Only 2,360 Chancenkarte applications have been submitted since the visa's launch in June
Four months since its introduction, only 2,360 individuals have applied for Germany's Chancenkarte visa, intended to attract non-EU citizens to address the country's severe worker shortage.
Monthly average of 590 applications since June
According to figures from the Federal Interior Ministry, first reported by *Bild*, around 590 applications have been submitted each month for Germany's new Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) work visa since it launched in June 2024.
The Chancenkarte allows non-EU citizens to relocate to Germany for one year with permission to work part-time while seeking permanent employment or vocational training. Previously, most non-EU applicants needed a firm, full-time job offer to move to Germany.
The German government initially anticipated around 30,000 annual applications for the Chancenkarte. With an aging population exerting pressure on the pension system, Germany urgently needs immigrant workers to support its economy.
“Even if we fully utilize our domestic workforce, immigration will still be essential, especially for demographic reasons. We need both general laborers and skilled professionals,” said Andrea Nahles, Director of the Federal Employment Agency, in 2023.
So far, Indian nationals have submitted the most Chancenkarte applications, followed by applicants from China, Turkey, Russia, and Tunisia. Of the total 2,360 applications since June, 15 percent have been declined.
What’s deterring applicants from the Chancenkarte?
While some suggest that application numbers may still pick up as awareness grows, critics predicted challenges from the start.
Shortly after the program launched, researchers at the German Institute for Job Market and Career Research (IAB) and TU Dresden warned that the Chancenkarte’s points-based visa system was overly complex and restrictive.
Herbert Brücker, an IAB expert, told *Rheinische Post* that the Chancenkarte’s impact would likely be “minimal,” pointing to numerous hurdles for applicants even before they begin job searching.
Applicants must demonstrate financial stability and prove they can support themselves with only 20 hours of work per week, limiting accessibility to the visa. While the Chancenkarte facilitates skills recognition for qualified professionals, TU Dresden’s Migration Expert Council Chair Hans Vorländer sees this focus as insufficient: “We don’t just need skilled workers right now; we need general labor as well,” he told Rheinische Post.
Vorländer added that Germany’s immigration system demands simplification, noting that “current policies are so complicated that only a few can navigate them.”
Other obstacles may also be contributing, including Germany's severe housing shortage, which has seen minimal government intervention and is projected to worsen. Additionally, the ruling SPD’s and opposition CDU’s resistance to immigration, alongside the growing influence of the far-right AfD in economically struggling regions, may hinder Germany's appeal as a destination for international talent.