About Austria

Austria covers an area of 83,878 square kilometers with a population of 8,773,686 residents (as of 1 January 2017), including 1,342,758 foreign citizens which 15.3% of total population. In 2016, an average of 1,898 million people with migration background lived in Austria that is 21.6% of the total population.

Austria’s most densely populated province is Vienna with 4,400 residents per square kilometer, and the least densely populated province is the Tyrol with 58 inhabitants per square kilometer. The average life expectancy in Austria is high, i.e., 81.6 years.

Austria is bordered by Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy.

Economy

The Austrian economy grew by 1.5% in 2016. GDP at current prices amounted to approximately €349.5 bn (+2.8% in real terms) in 2016 and GDP per inhabitant equaled to €39,990. Austria is in the upper sector not only within the EU but worldwide (source: Statistik Austria).

Small and medium enterprises mainly dominate the Austrian economic structure. The most important industrial branches are:

• Food industries
• Machine and steel industry
• Chemical and vehicle industry
• Electric and electronic industry
• Wood and paper industry

Permanent Immigration - Red-White-Red Card

If you are a qualified worker and citizen of a third country (a country outside the EU) and plans to live and work in Austria, then you need the Red-White-Red Card. Candidate and his family members can apply for the Red-White-Red Card.

Red-White-Red Card

The Red-White-Red Card is issued for a period of 24 months only and entitles you as the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment by the employer specified in your application.

You are eligible for a Red-White-Red Card if you belong to one of the following groups:

• Very Highly Qualified Workers
• Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations
• Other Key Workers
• Graduates of Austrian Universities and Colleges of Higher Education
• Self-employed Key Workers
• Start-up Founders

Very Highly Qualified Workers

As a Highly Qualified Worker from a third country, you have two options:

• You can get a Job Seeker Visa through which you can enter Austria and look for work
• If you receive an employment offer from Austrian Employer during the validity period of the visa, then you are able to apply for a Red-White-Red card at the competent residence authority in Austria
• If you have received an employment offer from Austrian Employer, then you may apply for a Red-White-Red card with the competent Austrian representation in your home country or your country of residence.

As a third-country citizen with a very high level of qualification, if you score a minimum of 70 points according to the list of criteria, then you are eligible to apply for a six-month residence visa for your job search (Job Seeker Visa).

Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations

As a third-country citizen, you may apply for a Red-White-Red Card as a Skilled Worker in a Shortage Occupation valid for 24 months, if

• You can submit proof of completed training in a shortage occupation under the regulation
• You have received a binding job offer in Austria, and the respective employer is willing to remunerate you with the minimum pay stipulated by law, regulation or collective agreement (If overpays it is customary in the respective company, it must also be granted to you)
• You should score a minimum of 55 points according to the list of criteria.

Other Key Workers

If you are a third-country citizen who is to take up employment with an Austrian Employer as a key worker, you can apply for a Red-White-Red-Card which is valid for 24 months.

If you meet the following requirements:

• Your prospective employer will pay the statutory minimum salary:
• For key workers over 30 years of age, the pay should be €3,078 (2018) gross monthly pay plus special payments (holiday and Christmas pay)
• For key workers under 30 years of age, the pay should be €2,565 (2018) gross monthly pay plus special payments (holiday and Christmas pay)
• You should score a minimum of 55 points according to the list of criteria.

Self-employed Key Workers

As a third-country national you can apply for a Red-White-Red Card for Self-employed Key Workers if your self-employed occupation in Austria creates macroeconomic benefit going beyond its own operational benefit.

This may be the case if

• Your intended occupation involves a sustained transfer of investment capital to Austria amounting to € 100.000 minimum or
• Your intended occupation able to create new jobs or also secures existing jobs in Austria or
• Your establishment involves the transfer of know-how respectively the introduction of new technologies or
• Your business has to show considerable significance for the entire region.

*For self-employed key workers, there is no points system.

Start-up Founders

As a third-country national you can apply for a Red-White-Red Card for start-up founders if you Establish a company to develop and launch the innovative market products, services, processing methods or technologies To that end submit a consistent business plan for establishing and running that company Personally exert a controlling influence on the management of the newly set-up company Prove capital for the company to be founded amounting to € 50.000 minimum with an equity share of at least 50% You should score a minimum of 50 points according to the list of criteria.

EU Blue Card

As a third-country citizen, you may be granted an EU Blue Card, if you

• Have completed a study course at a university or other tertiary educational institution with a minimum three years of course duration,
• Have received a binding job offer for at least one year in Austria and the employment corresponds to your education,
• Will earn a minimum gross annual income of at least one and a half times of the average yearly gross income of full-time employees (in 2018: at least €60,948 which is about €4,353 gross monthly income plus special payments),
• And the labor market test (Arbeitsmarktprufung) shows that there is no equally qualified worker registered as a jobseeker with the Public Employment Service (AMS) available for the job.
• For EU Blue Card applicants there is no points system.

Red-White-Red Card Plus

The Red-White-Red Card plus entitles you as a third-country national to fixed-term settlement and has unlimited labor market access (as a self-employed or an employed person, not limited to a specific employer).

Renewal of the Red-White-Red Card or the EU Blue Card

As the holder of a Red-White-Red Card, if you were employed in accordance with the eligibility requirements for the Red-White-Red Card for at least 21 months during the preceding 24 months.

As the holder of an EU Blue Card, if you were employed in accordance with the eligibility requirements for the EU Blue Card for at least 21 months during the preceding 24 months.

Visa Fees

Job Seeker Visa: The fee is € 100

Red-White-Red Card: The fee is € 100 (€ 80 at the time of application, € 20 at issuance)

Red-White-Red Card plus: The fee is € 100 (€ 80 at the time of application, € 20 at issuance)

EU Blue Card: The fee is €100 (€ 80 at the time of application, € 20 at issuance)

In addition: Costs of personalization (acceptance of photograph and signature): € 20