkarte points table. Only English and German language certificates award points.
Which German mission handles your application
Embassy Rabat and Consulate General Casablanca both handle employment visas. Jurisdiction follows your registered address. Book via digital.diplo.de.
Common mistakes
Counting French proficiency toward the language point. Only English (B2+, with IELTS/TOEFL/Cambridge) and German (A2+, with Goethe-Institut/telc/ÖSD) award points. French is not in the table.
Applying without an English certificate if it would reach 6 points. An IELTS or TOEFL exam is often the cheapest way to reach the threshold — take it 6–8 weeks before your appointment.
UM6P graduates applying without a ZAB assessment. UM6P's private status makes its anabin rating uncertain. Get the ZAB Zeugnisbewertung first to establish your route clearly.
Sources
- § 20a AufenthG, Bundesministerium der Justiz
- Opportunity Card: Make it in Germany
- anabin database, KMK / ZAB
Not legal advice. Verify requirements with the relevant German mission before applying.
See also
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