How To Easily Move To Austria

Austria is a highly developed and industrialized country that offers a high standard of living to its residents. It has a population of around 8.8 million people, with ethnic Austrians being the biggest ethnic group at 91% of the population. The country has become a central point for expats moving to Europe, with over 1 million expats from all over the world calling it home. Austria boasts excellent education, healthcare, work-life balance, and a strong economy. The process of moving to Austria differs based on whether you are an EU or non-EU citizen. EU citizens can move to Austria permanently without a visa if they are working, studying, or have an Austrian family member. Non-EU citizens, on the other hand, need a visa and a residence permit. They must also apply for a work permit if they intend to work in Austria.

Visa requirements for EU and non-EU citizens

Visa Requirements for EU Citizens

EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Austria. However, if they plan to stay for more than 90 days, they must obtain a certificate of registration (Anmeldebescheinigung). Failure to do so can result in a penalty fee of 200 EUR. To obtain this certificate, EU citizens need the following documents:

• A current passport or personal ID
• Confirmation from their employer
• Proof of adequate means of subsistence
• Proof of admission from their higher education institution

After five continuous years of residence, EU citizens can apply for a long-term residence certificate (Bescheinigung des Daueraufenthalts).

Visa Requirements for Non-EU Citizens

Non-EU citizens who are not from Switzerland, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, or any other country with a visa liberalisation agreement with the EU, need a visa to enter Austria.

There are different types of visas for non-EU citizens, depending on the purpose and duration of their stay. These include:

• Tourist Visa
• Visitor Visa
• Business Visa
• Visa for Official Visit
• Visa for Medical Reasons
• Visa for Study Purposes
• Visa for Cultural, Sports, and Film Crews
• Long-Stay Visa (or Austrian National Visa/Type D Visa)

The Long-Stay Visa is for those who want to live in Austria, either temporarily or permanently. This visa allows foreign nationals to work, study, or join a family member in Austria. It includes the following types:

• Austria Work Visa
• Austria Student Visa
• Austria Family Visa
• Austria Retirement Visa
• Austria Job Seeker Visa
• Austria Working Holiday Visa

To apply for a visa to Austria, non-EU citizens need to follow these general steps:

• Check visa requirements based on their nationality.
• Understand the type of visa needed.
• Determine where to submit the visa application (embassy, consulate, or visa application centre).
• Complete and download the visa application form.
• Schedule a visa appointment.
• Prepare the required documents, including passport, visa application form, travel insurance, accommodation proof, and financial proof.
• Attend the visa appointment and interview.
• Pay the application fee.
• Wait for the visa to be processed.
• Collect the passport.

Residence permits

If you are a citizen of a country within the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you can move to Austria permanently without a visa. After three months, you must register your stay with the local Austrian authorities. If you are not a citizen of the EU/EEA or Switzerland, you will need a visa and a residence permit to move to Austria.

Third-country nationals (non-EU citizens) who want to reside permanently in Austria need to apply for a type D visa (long-stay visa) first. With a D visa, you will be allowed entry into Austria, after which you can apply for the type of residence permit you want. A long-stay visa is issued for different reasons, such as work, study, or family reunification.

Austria issues a work permit, known as the Red-White-Red Card, to highly skilled non-EU nationals wishing to move there for work. This type of work permit is issued for a period of up to 2 years, and there is a set of requirements you must meet to be eligible for it. Before applying for this type of visa, you must secure a job; otherwise, you will not be allowed to apply. The application for this type of visa can be completed by either you or your employer.

Highly skilled workers can also apply for an EU Blue Card if they have a job offer from an Austrian employer and have the necessary professional qualifications and experience for the position. The EU Blue Card also allows you to bring your family members to Austria.

If you are a non-EU citizen wishing to move to Austria for study purposes, you need to obtain a student visa. Austria issues two types of student visas: Visa C and Visa D. In this case, you need to get a Visa D, which is a long-term visa that can be switched to a student resident permit. You need to be enrolled in an Austrian university before starting the application process for a student visa. Once you get an acceptance letter, you can continue to apply for a student visa at the local embassy or consulate in your home country. After you obtain your student visa, you can move to Austria and register at the registration office and apply for a student residence permit.

Third-country nationals residing legally in Austria and wanting to bring their family members to join them can do so by applying for a family reunification visa at the Austrian embassy or consulate. The following family members can come to Austria on a family visa: minor children (under the age of 18), partners in long-term relationships, and other relatives under specific circumstances. You cannot get a family visa if your family member residing in Austria is not an Austrian citizen or is not a holder of a residence permit. The family reunification visa is valid for one year and can be renewed depending on the residency type. You are also allowed to work in Austria on a family visa.

Austria does not issue retirement visas. However, if you want to move to Austria for retirement and you are financially independent, you can obtain a residence permit, known as a "settlement permit except gainful employment." Austria issues a limited number of settlement permits per year, so you must be quick to find a quota place. There are also other requirements that you must meet to be eligible for this type of residence permit. This type of residence permit is issued for a period of 12 months (one year) and does not allow you to do any type of work.

