Can I get the Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) with vocational training instead of a degree?
Short answer
Yes. If your vocational qualification is fully recognised in Germany, you can apply as a skilled worker without points. If not, use the points route. German law accepts a foreign vocational qualification that is state-recognised where you got it and needed at least two years of training, or one from a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad. For a non-academic qualification, Make it in Germany names ZAB's Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification (DAB), which costs EUR 150, as the proof. 123
On this page
- Short answer
- Which vocational qualifications count on the points route?
- Does the training have to be full-time? What Make it in Germany says
- How do you prove it? The DAB from ZAB
- DAB fee, processing time, and doubts about recognition
- What the German missions in Nigeria and the embassy in Accra say
- People also ask
- Related questions
- Sources
Which vocational qualifications count on the points route?
The Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) can be issued to a skilled worker (Fachkraft) or on a points route (§ 20a(3) of the Residence Act, AufenthG). § 20a(4) lists the qualifications that count on the points route.
For vocational training, the law accepts two kinds:
- A foreign vocational qualification that is state-recognised ("staatlich anerkannt") by the country where you got it, and that needed at least two years of training ("mindestens zwei Jahren").
- A vocational qualification gained abroad and issued by a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (Auslandshandelskammer, AHK). The training must meet the Vocational Training Act's (Berufsbildungsgesetz) requirements for content, length and how it was delivered, and must be suitable for giving the skills needed for a recognised training occupation in Germany.
Sources for this part1
Does the training have to be full-time? What Make it in Germany says
Make it in Germany, the Federal Government's portal, says you need either a university degree or a non-academic vocational qualification recognised by the state where you got it. It adds that at least two years of full-time training must have come before the qualification.
The law itself says at least two years of training. It does not use the word full-time. Make it in Germany and ZAB (the Central Office for Foreign Education, in Bonn) do.
Make it in Germany also says a category A AHK qualification meeting the Vocational Training Act may be accepted. Ask the AHK where you got it whether yours meets the requirements.
How do you prove it? The DAB from ZAB
The law says a competent body in Germany ("fachkundige inländische Stelle") must confirm that a foreign vocational qualification, or a foreign university degree, meets these requirements. For an AHK qualification, the law says the requirements are confirmed to the AHK that issued it, at the AHK's request and cost.
For a non-academic vocational qualification, Make it in Germany names the proof: the Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification (DAB), issued by ZAB at your own expense.
ZAB lists three criteria for a positive statement. The training was completed. It is recognised in the country of training. It is equivalent to a full-time programme of at least two years.
A statement also lists any criteria that are not met or not fully met. ZAB says you can only use a positive statement to apply for a residence title. ZAB also says it cannot tell you in advance whether you will get a positive one.
ZAB does not issue a DAB for foreign university degrees. For a degree, it points you to the Statement of Comparability instead.
ZAB's document list includes:
- Certificate of completion of the vocational qualification (ZAB's examples: diploma, secondary school graduation certificate stating the profession, trade licence).
- Transcript of records for the entire vocational training.
- Identity document (passport).
- Proof of your change of name, for example a marriage certificate, if you changed your name.
DAB fee, processing time, and doubts about recognition
ZAB says you can pay the EUR 150 fee online as soon as you submit your application. The 2-month processing time starts once you have submitted all required documents and ZAB has received the fee in full.
ZAB says that if you are not sure your qualification is recognised in the country of training, you should ask the institution you received it from directly.
Applicants report that when Lagos asks for a missing ZAB statement, it gives about 30 days, and applications were deleted when the deadline passed. We hold no applicant reports on how long a DAB takes in practice, so apply before you are called for review, not after.
What the German missions in Nigeria and the embassy in Accra say
The Opportunity Card page of the German Missions in Nigeria covers qualifications not fully recognised in Germany. It lists vocational training recognised in Nigeria with a Foreign Vocational Qualification or a completed partial equivalence procedure; completed, recognised category A training at an AHK; or a university degree with a Statement of Comparability.
On the same page, the school results to bring are listed as primary, secondary school, "WAEC or National diploma", bachelor and master's degree.
The German Embassy Accra asks a not-yet-skilled worker for at least two years of professional training recognised by the country where it was gained, or a university degree recognised in the country where it was acquired. It says ZAB must make this determination, and links the DAB application for vocational qualifications.
The Accra document list gives "Higher National Diploma/University degree with transcripts, professional training" as examples under academic studies.
The pages we read do not say how ZAB classifies a Nigerian National Diploma or a Ghanaian or Nigerian Higher National Diploma: as vocational or academic. ZAB's own page says it cannot tell you in advance whether you will get a positive statement, so plan for either result.
The German Missions in Nigeria list vocational training with a DAB under qualifications that are not fully recognised in Germany. That is the points route, so you also need German A1 or English B2 and at least 6 points. Applicants disagreed about which route they were assessed on, so ask the mission if you are unsure.
Applicants report that for regulated jobs, which some said include electrical trades in some German states, a ZAB statement alone was not enough. If your trade is regulated, check with the mission and the recognition body.
Reading the answer is the easy part. Say it out loud.
The officer will ask about this. Answer in your own words, then read what your answer missed. Your first practice interview is free.
Practise saying it out loudPeople also ask
Is an ND or HND a degree or a vocational qualification for the Opportunity Card?
The official pages we read do not say how ZAB classifies an ND or HND. ZAB's own page says it cannot tell you in advance whether you will get a positive statement, so plan for either result. Applicants report that when anabin listed their qualification only as an HND, Lagos asked them for a ZAB statement. If you hold an ND or HND, ask the mission which ZAB statement it expects. 32456
How long does the ZAB DAB statement take?
ZAB gives a 2-month processing time. It starts once you have submitted all required documents and ZAB has received the EUR 150 fee in full. 3
What if my vocational training was shorter than two years?
The law asks for a qualification that needed at least two years of training. ZAB's criteria for a positive DAB include equivalence to a full-time programme of at least two years, and only a positive statement can be used for a residence title. 13
Sources
- 1§ 20a AufenthGOfficialFederal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2 Nov 2026
- 2Questions and Answers Regarding the Opportunity CardOfficialMake it in Germany (Federal Government portal) · checked 2 Nov 2026
- 3Application | DAB (Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification)OfficialZentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB) · checked 2 Nov 2026
- 4Opportunity CardOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 2 Nov 2026
- 5Opportunity CardOfficialGerman Embassy Accra · checked 2 Nov 2026
- 6Applicant reports gathered by VisaRoomApplicant reportsApplicant reports gathered by VisaRoom · checked 3 Nov 2026
Official is the embassy or a German government page. Applicant reports are what applicants say happened at their appointment. Secondary is everything else we checked.
General information, not legal advice. VisaRoom isn't connected to any embassy or government, and only the embassy decides on your visa. Something out of date? Tell us.