Austria Work Visa

The Red-White-Red (RWR) Card is a combined residence and work permit issued for 24 months, entitling third-country nationals to work for a specific sponsoring employer in Austria. Eligibility is evaluated through a points-based system based on education, work experience, language proficiency (German or English), and age across categories including Very Highly Qualified Workers, Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations, Other Key Workers, Graduates of Austrian Universities, and Start-up Founders.

The Austria Job Seeker Visa (Visum D) is a 6-month national visa that permits very highly qualified professionals from non-EU countries to enter Austria and search for employment in person. To qualify, you must score at least 70 out of 100 points on the statutory points matrix evaluating higher education degrees (up to 40 pts), work experience (up to 20 pts), language skills (up to 15 pts), and age (up to 20 pts).

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy publishes an annual list of nationwide and regional shortage occupations (Mangelberufsliste) experiencing acute labor deficits (such as software developers, electrical engineers, mechanical technicians, and nurses). Applicants with matching vocational training or university degrees need only 55 out of 90 points and are completely exempt from the AMS labor market test.

The Red-White-Red Card is a points-based permit requiring 55 to 70 points across education, experience, age, and language. In contrast, the EU Blue Card is a European work permit that does not use a points system but requires a university degree (or 3+ years of specialized IT experience) and a binding employment contract with a minimum gross annual salary of at least €51,500 (€3,678.57 monthly base across 14 installments).

Under Austrian labor legislation and collective bargaining agreements (Kollektivverträge), standard full-time employees receive 14 salary payments per calendar year instead of 12. These consist of 12 regular monthly salaries, a 13th month holiday bonus (Urlaubsgeld) paid before summer vacation, and a 14th month Christmas bonus (Weihnachtsgeld) paid in late autumn. Both the 13th and 14th payments are taxed at a preferential low flat rate of approximately 6%.

Holders of a Red-White-Red Card or an Austrian EU Blue Card can apply for a Red-White-Red Card Plus after completing at least 21 months of qualifying employment within their 24-month initial permit validity. The RWR Card Plus completely removes employer binding, granting you unrestricted access to take up any employment or self-employment across Austria.

Yes. Family members (spouses, registered partners, and minor unmarried children) of Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card holders receive a Red-White-Red Card Plus immediately upon approval. This grants your spouse full, unrestricted work rights to take up any full-time employment or start a business anywhere in Austria without requiring a labor market test.

German is not strictly mandatory if you have sufficient points from education, work experience, and age, or if you demonstrate English proficiency (A2, B1, or B2 levels). In multinational companies and tech startups, English is commonly the primary workplace language. However, learning German (A1 or A2) awards valuable points on the RWR grid and accelerates long-term integration and permanent residency.

The AMS labor market test (Ersatzkraftverfahren) is a regulatory check conducted by the Public Employment Service Austria to verify whether any equally qualified Austrian or EU citizen registered as unemployed is available to fill the position. Shortage occupations (Mangelberufe), Austrian university graduates, and EU Blue Card applicants earning above threshold are exempt from this test.

For the Red-White-Red Card for Other Key Workers, sponsoring employers must pay a statutory minimum gross monthly salary of at least €3,105 for applicants under 30 years of age, or at least €3,726 for applicants aged 30 and above, plus customary overtime, bonuses, and mandatory 13th and 14th salary payments defined in the relevant Kollektivvertrag.

Under Austrian federal law, every foreign national must register their residential address with the local municipal office (Meldebehörde / Magistratisches Bezirksamt in Vienna or Gemeindeamt) within 3 business days of moving into an accommodation. You will receive an official confirmation of registration (Meldezettel), which is required to collect your RWR Card, open a bank account, and set up utilities.

TerraTern delivers complete end-to-end guidance including points calculation, Anabin degree recognition verification, Austrian standard CV/cover letter formatting, Job Seeker Visa dossier compilation, employer declaration compliance reviews, MEA apostille coordination, Austrian Embassy visa filing, and post-arrival settlement support.