Austria
Work permit in Austria.
To work in Austria without EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship you need a residence and work permit from Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsbehörde (Austrian residence authority). The main routes are Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte), EU Blue Card, ICT permit, Seasonal work permit. EU Blue Card minimum gross annual salary (with special payments): €55,678 a year since 1 January 2026. EU long-term residence is possible after 5 years on most routes.
Permit types
The permits Austria issues
- Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)
- EU Blue Card
- ICT permit
- Seasonal work permit
- Self-employment permit
- Family member permit
- Residence permit
- Visa
- Residence card
- Social-security certificate (A1 or similar)
Salary levels
What the permit has to pay
Each figure with its legal basis and the official page it comes from.
EU Blue Card minimum gross annual salary (with special payments)
€55,678 a year · from 1 January 2026
Official sourceRed-White-Red Card (other key workers) minimum gross monthly pay
€3,465 a month · from 1 January 2026
Official sourceFees and other amounts
What else costs or counts
Fees and other dated amounts, each with the official page it comes from.
Application fee (EU Blue Card, Red-White-Red Card)
€218 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceStaying longer
Faster routes and settling
EU long-term residence: after 5 years
- Stable and regular resources
- Sickness insurance
- Integration conditions where national law sets them
Citizenship: after 10 years
- Ten years of lawful and uninterrupted residence in Austria, at least five of them settled (niedergelassen)
- German at B1 level (§ 10a StbG)
Authorities
Who does what in Austria
Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsbehörde (Austrian residence authority)
The district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or city council (Magistrat), in Vienna the MA 35: receives the application in Austria and issues the Red-White-Red Card, the EU Blue Card and the residence titles of family members
Official websiteFinanzamt Österreich (Austrian Tax Office)
Income tax, payroll tax returns and the employee tax assessment (Arbeitnehmerveranlagung)
Official websiteÖsterreichische Gesundheitskasse (ÖGK) (Austrian Health Insurance Fund)
Statutory health insurance for employees; issues the e-card
Official websiteArbeitsmarktservice (AMS) (Austrian Public Employment Service)
Checks the points, the qualification, the pay and, where the route needs it, the labour market, before the residence authority decides
Official websiteOther countries
- Sweden
- Germany
- France
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- Belgium
- Norway
- Czech Republic
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Finland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Malta
- Croatia
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
Official sources
- migration.gv.at: EU Blue Card (at least € 55,678 gross a year in 2026 with special payments; AMS checks, the residence authority issues; fee € 218)
- migration.gv.at: Blaue Karte EU (2026: € 55.678 Bruttojahresgehalt; Antragsgebühr € 218)
- migration.gv.at: Red-White-Red Card for skilled workers in shortage occupations (55 points; filed at the embassy or by the employer with the residence authority; MA 35 in Vienna)
- migration.gv.at: Red-White-Red Card for other key workers (55 points; € 3,465 gross a month in 2026; labour-market test by the AMS; fee € 218)
- migration.gv.at: health insurance (the e-card, Österreichische Gesundheitskasse)
- oesterreich.gv.at: EU/EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members (Anmeldebescheinigung within four months of entry; Meldezettel within three days)
- RIS: Meldegesetz 1991 § 3 (registration with the Meldebehörde within three days of taking up accommodation)
- RIS: Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (NAG), consolidated text
- RIS: NAG § 2 (family member: spouse or registered partner, unmarried minor child)
- RIS: NAG § 8 (Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus: employment and self-employment)
- RIS: NAG § 24 (renewal before expiry, at the earliest three months before; late applications)
- RIS: NAG § 46 (family members of Blue Card and Red-White-Red Card holders: Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus)
- RIS: NAG § 54 (Aufenthaltskarte for family members of EEA citizens: within four months of entry)
- RIS: Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz § 5 (seasonal quotas; at most nine months within twelve)
- RIS: Verwaltungsgerichtsverfahrensgesetz § 7 (four weeks to file a Beschwerde from service of the decision)
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is the minimum salary for a work permit in Austria?
EU Blue Card minimum gross annual salary (with special payments): €55,678 a year (from 1 January 2026). Red-White-Red Card (other key workers) minimum gross monthly pay: €3,465 a month (from 1 January 2026).
Who issues work permits in Austria?
Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsbehörde (Austrian residence authority): The district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or city council (Magistrat), in Vienna the MA 35: receives the application in Austria and issues the Red-White-Red Card, the EU Blue Card and the residence titles of family members.
When can someone get eu long-term residence in Austria?
After 5 years on most routes. Stable and regular resources. Sickness insurance. Integration conditions where national law sets them.
When can someone get citizenship in Austria?
After 10 years on most routes. Ten years of lawful and uninterrupted residence in Austria, at least five of them settled (niedergelassen). German at B1 level (§ 10a StbG).
Which software can an agency or HR team use to manage work permits in Austria?
Settio is relocation management and work permit software with a plan for Austria: the main route (Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte)), the steps with the Austrian residence authority, the documents, the deadlines and the registrations after arrival, with client and employee portals, quotes and milestone invoices. It runs every EU country in the same workspace, and each case shows only Austria's own rules and sources.
How does Settio help with work permits in Austria?
Settio builds the step-by-step plan for each person moving to Austria, checks documents before filing, tracks deadlines and gives the person a portal in their own language.
More
- Relocating to Austria: the first weeks
- Relocation and immigration across Europe
- AI immigration compliance
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Reviewed by the Settio team. Facts checked 3 October 2026. About this information