Leslie Massey
If you are employed in Austria, you are automatically covered by social insurance and your employer will sign you up for social security. You will then be assigned a social security number, which is important for recording your total period of insurance and earnings. You will also receive an Austrian e-card, which serves as a social security identification card and provides access to Austrian healthcare. If you don't know your social security number, you can ask your social insurance institution for it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who is covered by Austrian social security? | Employees with an employment contract, self-employed persons, farmers, railway employees, miners, civil servants, school and university students, and pensioners |
| Who is responsible for registration with the insurance institutions? | The employer |
| Who pays the insurance contributions? | The employer deducts the contributions from the employee's gross salary or gross wages |
| What does the social security system cover? | Prevention, sickness, incapacity for work/invalidity, maternity, unemployment, old age, death of a person liable to provide maintenance, survivors' pensions, nursing care, and social need |
| What is the e-card? | An electronic insurance card that contains all relevant personal details; it serves as a social security identification card and can be used to access Austrian social security services, such as medical treatment |
| How to get an Austrian social security number? | Your employer signs you up for social security when you start your employment, and you are then assigned a social security number |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Social security for employees
Social security is compulsory for employees in Austria. Your employer is responsible for signing you up for social security when you start your employment and will also take care of your registration with the insurance institutions. This means that you are automatically socially insured for the duration of your employment in Austria.
Once your employer has registered you, you will be assigned a social security number, or Sozialversicherungsnummer. This number is important for recording your total period of insurance and earnings. You will also receive an Austrian e-card or insurance card, which will serve as a social security identification card. You can use it to access Austrian social security services, such as medical treatment.
The e-card also serves as a European Health Insurance Card, entitling you to free treatment at all state healthcare facilities throughout the EU. If you lose your e-card, it is stolen, or it is damaged, you can contact the Austrian social security funds service line to request a new one. Your old e-card will then be cancelled. Since 1 January 2020, all new e-cards include a photo of the holder.
As an employee, your insurance contributions are deducted every month from your gross salary by your employer. If you are unemployed, the related contributions will determine your unemployment benefit. You may also be entitled to an Austrian pension after working in Austria for one year. However, another condition for this is that you have worked 180 months or 15 years in the EU.
Exploring Austria's Surprising Square Kilometer Size
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Social security for self-employed people
Austria's comprehensive social security programme makes it an attractive destination for expats looking to relocate overseas. The country's social security programme includes a wide range of insurance options that are comparable to regular employment benefits. Additionally, Austria has strong laws protecting women's rights and fair labour practices, as well as generous child benefits.
If you are a freelancer or starting your own business in Austria, you should familiarise yourself with the insurance benefits available to you. To qualify for social insurance as a self-employed person in Austria, you must meet specific criteria as per the Commercial Social Insurance Act (GSVG). Firstly, you must be self-employed without a trade license, such as a physiotherapist or artist. Secondly, your work must generate taxable income, and your income must exceed a certain limit. If you meet these requirements, your social security insurance will include pension, health, accident, and self-employment provisions.
The amount of social levies you pay is determined by your income as a self-employed person. For newly established self-employed individuals, the SVS (Sozialversicherungsanstalt der Selbständigen) sets a provisional or minimum assessment base. For 2024, the provisional social contributions are set at €150.44 per month, payable quarterly at €451.32. It is important to note that social security contributions are paid in full, even for one day of insurance. After the first three years of employment, the assessment base is calculated based on the income from three years prior.
As a self-employed person in Austria, it is important to understand the difference between regular and self-employed unemployment insurance. Your registration and deregistration are not automatic, so you must submit a report to the SVS. Additionally, unemployment insurance is not included in the Austrian social insurance for the self-employed. However, you can voluntarily register for unemployment insurance to protect yourself from losing your entitlement to unemployment benefits when you stop working.
