The new Germany Job Seeker Visa for skilled workers – Opportunity Card

Germany has approved a new Germany Job Seeker Visa for skilled workers the Opportunity Card which will be available from 2023 onwards. It is part of extensive reforms to its immigration system for easing the immigration of citizens from Non-EU nations.

The competition to allure skilled overseas workers is only increasing amongst various nations every year. Germany is also taking vital steps for opening its job market for overseas workers. The objective is to fill the hundreds of thousands of job vacancies in its labor market.

The Government of Germany has said that every year a quota for the allocation of Opportunity Cards will be approved based on the labor market needs. The eligible candidates can arrive in Germany on this Card and search for jobs or training for a specific period. They will be able to obtain a livelihood for themselves during this period.

Addressing a Press Conference at the Foreign Affairs’ Federal Office Annalena Baerbock Foreign Minister said that modernization of the Visa process implies a complete overhaul. The Minister along with Olaf Scholz Federal Chancellor stressed the removal of bureaucracy and enhancement of the efficiency and digitization of the system.

Scholz said that the future, efficiency of the economy, and social security systems in Germany can be assured only if the nation has adequate skilled workers. This is not very tough from within the EU owing to the freedom to move. However, when it comes to the Non-EU nations, the challenge is greater, he added.

The plan of action to attract skilled overseas workers

Germany is seeking to address the scarcity of skilled workers through the Opportunity Card. The Card was approved in November 2022 and will be soon available to overseas candidates in 2023.

In order to allow skilled overseas workers to arrive in Germany easily, the Opportunity Card will make use of a system of points. This is as per the strategy advised by Hubertus Heil the Labor Minister to address the shortages of labor in the nation. It targets individuals who are not having an offer of a job in Germany.

The system of points will consider the language skills work experience and educational qualifications of the applicants among other factors. The quotas for the Opportunity Cards will be fixed every year based on the industries requiring workers.

In order to become eligible to file an application for the Card, 3 out of the following 4 criteria must be fulfilled by the applicants:

• A vocational training or degree accepted in Germany
• Professional experience of 3 years
• Past stay in Germany or language skills
• Age must be 35 years or lesser

Presently, the majority of non-EU workers require an employment offer for immigrating to Germany. The Germany Job Seeker Visa does exist. However, the Opportunity Card is anticipated to make it quicker and easier for candidates to find jobs in Germany.

Citizens of specific nations having Visa agreements can arrive in Germany Visa-free for 3 months. However, they are allowed to take up employment for only short-term.

The Opportunity Card will allow individuals to arrive and search for jobs or apprenticeships in Germany after arrival instead of applying from overseas. Applicants must be capable of proving that they can take care of their living costs while staying in Germany.

Why Germany is seeking to attract skilled overseas workers?

The scarcity of skilled workers reached an all-time high in Germany in the year 2022. The IAB - Institute for Employment Research reported that Germany had 1.74 million unfilled job positions across the nation in 2022.

The scarcity of workers impacted nearly 50% of all companies in July 2022 surveyed by IFO the research institute based in Munich. It forced them to decrease the pace of their operations. The Opportunity Card aims to implement the strategy for immigration of skilled workers to Germany from Non-EU nations.

The point is to have in place transparent immigration criteria, low threshold, and integration offers. It will assist in offering a future in Germany to skilled workers, specifically from third nations, and thus assure securing skilled workers.

Industries hit worst by shortages of staff

The Survey by IFO has revealed that the worst hit is the Services sector in Germany. Specifically, it is the event and accommodation sectors.

Next are the Manufacturing, Service Providers, and Storage& Warehousing industries. It especially includes Metal Manufacturing, Machinery, Data Processing, and Food sectors. The scarcity of workers has also been reported by several Wholesalers, Construction companies, and Retail businesses.

The least scarcity of workers has been reported by the Chemical and Pharmaceutical industries. The Mechanical Engineering and Automotive sectors are also less affected in comparison with other sectors.

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