Germany will let you job-hunt without a job offer. Pick the right door first.
The Opportunity Card is a year to look for qualified work. One door is a recognised qualification. The other is six points.
Checked 7 Oct 2026 · Anchored, Overthinker
- Program
- Opportunity Card, Section 20a Residence Act
- Threshold
- Points path: at least 6 points, with German A1 or English B2. Funds: blocked account of €1,091 net per month in 2026, or a declaration of commitment.
- Who
- Non-EU and non-EFTA nationals coming to look for qualified work, without relying on a job offer.
What changed
The federal "Make it in Germany" portal describes an Opportunity Card under Section 20a of the Residence Act for people outside the EU and EFTA who want to come and look for qualified work. There are two doors. A qualification that is fully recognised in Germany skips the points system, and that door does not require a language certificate. Everyone else needs a qualification the issuing country itself recognises — vocational training of at least two years, where that applies — plus German at A1 or English at B2, and at least six points.
What this does not change
A search card is issued for up to one year. It is not the visa for a job you already hold, and it is not a freelance permit. While you look, part-time work on that page is capped at 20 hours a week in total, and a trial with one employer runs up to two weeks. You still have to show you can pay for the search: the same page cites a blocked account of at least €1,091 net a month for 2026, or a declaration of commitment. Finding the job remains your problem.
One next step
Use the self-check on the official page and write down which door you are in — recognised qualification, or points — before you book an appointment.
Sources
This is not legal advice. A ministry page and the consulate that stamps your passport can read the same rule differently. Use the sources, then ask someone who is allowed to advise you.