Austria Work Visa 2026: Red-White-Red Card, Pay and Fees
Austria's work permit for people from outside the EEA and Switzerland is the Red-White-Red Card, a combined residence and employment permit issued for 24 months and tied to one employer. It is available to several groups of applicants, each with its own conditions, and the EU Blue Card is a separate permit with a salary threshold and no points system. This guide sets out the 2026 conditions for each route, the pay figures, the fees and where to file, as published by the Austrian federal government's migration portal on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
You need a job offer from an employer in Austria, and you must fit one category. Other Key Workers need gross pay of at least € 3,465 a month in 2026 and 55 points. Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations need training in a listed occupation and 55 points. The EU Blue Card needs a degree and at least € 55,678 gross a year in 2026. The application fee is € 218, and the portal puts the whole process at approximately eight weeks. If you have no job offer yet, the portal points to the six-month Job Seeker Visa for Very Highly Qualified Workers, which needs 70 of 100 points.
The routes side by side
| Route | Main condition | Points needed | Labour market test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very Highly Qualified Workers | A job offer that matches your qualification, with adequate pay | 70 of 100 | Not listed among the conditions |
| Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations | Completed training in a shortage occupation, a binding job offer, and the minimum pay set by law, regulation or collective agreement | 55 of 90 | Not listed among the conditions |
| Other Key Workers | Gross monthly pay of at least € 3,465 (2026) | 55 of 90 | Yes |
| Graduates of Austrian universities | A job offer that matches your qualification, at the locally customary gross minimum salary for comparable Austrian graduates | No points system | No |
| EU Blue Card | A degree from a course of at least three years, a binding job offer, and at least € 55,678 gross a year (2026) | No points system | Yes |
| Regular Workers in Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry | At least 7 months in the last two years as a registered regular seasonal worker in the same industry, German at A1, and a binding offer of permanent employment | None listed | No specific test |
| Self-employed Key Workers | A self-employed occupation that creates macroeconomic benefit, for example a transfer of investment capital of € 100.000 minimum | No points system | The AMS assesses the macroeconomic benefit |
| Start-up Founders | An innovative company, a business plan, and capital of € 30.000 minimum with an equity share of at least 50 % | 50 of 85 | The AMS assesses the macroeconomic benefit |
A third-country national, in the portal's definition, is a citizen of a country that is not a member of the EEA. Swiss citizens are not treated as third-country nationals either.
What the Red-White-Red Card gives you
- Validity: the card is generally issued for a period of 24 months.
- One employer: it entitles you to fixed-term settlement and employment by the employer specified in your application. A card is not issued for employment with several employers.
- Side work: you can also work self-employed if that work is subsidiary to your paid employment and all other legal requirements are fulfilled.
- No proof of accommodation or income under residence law: the portal states that Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card applicants do not have to furnish proof of locally customary accommodation, and that the income rules come from the Act Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals instead.
- The next step: after two years you can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus if you were employed in line with the eligibility criteria for at least 21 months during the preceding 24 months. The plus card gives unlimited labour market access, not limited to a specific employer.
Other Key Workers: € 3,465 a month and 55 points
The portal names this as one of the routes open to you when your profession is not listed as a shortage occupation. Your prospective employer must pay the statutory minimum of € 3,465 gross a month in 2026, no equally qualified person registered as a jobseeker at the Public Employment Service (AMS) can be available for the job, and you must reach 55 points.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Completed vocational education or training, or special know-how or skills, in the prospective occupation | 20 |
| General eligibility for university admission | 25 |
| Completed studies of at least three years at an institution of tertiary education | 30 |
| Work experience, per half-year (in Austria: 2 per half-year), maximum 20 | 1 |
| German at A1, A2 or B1 | 5, 10 or 15 |
| English at A2 or B1 | 5 or 10 |
| French, Spanish, or Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian at B1 | 5 |
| Under 30 years of age, or under 40 | 15 or 10 |
| English is the predominant language of the company | 5 additional |
Qualification points are capped at 30 and language points at 25. The portal's own example is a 43-year-old Canadian graduate with over 9 years of work experience and English as his native language, who scores 58 points and can apply.
Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations
The points table has the same work experience, language and company-language rows as above. Qualification is a single criterion: completed vocational education or training in the shortage occupation, worth 30 points. Age has three bands: 15 points under 30, 10 under 40 and 5 under 50. The minimum is again 55 points. The page gives no salary figure for this route. The employer must pay the minimum stipulated by law, regulation or collective agreement, and any overpay that is customary in the company.
