(de-news.net) – In the first year after the Opportunity Card for skilled labor immigration was introduced, over 12,000 applications were processed and more than 10,000 visas issued, according to an analysis by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) using Federal Foreign Office data. The Opportunity Card permits individuals to enter Germany without a job offer if they hold a vocational or academic qualification or qualify via a points system based on experience, language skills, and age. As Germany faces a skilled labor shortage of around 300,000 annually from non-EU countries, such initiatives are seen as vital. Launched on June 1, 2024, the program recorded 12,177 applications and 10,148 visas by May 9, 2025—below the previous government’s annual target of 30,000.

Marcus Engler of the DeZIM viewed the outcome as encouraging, given the program’s recent launch. However, he noted the absence of data tracking post-arrival outcomes, such as employment, long-term residency, or return migration. Authorities also lack information on how applicants qualify, as well as data on gender, qualifications, and other demographics—factors Engler sees as key for policy effectiveness under a points-based system. Available figures do indicate origin countries: India leads with over 4,600 applications, followed by China (~900), then Pakistan, Russia, and Turkey.