A job-search route with either recognised skilled-worker qualifications or a separate six-point pathway; qualifications and language conditions differ.
Route overview
Points-based job-search route
Typical timeline / duration: Initial search Opportunity Card up to one year; a conditional follow-up card may run up to two years after an eligible qualified job offer.
Important notes
Option 1: a German qualification or full German recognition of your foreign vocational/academic qualification; no points-system or mandatory language proof for this option.
Option 2: a formal qualification recognised in its country of award, with at least two years of vocational training for vocational qualifications, plus German A1 or English B2 and at least six points.
The 2026 funds reference is €1,091 net per month, normally through a blocked account or declaration of commitment; accepted part-time wages may count, with a blocked-account top-up for a shortfall.
Prepare passport, qualification/recognition, applicable language/points, insurance and the handling mission's current evidence.
During initial job search, secondary employment totals at most 20 hours weekly; qualifying trial work is limited to two weeks per employer.
The two-year follow-up card is conditional on qualified employment and inability to obtain another suitable work title; it is not an automatic extra two years of job search.
This is not a general remote-work/freelance permit. Recognition, language exemptions and financial evidence must match the selected option.
The one-year stay replaces the page's processing estimate in the duration field; current indices are not marketed as an October 2026 reform.
Preparation checklist
Determine whether your qualification meets the recognised-worker option or the points pathway.
Obtain the correct qualification assessment and any applicable language certificate.
Calculate the funds needed for your intended months and any verified part-time income contribution.
Complete the mission's visa file and appointment steps before relying on a travel date.
Track your job-search permit expiry and seek the appropriate work title once a suitable offer is available.