The Opportunity Card gives eligible people a time-limited way to search for gainful employment in Germany. It can include limited work and job trials, but it does not turn every job into a residence route or guarantee an employer will hire you.
How long is the initial job-search stay?
Make it in Germany states that a job-search Opportunity Card is initially issued for a maximum of one year. Use that period to apply for roles, prepare for interviews and confirm whether a role meets the requirements for the next residence title.
The card is not required in every situation. The official guidance notes that you can also search for a job from your home country and, after receiving an offer of qualified employment, explore the applicable work route.
Part-time work: up to 20 hours a week
During the job search, the official guidance permits one or more secondary jobs totalling up to 20 hours per week. This is a limit, not a guaranteed number of hours, income level or job offer. Your contract, pay, tax position and the employer’s decision remain separate matters.
Job trials: what they are for
You can undertake job trials for up to two weeks per employer. Their purpose must be to obtain qualified employment, an apprenticeship or a qualification programme. A trial is not confirmation that the employer will offer you a contract.
Before agreeing to a trial, ask the employer for the role, dates, work location, contact person and intended next step in writing. Keep your own record of how the trial fits the permitted purpose.
What happens after you find an opportunity?
If you find a specific job, apprenticeship or self-employment route, you may need to apply to the competent foreigners authority for the appropriate residence permit. The official Opportunity Card page identifies possible routes for qualified employment, vocational training, recognition measures and self-employment. Each has its own requirements.
Do not start work outside the conditions of your residence status because you expect a later change. Check the responsible authority’s current instructions first.