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German Opportunity Card for Skilled Migrants
Context:
On 1 June 2024, the German government released the third stage of its Skilled Immigration Act which introduced the Chancenkarte or Opportunity Card.
More on News:
- It Aims to address Germany’s skilled worker shortage, with 701,000 vacant jobs as of April 2024.
- The Opportunity Card targets sectors facing skill shortages in Germany, such as IT, engineering, healthcare, and finance, providing these skilled migrants access to a wide range of job opportunities.
- Applicants are awarded points for fulfilling certain criteria, similar to systems in Canada and Australia.
About Opportunity Card:
- The Card, also known in German as the “Chancenkarte,” allows skilled professionals from non-EU countries to live and search for work in Germany for up to a year.
- Holders of the Opportunity Card can take a two-week trial job or work part-time (up to 20 hours per week) during their one-year stay in Germany.
- Extension: The job search period can be extended by another two years under exceptional circumstances.
- Eligibility and Criteria:
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- Minimum of two years of vocational training, a university degree, or work experience.
- Entry-level German knowledge or fluency in English.
- Financial Requirement: Blocked account of €12,324 per person per year.
- Minimum Salary Requirement: Must secure a job with an annual gross salary of at least €40,770 to continue staying in Germany.
- Points Criteria: It is a points-based system that assesses applicants based on factors like qualifications, work experience, language skills, and age.
- Applicants need to score at least 6 points to be eligible for the card.
Skilled labour: Unskilled labour: 
Skilled Worker Shortage in Germany:
- Germany has been facing a skilled worker shortage due to its rapidly ageing population.
- Germany would need 7 million skilled workers by 2035.
- Germany has been an attractive destination for Indian professionals in recent years, granting 17,379 work visas to Indians in 2022.
- In February 2023, Germany emphasised the need to simplify visa issuance for Indian professionals, particularly in the IT sector.
- The German economy has been slowing down, with a 0.3% shrink in economic output in the last quarter of 2023, although it avoided a technical recession.
- There has been little impact on the hiring of IT professionals remotely from India by German companies.
Challenges and Criticisms:
- Financial Hurdles: The requirement of over €12,000 in a blocked account can be challenging for many applicants.
- Bureaucratic Processes: Potential for tedious administrative processes and need for smooth implementation.
- Permanent Residency: Unlike Canada’s system, the Opportunity Card does not directly offer a path to permanent residency.
- Political Opposition: The right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) opposes the Opportunity Card, citing concerns about wage dumping and welfare state burden.
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