Definition
A points-based immigration system (PBS) is a selection mechanism used by some countries to determine who is eligible for work visas or permanent residence. Applicants accumulate points across weighted criteria — commonly education level, language proficiency, job offer quality, salary, age, and prior host-country experience — and must reach a minimum score. The UK introduced a PBS for all work visas post-Brexit. Germany's Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte), introduced in 2024, uses a points-based approach for job-seeker entry. Canada's Express Entry system is a prominent global example often cited in EU policy discussions.
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Related terms
Opportunity Card
Chancenkarte
A German points-based residence permit that allows qualified non-EU jobseekers to enter Germany to search for work without a prior job offer.
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Qualification Recognition
The formal process by which a European country or authority evaluates and accepts a foreign academic degree or professional qualification as equivalent to a domestic one.
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Salary Threshold
A minimum annual gross salary that a job offer must meet for an applicant to qualify for certain work permits, most notably the EU Blue Card.
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Work Permit
An official authorisation granting a non-citizen the legal right to be employed or self-employed in a country, usually issued alongside or embedded in a residence permit.
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