The German level you need depends on your route: A1 for joining a spouse or being an au pair, A2 for a recognition partnership or non-qualified training, B1 for qualified training, and B2 for nursing, caregiving and one of the three study options. This page puts them side by side and shows where to prepare and take the exam.
Levels follow the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), from A1 (beginner) to B2 (upper intermediate). All requirements below come from official sources, linked at the bottom. Confirm the level with the embassy or authority handling your case before you book an exam.
German level by route
- A1 (beginner): a spouse joining family in Germany in most cases (family guide), and au pairs (au pair guide). For the Opportunity Card, A1 German or B2 English is the baseline (Opportunity Card guide).
- A2: the recognition partnership, and, as a rule, training that is not formally qualified (Ausbildung guide).
- B1: qualified vocational training (Ausbildung).
- B2 (upper intermediate): professional recognition for nurses (nurse guide) and caregivers (caregiver guide), and one of the three ways to prove language for a student visa (study guide).
For many other jobs the official sources we checked set no German level for recognition at all. Our own suggestion for those is at least A2, because daily life and job applications in Germany depend on some German. That is a suggestion from Germany Unlocked, not an official requirement.
German also earns points
On the Opportunity Card points table, German above A1 counts: A2 gives 1 point, B1 gives 2 points and B2 or higher gives 3 points. You need 6 of 15 points in total if your qualification is not fully recognized.
Which certificate counts?
- For the recognition partnership, the certificate must come from an approved institute: Goethe-Institut, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF or ECL. It must have been issued within the last 12 months. A joining spouse’s A1 certificate follows the same 12-month rule.
- For a student visa, the B2 path requires a certificate from an ALTE-certified language school. The other two paths need no German certificate: registration for a German preparatory course, or confirmation of enrollment in an English-taught program.
Because certificates expire after 12 months for some routes, time your exam close to your application, not years ahead.
Where to learn and where to take the exam
Find Services lists German language schools and exam centers in the Philippines that you can contact directly. Exam dates, fees and levels change, so ask the center for its current schedule.
- Language schools for German courses
- Exam centers for Goethe, telc, ÖSD and other exams
Not sure which level your route needs? Answer a few questions and get a free roadmap that compares your German level with what your route asks for.
See also the overview of German visa types.
Official sources
- Recognition partnership (§ 16d AufenthG), official information sheet
- German Embassy Manila: visa requirements
- § 20b AufenthG: Opportunity Card points
- German embassy information sheet: national visa for vocational training
- Recognition Finder: general nurse profile
- Recognition Finder: geriatric nurse (Altenpfleger/in) profile
- German embassy: language requirements for spouse reunification (in German)
- German embassy: au pair visa
Last checked: September 20, 2026. This is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. Requirements change, so confirm them on the official pages.