Germany hopes to combat the shortage of skilled workers with a new "opportunity card. It makes it easy to get a job in Germany.

The German Ministry of Labour has recently made a proposal to the federal government to introduce a new immigration option for skilled foreigners. It has small rules for new expats but is simple enough for most people to get a job in Germany. 

Read more about healthcare in Germany for foreigners, insurance and medical tourism here.

Jobs in Germany: the most popular vacancies for expats - find here.

Employment in Germany: how to get a work permit for a foreigner here.

What is the Opportunity Map in Germany

The ministry is working on a proposal for an 'opportunity card', which would be issued according to a point system. It would include four criteria: the applicant must be under 35, have a degree, at least three years' work experience and knowledge of the language or previous residence in Germany.

Those who meet at least three of these four criteria will receive an "opportunity card" to come to Germany and get a job easily. 

"We need more immigration. We are introducing an opportunity card with a transparent points system so that people who need our country can come to us more easily," said Labour Minister Hubertus Heil. 

The Opportunity Card is a good start to the process of filling in the necessary workers. In recent years, Germany has been moving towards easing some of its labour migration laws to ease labour shortages, and the authorities must continue to relax these laws and create less bureaucratic procedures. Therefore, more and more such programmes for employment will appear in the future. 

The need for a points system

Germany faces a gigantic task in addressing the growing shortage of workers as well as overhauling the bureaucratic and generally paper-based systems that slow down immigration processes - making it harder to obtain foreign qualifications officially recognised in Germany, for example - or even put people off applying altogether.

In June 2022, a report by the German Economic Institute showed that 44 per cent of businesses believe that a shortage of workers is holding them back, with significant consequences for the economy. This is the highest proportion recorded since the survey began in 2011.

It is part of the strategy proposed by Labour Minister Hubertus Heil to tackle the labour shortage in the country, which is to be presented to the government this autumn. The opportunity card will have an annual limit on the number of cards issued, and that limit will have to be increased each year to meet the needs of the German labour market. Chancenkarte will use a points system so that workers with the necessary skills can come to Germany more easily. Each year, quotas will be set according to which sectors need workers. 

Currently, most non-EU citizens need a job offer before they can move to Germany. A visa for jobseekers already exists, but it is expected that this will make it easier and quicker for people who want to find work in Germany.

Which sectors have been hit hardest by staff shortages in Germany

The service sector is the hardest hit, particularly the accommodation and events industry. This is followed by warehousing and storage, service providers and manufacturing, especially in food processing, data processing equipment, mechanical engineering and metalworking. Many retailers, construction companies and wholesalers also reported staff shortages.

By the end of the year, 1.2 million migrants are expected to arrive in Germany, 35 per cent more than in 2015, which is known as the worst migration crisis Europe has experienced. 

Read more about the types of work visas in Germany and how to get one here.