The Opportunity Card lets you come to Germany to look for a job under a points system. Your German level decides two things: whether you can apply at all, and how many points you bring. This guide explains both, and which certificate to take.
The Opportunity Card needs A1 German (or B2 English) to qualify and at least 6 points — German adds 1 point at A2, 2 at B1 and 3 at B2 or higher.
Source: arbeitsagentur.de ·
The points route has two gates. First, you must show basic German at level A1, or English at level B2. Without one of these, your points do not matter. Second, you must reach at least 6 points in total. The table below shows what each language level gives you, according to the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit).
| Your language level | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| German A1 | Meets the entry condition, but adds no points |
| English B2 | Meets the entry condition instead of German A1 |
| German A2 | 1 point |
| German B1 | 2 points |
| German B2 or higher | 3 points |
| English C1 | 1 extra point |
Language is only one part of the points list. The rest of your 6 points comes from other criteria, so check the full official list for your own case. Every German level above A1 moves you closer to 6.
Both the Goethe-Zertifikat and telc Deutsch are accepted as proof of German, from A1 up to B2. The level on the certificate is what counts, but the two exams are built differently.
One exam, not split into modules. You pass with at least 60 out of 100 points overall. A1 gets you through the entry gate; A2 adds your first point.
Modular: reading, listening, writing and speaking are separate modules, and each needs 60 out of 100. If you fail one module, you can book and repeat only that module.
At B1 and B2 it is one exam out of 300 points. You must reach 60 percent in the written part and, separately, in the oral part. The written part includes a grammar section (Sprachbausteine).
Exam fees are set locally by each Goethe-Institut, partner centre or telc test centre and differ from country to country, so check the price list of the centre where you plan to sit the exam.
You still need the entry condition. If your English is below B2, German A1 is the smallest step that opens the door. A2 is a safer choice: it adds 1 point, which gives you a margin if one of your other points is not accepted.
Count the gap. One missing point means A2, two mean B1, three mean B2. If you are strong in English, an English C1 certificate can add 1 more point on top of your German.
B1 is a strong target. It gives 2 points, and it keeps paying off after you arrive: it is the German level that shortens the wait for permanent residence on the EU Blue Card, and the level you need if you later apply for German citizenship. B2 gives the full 3 language points, but it takes much more study time.
Go through the official points list with your own documents. Write down how many points you have without German, and how many you are missing.
Take a full mock exam under time limits. It shows your level today and which skill is holding you back.
Choose Goethe or telc at a centre near you. Check the exam dates and the local fee before you pay.
Your certificate is the proof of your language points. Submit it with the rest of your application documents.
The Opportunity Card is a way in. If you find a job, your next permit may be the EU Blue Card or a skilled-worker permit, and your German level keeps mattering there.
The Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) itself needs no German certificate. For 2026 the salary threshold is €50,700 a year, or €45,934.20 in shortage occupations, for new entrants and for IT specialists without a degree.
With a Blue Card you can get a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 27 months with German A1, or after 21 months with German B1. On the regular skilled-worker permit the wait is 3 years.
Naturalisation (Einbürgerung) needs 5 years of legal residence and German B1, among other conditions. A higher level such as B2 or C1 does not shorten these 5 years.
For the points route you need at least German A1, or English B2 instead. That only lets you apply. To collect points, German must be higher: A2 gives 1 point, B1 gives 2 points and B2 or higher gives 3 points. You need at least 6 points in total.
Yes, English at B2 meets the entry condition instead of German A1. English C1 also adds 1 point. On the language side, English gives you at most that 1 point, so the other points must come from the rest of the official points list.
German B1 gives 2 points. A2 gives 1 point and B2 or higher gives 3 points. A1 is the entry condition and gives no points.
Both are accepted from A1 to B2, and the level on the certificate is what counts. Goethe B1 and B2 are modular, so you can repeat a single failed module. telc B1 and B2 are one exam in which you must pass the written and the oral part separately. Choose the format and test centre that suit you.
Fees are set locally by each Goethe-Institut, partner centre or telc test centre and vary by country. Check the price list of the centre where you want to take the exam before you book.
No. Citizenship needs 5 years of legal residence and German B1, among other conditions, and B2 or C1 does not shorten this. German does help earlier on the EU Blue Card: with B1 you can get a settlement permit after 21 months instead of 27 months with A1.
Take a full mock exam under real time limits. In Goethe B1 each module needs 60 out of 100 points, so check each skill on its own. If one module is clearly below 60, work on that skill before you book.