The opportunity card, also known as the Chancenkarte, has spiked interest among foreign nationals as it permits them to obtain a visa for the purpose of seeking employment in Germany. This kind of visa does not require an employment contract and allows holders to explore job opportunities for up to one year.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, nearly 2,500 visas have been issued since June, when this type of visa was introduced, Schengen.News reports.
This visa under the Opportunity Card option is expected to attract many non-EU citizens to Germany, who will have the chance to explore the opportunities while in the country. Indians have received most of these visas so far – a total of 780, followed by Chinese, Turks and Pakistanis.
German Minister Says Over-Regulation Is Impacting the Interest in Opportunity Cards
Despite an increased interest in Opportunity Cards being noticed, a representative from the Green Party, Misbah Khan, says that this document would be in even greater demand if so many hurdles with issuing a visa did not occur.
It is estimated that the German market needs up to 400,000 workers annually to maintain its economy and labour shortages in several areas, especially in the healthcare and technology sectors.
Recently, a feasibility study by the German government has proposed the centralisation of the immigration process with the purpose of improving the recruitment of skilled workers.
This proposal recommends that all immigration purposes be consolidated into one, streamlining the process for migrants as processing times could drop by 40 per cent. On the other hand, the impact of immigration authorities on decision-making would be significantly reduced.
Experts Suspect ‘Chancenkarte’ Visa Scheme Will Not Be Succesful
According to researchers at the German Insititute for Job Markets and Career Research (IAB), this visa scheme is too limited to be successful.
IAB expert Herbert Bruecker told Rheinische Post that the ground for his scepticism is that there are too many requirements for applicants to get a card – concluding it is too much of a hassle to obtain an opportunity card, let alone to find employment in the country.
Applicants for the Opportunity Card visa must meet a set of requirements in order to apply, including here language proficiency criteria, recognised qualifications and prove they have the financial means to support themselves during their stay in Germany. Chancenkarten holders are also allowed to work part-time jobs (up to 20 hours per week).
Source: https://schengen.news/germany-granted-2500-opportunity-cards-so-far-indians-obtained-most-of-them/
