Chancenkarte in Munich: 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 — 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. The points threshold and scoring are identical across all German cities.

Points table (Route 2)

Common paths to 6 points for an IT professional in Munich: partial equivalence (4 pts) plus age under 35 (2 pts). Or: partial equivalence (4 pts) plus 2 years post-qualification experience (2 pts). The partial-equivalence point requires a formal recognition decision — not just an anabin printout.

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 in Munich 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. A Verpflichtungserklärung from a Germany-resident sponsor, or a part-time employment contract (up to 20 hours/week) supplemented by a smaller Sperrkonto, are also accepted.

Where to apply in Munich: the Ausländerbehörde München

You apply for the Chancenkarte national visa at the German mission in your home country. After entering Germany and registering at a Munich Bürgerbüro, apply for the residence permit at:

The Ausländerbehörde München also handles the conversion appointment when you receive a qualifying job offer and want to switch to a Blue Card (§ 18g AufenthG) or another work permit.

Job market in Munich

Munich is Germany’s second-largest tech employer. BMW Group, Siemens, MAN, Knorr-Bremse, and Linde all run substantial software engineering, data engineering, and AI/ML teams. The automotive tech pivot — connected vehicles, autonomous driving, battery management — has created large demand for embedded software, ML, and cloud engineers. Munich is also home to a growing startup cluster around the Technical University of Munich (TUM), with dozens of deep-tech spinoffs active in robotics, medical devices, and industrial AI.

Salaries in Munich are among the highest in Germany. Senior software engineers typically earn €80,000 to €130,000; ML engineers and data scientists at automotive-tech firms commonly reach €90,000 to €140,000. Entry-level roles at established companies start at €55,000 to €70,000 for recent graduates.

Converting to the Blue Card once you find a job

Once you receive a qualifying job offer in Munich, book a conversion appointment at the Ausländerbehörde München. For ICT roles (ISCO-08 group 25 or 133), the 2026 Blue Card salary threshold is €45,934.20 gross per year. For all other roles, the general threshold is €50,700. After 21 months of Blue Card employment with B1 German (or 27 months with A1), you are eligible for permanent residence under § 18c(2) AufenthG.

Common mistakes

1. Claiming partial-equivalence points without a formal decision.The 4-point criterion requires an actual recognition decision returning “partial equivalence”. An anabin printout or a pending application does not satisfy it. The recognition procedure can be initiated in parallel with your visa application, but the decision must be in hand before the visa appointment.
2. Underestimating Munich living costs when sizing the Sperrkonto.The legal minimum is €1,091/month, but Munich rents average €20–25/m² for furnished apartments. Budget €1,500 to €2,000 per month for comfortable job searching, and ensure the Sperrkonto covers the gap if you do not find part-time work.
3. Language certificate from a non-recognised provider.The A1/B2 prerequisite requires a certificate from a recognised body: Goethe-Institut, telc, ÖSD, IELTS, Cambridge, or an equivalent accredited provider. Self-declarations are not accepted.
4. Missing the Ausländerbehörde appointment after arrival.The Chancenkarte national visa allows entry but not permanent residence. Book your Ausländerbehörde München appointment immediately after Bürgerbüro registration. Delays in booking can create gaps in lawful residence status.

When you need a lawyer

Most Chancenkarte applications do not require a lawyer. Consider one if you need help initiating the formal recognition procedure to claim the partial-equivalence points, 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

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.