- The lists: shortage occupations are set each year in a regulation issued by the Federal Minister of Labour and Economics. For 2026 the Austria-wide list is numbered 1 to 64 and the regional list 1 to 66.
- Regional occupations apply only in certain federal provinces, and your employer must offer you employment in one of the provinces listed for that occupation.
- Training: depending on the occupation, you need at least vocational training comparable to a multi-year apprenticeship in Austria. For some shortage occupations a higher education or university degree is required.
- If your profession is not listed, the portal says you may still qualify as an Other Key Worker, a Very Highly Qualified Worker or a graduate.
Very Highly Qualified Workers and the Job Seeker Visa
This is the category the portal names for applicants who do not yet have an employer in Austria. You need at least 70 of 100 points.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Degree from a programme of at least four years | 20 |
| The same in mathematics, informatics, natural sciences or technology | 30 |
| Post-doctoral qualification (habilitation) or PhD | 40 |
| Previous year's gross salary in a senior management position: €50,000 to 60,000, €60,000 to 70,000, more than €70,000 | 20, 25, 30 |
| Research and innovation activities, or recognised awards | 20 each |
| Work experience per half-year (six months in Austria: 10), maximum 20 | 1 |
| German or English at A1 or A2 | 5 or 10 |
| Under 35, under 40, under 45 years of age | 20, 15, 10 |
| Studies in Austria | 5 or 10 |
- Job Seeker Visa: a category D visa valid for six months. You apply in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate, and it is granted once the AMS confirms your points. The fee is € 195. Employment is not permitted on this visa.
- If you find a job matching your qualification while the visa is valid, you apply for the Red-White-Red Card at the residence authority in Austria.
- If you can enter Austria without a visa, you do not need a Job Seeker Visa. You can apply for the card during your legal visa-free stay, provided you find a matching job in that period.
EU Blue Card
- Education: a completed course of study of at least three years at a university or other tertiary institution. For information and communications technology professionals and service managers, at least three years of relevant professional experience gained in the last seven years is sufficient.
- Pay: at least the average gross annual income of full-time employees, which is € 55,678 in 2026, counted as annual salary plus special payments.
- Labour market test: the AMS checks that no equally qualified registered jobseeker is available.
- Validity: 24 months, with employment at a specific employer.
- Changing employer: you may start the new job provisionally after a 30-day waiting period from a complete application. After 12 months of employment on a Blue Card there is no waiting period and no labour market review.
Fees and timing
| Item | Amount or time |
|---|---|
| Application fee, Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card and Red-White-Red Card plus | € 218, effective from 01.01.2026 |
| Job Seeker Visa | € 195 |
| Visa D to enter and collect the card, if you need a visa | € 195 for people over the age of six |
| Whole application process | Approximately eight weeks, depending on the completeness of the application and the authority's resources |
| Changing employer on a Red-White-Red Card | New job may start provisionally after a 45-day waiting period from a complete application |
How and where to apply
- Get the job offer. The portal states that you need an employer in Austria in order to apply for a Red-White-Red Card, with a special rule for Very Highly Qualified Workers, who can look for one on a Job Seeker Visa.
- Choose who files. You file in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate in your home country or country of residence, or your prospective employer files at the residence authority in Austria.
- Attach the employer's declaration (Arbeitgebererklärung), a written statement of the details of the job.
- The AMS assesses your points, your pay and, where it applies, the labour market test, and sends its confirmation to the residence authority.
- Collect the card. If you are subject to visa requirements, you apply for a category D visa to enter Austria and collect it.
The residence authority is the District Administration, the City Council in statutory cities, MA 35 in Vienna, the Office of the Styrian Provincial Government in Graz and the Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government in Lower Austria. After legal entry and during a legal stay you may file directly with that authority.
Can you wait in Austria for the decision? Two official pages differ. The migration portal says an application for a Red-White-Red Card submitted in person during a legal stay entitles the applicant to remain in Austria even if the visa-free period or the visa has expired. The Foreign Ministry's general page on settlement and residence says that submitting an initial application in Austria does not create a right of residence beyond the visa-free period or the validity of the visa. Confirm your position with the residence authority before your permitted stay ends.
Documents
- Valid travel document, and a photo of 45x35mm that is not older than six months.
