How to Move to Austria

Austria Visa Options

Austria offers four main pathways for non-EU citizens through its Red-White-Red Card system. Very Highly Qualified Workers need 70 points across criteria including education, work experience, language skills, and age, with no job offer required. Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations need 55 points and a job on the annual shortage list. Other Key Workers need 55 points and a minimum salary of roughly €38,700 per year. The EU Blue Card requires a three-year higher education degree and a salary of at least €47,817. Start-up founders can apply with an innovative business concept and 50 points minimum. All pathways except the Very Highly Qualified track require a concrete job offer at the application stage.

• Red-White-Red Card uses a points-based system
• Very Highly Qualified Workers can apply without a job offer
• German language skills earn bonus points in the assessment
• EU Blue Card requires a salary of at least €47,817
• All permits lead to permanent residency after 5 years

Cost of Living in Austria

Austria is moderately expensive by Western European standards, with Vienna surprisingly affordable for a capital of its caliber. The median gross salary sits at roughly €35,000 per year. Rent in central Vienna runs €800 to €1,300 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, while Graz, Linz, and Salzburg are comparable or slightly cheaper. Vienna's rental market benefits from strong tenant protections and a large stock of municipal housing (Gemeindebau). Groceries are roughly 10 to 15 percent above the EU average. Public transport in Vienna is excellent and costs just €365 per year for an annual pass. A single person can live comfortably on €1,600 to €2,200 per month including rent, depending on the city.

Language Requirements

German proficiency is central to Austria's immigration system. The Red-White-Red Card awards bonus points for German skills at A1 and above, making it a competitive advantage even at the initial application stage. Permanent residency (Daueraufenthalt-EU) requires B1 German, certifiable through the OSD (Osterreichisches Sprachdiplom), the OIF (Osterreichischer Integrationsfonds) exam, or the Goethe-Zertifikat B1, all of which Austria accepts. Citizenship requires B2 German after 6 years of residence, or B1 after 10 years. The integration agreement (Integrationsvereinbarung) obligates new residents to complete a German course to A2 level within 2 years of receiving their first residence permit. Free or subsidized German courses are available through the OIF.

Credential Recognition

Foreign qualifications are assessed by ENIC-NARIC Austria, operated by the Federal Ministry of Education. The nostrification process for academic degrees compares your qualification to the Austrian equivalent and can take 3 to 6 months. Regulated professions, including doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, and engineers, require additional authorization from the relevant professional chamber or ministry. Medical professionals must apply through the Austrian Medical Chamber (Arztekammer), and the process including language verification can take 12 months or more. The Red-White-Red Card points system awards points for degree level and field, so having your credentials assessed early strengthens your application.

Visa Application Process

Red-White-Red Card applications are submitted at the Austrian embassy or consulate in your country of residence, or at the MA 35 office in Vienna if you are already legally in Austria. Processing takes approximately 8 weeks for standard cases and up to 12 weeks for start-up founders. You will need a valid passport, a completed application form, passport-sized photographs, proof of accommodation in Austria, health insurance, a clean criminal record (apostilled and translated), proof of qualifications, and your points calculation worksheet. Your employer must also provide the employment contract and a labor market test confirmation from the AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice). The Very Highly Qualified track does not require a labor market test.

Path to Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Permanent residency (Daueraufenthalt-EU) in Austria requires 5 years of continuous legal residence, B1 German, completion of the integration agreement, and stable income. You must not have been absent for more than 10 consecutive months or 16 months total during the 5-year period. Austrian citizenship requires 10 years of residence under standard rules, reducible to 6 years for well-integrated applicants (B2 German, volunteer work, or professional achievements). Citizenship requires B2 German, a clean criminal record, financial self-sufficiency, and renunciation of your previous citizenship. Austria generally does not permit dual citizenship, with limited exceptions for cases where renunciation is impossible or unreasonable.

Your First Days in Austria

Your first task after arriving in Austria is registering your address at the local Meldeamt (registration office) within 3 days of moving into your accommodation. You will receive a Meldezettel (registration confirmation), which is required for almost every subsequent administrative step. Next, apply for your Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) at the MA 35 in Vienna or the equivalent Bezirkshauptmannschaft in other states. Open an Austrian bank account, register with your local health insurance provider (Gebietskrankenkasse), and enroll in a German course through the OIF if you have not yet met the A2 integration requirement. Expect the full setup to take 3 to 6 weeks.

Moving with Family

Family reunification in Austria is available for spouses, registered partners, and children under 18 through the Red-White-Red Card Plus, which allows unrestricted labor market access. Family members can apply simultaneously with the primary applicant or join later. The sponsoring family member must demonstrate adequate housing and sufficient income (roughly €1,100 per month for a single person, plus increments for each family member). Austrian public schools are free and compulsory from ages 6 to 15. International schools in Vienna charge €8,000 to €25,000 per year. Kindergarten (ages 3 to 6) is free for the mandatory final year before school, with earlier years subsidized by the municipality.

Healthcare in Austria

Austria has a compulsory social health insurance system. Once employed, you and your employer contribute to the OGK (Osterreichische Gesundheitskasse), which covers GP visits, hospital stays, prescription medications (with a €7 copay per prescription), and maternity care. Family members (spouse and children) are co-insured at no extra cost. The system provides broad coverage with moderate wait times for specialists (2 to 6 weeks). Many Austrians also carry private supplementary insurance (Zusatzversicherung) for access to private hospital rooms and faster specialist appointments, costing €80 to €200 per month depending on age and coverage. Self-employed individuals must arrange their own insurance through SVS.

Taxes in Austria

Austria taxes residents on worldwide income using a progressive scale from 0 percent (on the first €12,816) to 55 percent (on income above €1,000,000). The effective rate for most workers falls between 25 and 42 percent. Social security contributions add roughly 18 percent for employees (split with the employer) and 27 percent for the self-employed. Austria has no special tax regime for foreign workers comparable to Denmark's forskerordningen or Spain's Beckham Law. The 13th and 14th monthly salary payments (Urlaubs- and Weihnachtsgeld), which are standard in Austrian employment contracts, are taxed at a flat 6 percent, providing a meaningful tax advantage. VAT (Umsatzsteuer) is 20 percent on most goods, 10 percent on food and rent, and 13 percent on cultural events.