{"id":16,"date":"2020-02-01T13:57:40","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T12:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/?p=16"},"modified":"2026-09-13T11:03:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T10:03:23","slug":"how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany Job Seeker Visa vs Opportunity Card in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you apply for the <strong>Germany job seeker visa<\/strong>, there is something worth knowing: for most people the <strong>Opportunity Card<\/strong> is a better version of the same idea. Twice as long, and it lets you <strong>work 20 hours a week<\/strong> while you look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both routes still exist and both are worth understanding, because which one suits you turns on a points test rather than on preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/#The_two_routes_side_by_side\" >The two routes, side by side<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/#Proof_of_funds_and_the_option_nobody_mentions\" >Proof of funds, and the option nobody mentions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/#What_you_are_searching_for\" >What you are searching for<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/#Why_it_is_worth_the_trouble_21_months\" >Why it is worth the trouble: 21 months<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/#Before_you_go\" >Before you go<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_two_routes_side_by_side\"><\/span><strong>The two routes, side by side<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>Job seeker visa<\/th><th>Opportunity Card<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>How long<\/td><td>Six months<\/td><td><strong>Up to a year<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Work while searching?<\/td><td><strong>No.<\/strong> The visa is for searching only<\/td><td><strong>Yes, 20 hours a week<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>How you qualify<\/td><td>A recognised qualification and proof of funds<\/td><td>A <strong>points test<\/strong>, scoring qualifications, experience, language and age<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Funds<\/td><td>Proof of means for the whole stay, usually a blocked account<\/td><td><strong>EUR 1,091 a month<\/strong>, about EUR 13,092 for a year<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Best for<\/td><td>People whose qualification is fully recognised and who expect a quick search<\/td><td>Almost everyone else, and anyone who needs income while looking<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>Germany&#8217;s two job-seeking routes in 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 20 hours is the part that changes the arithmetic rather than just the comfort. On the job seeker visa the money you bring is a burn rate with a fixed end date. On the Opportunity Card it can be topped up, which means a slow search does not automatically become a failed one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Proof_of_funds_and_the_option_nobody_mentions\"><\/span><strong>Proof of funds, and the option nobody mentions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both routes require you to show you can support yourself, and the Opportunity Card figure is <strong>EUR 1,091 a month<\/strong>. What most guides get wrong is implying there is only one way to demonstrate it. There are three:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A blocked account<\/strong>, the <em>Sperrkonto<\/em>. The familiar route, and the one that ties up the most cash. Withdrawals are normally capped at EUR 1,091 a month, which is the point: it is designed to fund a year rather than be emptied in March.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A formal declaration of commitment<\/strong>, the <em>Verpflichtungserklarung<\/em>, from someone resident in Germany. If you have family or a partner there, this can replace the deposit entirely. The declarant takes on a real legal obligation, so it is not a favour to ask lightly, but it is available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A part-time employment contract<\/strong> inside the 20-hour limit, for the Opportunity Card.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a consultant has told you a blocked account is mandatory, they have described the most common option rather than the only one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_you_are_searching_for\"><\/span><strong>What you are searching for<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Worth having in mind while you look, because it decides which offers are worth pursuing. The route you convert onto is usually the <strong>EU Blue Card<\/strong>, and it has a salary floor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>EUR 50,700<\/strong> is the standard threshold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>EUR 45,934.20<\/strong> is the reduced rate, and it covers more people than most realise: shortage occupations, recent graduates, and IT specialists qualifying on experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That last group is worth spelling out. Under <strong>Section 18g<\/strong> of the Residence Act an IT specialist can hold a Blue Card with <strong>no degree at all<\/strong>, on three years of relevant experience within the past seven.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One contract detail that catches people at startups: the threshold must be met by a <strong>fixed annual gross salary<\/strong>. Bonuses, equity and variable commission do not count towards it. More in <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/what-is-the-eu-blue-card\/\">what the EU Blue Card is<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/germany-is-making-eu-blue-cards-easier-for-skilled-workers\/\">how Germany&#8217;s Blue Card rules loosened<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_it_is_worth_the_trouble_21_months\"><\/span><strong>Why it is worth the trouble: 21 months<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Germany&#8217;s real advantage is not the search visa, it is what happens after you find the job. A Blue Card holder can apply for a settlement permit after <strong>21 months with B1 German<\/strong>, or <strong>27 months with A1<\/strong>, subject to pension contributions and the Living in Germany test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set that against five years of continuous residence almost everywhere else in Europe and it is a different offer entirely. Two things to get right: <strong>A1 is mandatory<\/strong> either way, so there is no version of this without some German, and the clock starts <strong>when the Blue Card is issued<\/strong> rather than when you arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six months of permanent residence, bought with the difference between A1 and B1, is the best-value language study available in European immigration, and the courses are often free: see <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/free-german-language-courses-for-work-visa-holders\/\">free German language courses for visa holders<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Before_you_go\"><\/span><strong>Before you go<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Check your points for the Opportunity Card first.<\/strong> If you score, take it: a year with the right to work beats six months without. See <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/the-german-opportunity-card\/\">our Opportunity Card guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Start qualification recognition now<\/strong>, from home. It is the step everything else waits for, and arriving with it unstarted is how six months disappears.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Work out which funds option suits you<\/strong> before committing to a blocked account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Establish whether you qualify for the reduced Blue Card rate.<\/strong> It is nearly five thousand euros of difference.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build a shortlist before you fly.<\/strong> A search visa gives you access, not a pipeline.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-convert-your-degree-for-eu-blue-card\/\">getting your degree recognised<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/relocating-to-germany-for-a-bottleneck-profession-a-quick-guide\/\">Germany&#8217;s bottleneck professions<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/8-countries-with-job-seeker-visas\/\">eight countries with job seeker visas<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/jobs\">Browse German shortage jobs with visa sponsorship<\/a> on our board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last checked September 2026. Blue Card thresholds are recalculated each January and the funds requirement is revised annually. Confirm with the German mission in your country before applying.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before you apply for the Germany job seeker visa, there is something worth knowing: for most people the Opportunity Card is a better version of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"2","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"https:\/\/shortagejobs.com\/blog\/how-to-get-the-job-seekers-visa-in-germany\/","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-germany"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Germany Job Seeker Visa vs Opportunity Card in 2026<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Germany job seeker visa gives you six months and no right to work. 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