Lastly, as a self-employed person, you should familiarise yourself with the e-card system in Austria. The e-card is an electronic insurance card that contains all relevant personal information for the insurance provider. You must present this card whenever you visit a doctor or receive treatment at a healthcare facility, along with a photo ID to prevent abuse. The e-card also serves as a European Health Insurance Card, providing free treatment at state healthcare facilities throughout the EU.
Daycare Availability in Austria: Easy Access for Parents?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Social insurance institutions
The Austrian social security system includes several compulsory forms of insurance, such as health insurance, for persons living in Austria who are employed. They provide financial security in the event of illness, accident, unemployment, and after retirement. Employees are automatically covered by health, accident, pension, and unemployment insurance.
The employer is responsible for registering the employee with the relevant social security fund and cover commences on the date the employee starts to work. The insurance contributions to be paid by employees are deducted every month from their gross salary/gross wages by their employer. Sickness insurance funds are organised regionally according to provinces, therefore, the responsibility of a particular sickness insurance fund is evident from the place of work. Self-employed persons, farmers, railway employees, miners, and civil servants have their own social insurance institutions, which are independent of their place of work. All insurance bodies are devolved into provincial and, to some extent, district agencies and are grouped centrally in the Association of Austrian Social Insurance Institutions (Hauptverband der österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger).
As an employee with an employment contract and a statement of terms and conditions (Dienstzettel), one is automatically covered by social insurance. If you do not know your social insurance number, you can ask your social insurance institution for it.
Austria's Wealth: Rich Country or Richer Future?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
What is covered by social security
In Austria, social security is contribution-based and covers a range of areas, including:
- Unemployment benefits: This includes a contribution of 3% of monthly covered earnings, with a reduced rate for low-income earners. The maximum benefit is 60% of the insured's net earnings, which can increase to 80% with a family supplement.
- Childcare allowance: This includes child benefits and Mother-Child Pass Examinations for pregnant women and children up to the age of five.
- Sickness insurance: This covers prevention, sickness, maternity, and nursing care. It is administered by sickness insurance funds, which are organised regionally according to provinces.
- Accident insurance: This is managed by the General Accident Insurance Institute (Allgemeine Unfallversicherungsanstalt - AUVA).
- Pensions: Pension insurance is overseen by the Pension Insurance Office (Pensionsversicherungsanstalt - PVA).
- Long-term care: This includes care for the elderly and those with long-term illnesses or disabilities.
It is important to note that Austrians residing abroad are not eligible for unemployment benefits in the country. Additionally, while the Austrian social security system covers most individuals, there may be a small percentage who are not covered and may need to explore private social security options.
DFARS Compliance: Austria's Complex Relationship with the Regulation
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The e-card
As an Austrian citizen, you will automatically be covered by social insurance as soon as you take up employment. Your employer will sign you up for social security and you will be assigned a social security number. You will then receive an e-card, which will serve as your social security identification card. With Austrian health insurance, you will have access to Austrian healthcare.
If you are not an Austrian citizen, you will need to bring your travel documents (e.g. passport or ID) to receive an e-card. If there is no photo of you available, no new e-card will be issued. In this case, you can still receive medical treatment in Austria with your social insurance number and ID. If you do not know your social insurance number, you can ask your social insurance institution.
If your e-card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can contact the service line of the Austrian social security funds to request a new one.
Pubs in Austria: Open for Business?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Anyone who works in Austria is covered by compulsory social insurance and is therefore eligible for an Austrian social security number. This includes self-employed people, farmers, railway employees, miners and civil servants.
Your employer will sign you up for social security when you start your employment and will assign you a social security number. You will also receive an Austrian e-card, which serves as a social security identification card.
The e-card is an electronic insurance card that contains all personal details relevant to the insurance provider. It serves as a European Health Insurance Card and entitles the owner to free treatment at all state healthcare facilities throughout the EU.
If you don't have an e-card, you can still visit a doctor with your Austrian social insurance number and a photo ID.