- Evidence of health insurance covering all risks.
- Evidence for each points criterion: certificates or diplomas, testimonials and work certificates, and language certificates that should not be older than five years.
- A criminal record extract, which many authorities require with an initial application. The portal recommends it be no more than three months old.
- Originals and copies. Documents not in German or English must be translated into German or English.
On health insurance, two official pages differ. The migration portal's FAQ says the authorities will accept travel health insurance for the application, provided it covers costs well above € 30,000 and includes a guarantee covering potential rescue and return costs. The general conditions page on oesterreich.gv.at says that simply providing proof of travel health insurance is not sufficient for a residence permit. Ask the authority handling your application which proof it accepts.
Recognition of qualifications is only required for regulated professions, such as all health professions and teachers at public schools. For most professions the portal says you do not need formal recognition.
If you are from the US, the UK, India or Nepal
| Citizenship | Visa needed to enter | What that means for the application |
|---|---|---|
| United States, United Kingdom | No. The Interior Ministry's list shows an EU visa exemption of 90 days within 180 days. | You may file in Austria during your legal visa-free stay, once you have the job offer |
| India, Nepal | Yes | You file at the Austrian embassy or consulate, or your employer files in Austria, and you enter on a category D visa to collect the card |
Visa-free entry does not cover work. The Foreign Ministry states that visa-free entry for a maximum of 90 days per 180 days applies in case of no gainful employment, and that foreigners from outside the EEA and Switzerland who wish to pursue gainful employment always require a visa. EEA and Swiss citizens need no permit: they are allowed to take up employment in Austria under the same conditions as Austrian citizens, and request a confirmation of registration within four months of arrival if they stay longer than three months.
Bringing your family
- Family members of Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card holders may apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus right away.
- Family members are spouses, registered partners and unmarried minor children up to the age of 18. Spouses and registered partners must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application.
- A family member applying for the first time must show German at A1 level. Family members of holders of a Red-White-Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers or an EU Blue Card do not have to show German before immigrating.
For the settling-in steps after arrival, see our moving to Austria guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements for an Austria work visa?
A job offer from an employer in Austria and a category you fit. Other Key Workers need gross pay of at least € 3,465 a month in 2026 and 55 points. Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations need training in a listed occupation and 55 points. The EU Blue Card needs a degree and at least € 55,678 gross a year.
Can I get an Austria work visa without a job offer?
The portal's answer for the Red-White-Red Card is no: you need an employer in Austria. A special rule applies to Very Highly Qualified Workers. With at least 70 of 100 points they can apply for a Job Seeker Visa, which is valid for six months and costs € 195, and the portal states that this visa is exclusively for that category.
How much is the Austria work visa fee?
The application fee for a Red-White-Red Card or an EU Blue Card is € 218, effective from 01.01.2026. If you need a visa D to enter Austria and collect the card, that visa costs € 195.
How long does a Red-White-Red Card take?
The migration portal says the entire application process takes approximately eight weeks, depending on the completeness of the application and the documents submitted, as well as the authority's resources.
Can I apply for an Austria work visa online?
The portal describes two ways to file: in person at the Austrian embassy or consulate, or through your prospective employer at the residence authority in Austria. The Foreign Ministry states that the initial application for a residence permit must in principle be submitted in person.
Can US and UK citizens apply for the Red-White-Red Card from inside Austria?
Yes, during a legal visa-free stay and once they have a job offer. The Interior Ministry's list shows both nationalities as exempt from the EU visa requirement for 90 days within 180 days. Working during that stay is not covered by the exemption.
Can I change employer on a Red-White-Red Card?
You must submit a new application. You may begin the new employment provisionally after a waiting period of 45 days from the date a complete application is submitted. Holders of a Red-White-Red Card plus may change employer at any time.
Official sources
- migration.gv.at — Permanent immigration and the Red-White-Red Card
- migration.gv.at — Other Key Workers
- migration.gv.at — Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations
- migration.gv.at — Very Highly Qualified Workers
- migration.gv.at — EU Blue Card
- migration.gv.at — Frequently asked questions
- Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs — Settlement and Residence
- Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs — Visa
- Federal Ministry of the Interior — Visa requirements by country (German)
- oesterreich.gv.at — General conditions for the issue of residence permits
All amounts, fees and rules verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Pay thresholds are the 2026 figures. Information, not legal advice.