If you want to become an Austrian resident and have the necessary financial means, you can obtain residency by investment. You can do this through an investment program by investing directly in the country. However, the investment program is regulated by an annual quota of 300, so the number of people who are granted this visa is limited. To acquire residence under the Austria Private Residence Program, applicants must fulfill all the following requirements:

• Have a minimum of EUR 40,000 in liquid funds on a bank account, the amount of which will increase depending on the size of their family.
• Provide proof of permanent residential real estate (either purchased or leased), where they and their dependents will live.
• Have private healthcare insurance.
• Have documented German language skills (at A1 level).
• Personally submit the mandatory documentation to the Austrian consular or diplomatic representation in their current country of residence.
• Obtain a special visa at the Austrian embassy, which will enable them to travel to Austria to collect their residence permit from the relevant authority.

Work permits

The type of work permit you will need to work in Austria depends on your nationality and the duration of your stay.

If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you can work in Austria without a work permit. However, if you plan to stay longer than three months, you must register with local authorities and obtain a registration certificate. This typically requires proof of employment, health insurance, and sufficient financial means.

If you are a non-EU/EEA citizen, you will need a work permit and a visa to work in Austria. The work permit must be applied for by your future employer before you enter the country. The specific type of work permit and visa you will need depends on the duration of your stay and your profession.

If you are staying for less than six months, you will need a work permit and a visa. If you are staying for longer than six months, you will need a residence permit, a work permit, and a visa.

There are several types of work permits and visas available for non-EU/EEA citizens, including:

• The Red-White-Red Card: This is a residence and work permit for highly skilled non-EU/EEA citizens. It is issued for a period of up to two years and allows the holder to work for the employer specified in their application. To be eligible, you must belong to one of the following groups: very highly qualified workers, skilled workers in shortage occupations, graduates of Austrian universities and colleges of higher education, regular workers in tourism, agriculture, and forestry, or self-employed key workers.
• The Restricted Work Permit: This permit is valid for one year.
• The Two-Year Permit: This permit is valid for two years.
• The Unrestricted Work Permit: This permit is valid for five years.
• The EU Blue Card: This is a residence and work permit for highly qualified individuals from outside the EU/EEA. Applicants must have higher qualifications, such as a university degree, a high salary, travel documents, and an employment contract already in place.

The application process for work permits and visas in Austria can be challenging and requires a deep understanding of local laws. It is important to ensure that you have all the necessary documentation and meet all the eligibility requirements before applying.

Healthcare and insurance

Austria's public healthcare system is comprehensive, covering virtually all health care needs, no matter your age or background. The system also benefits spouses and children of those who work in Austria and are covered by the worker's medical insurance.

Around 99% of residents in Austria are covered by some form of health insurance. Healthcare in Austria is only free for those who are pensioners, spouses of workers, out of work and on unemployment benefits, and people who are unable to work for other reasons. If you work in Austria, you contribute to the public healthcare system through your salary, which is taken out of every paycheck as a health insurance tax.

Healthcare in Austria is split into two tiers: public health insurance and private health insurance. Becoming a part of Austria's public health system is very straightforward: as soon as you start a job in Austria, your employer is obligated to register you with Social Insurance within seven days of your start date.

Everyone who is covered by public health insurance gets an e-card, which can be used to prove that you have health insurance cover and which you will be required to show if you see a doctor.

People are covered through four pathways: precautionary, maternity, therapeutic aids, and illness. Precautionary includes things like vaccinations, remedies and treatment, lifestyle advice, health checks, health at work, and recovery. Maternity encompasses childbirth and things like parental leave benefits, child allowance, and maternity allowance. Therapeutic aids are for incapacity for work, accidents at work, treatment after accidents at work, and occupational diseases. Illness includes work-related illness, doctor visits, mental illness treatments, and support with serious health problems.

If you opt for private health insurance, you might enjoy extras like flexible visiting hours, private hospital rooms, and the luxury of choosing your doctor. Private health insurance in Austria offers optimal expert care, the ability to choose which physician sees you for outpatient treatment, and life-long coverage. In Austria, a contract with a private health insurance provider is seen as a lifelong contractual relationship, which means they cannot come with restrictions and the providers cannot terminate them.

The average cost of private health insurance in Austria is approximately 220 EUR (243 USD) per month. However, prices vary considerably depending on factors such as age and the features included in each health insurance plan.

Asylum Seekers

Every asylum seeker who receives Basic Care has health insurance. Treatment that is not covered by health insurance may be paid, upon request, by the federal provinces' departments for Basic Care or the Ministry of Interior. If Basic Care is withdrawn, asylum seekers are still entitled to emergency care and essential treatment.

Education

Schooling in Austria is compulsory for nine years, from age six to fifteen (first to ninth grade). The first four years of compulsory education are completed in primary schools, followed by junior high school or secondary school, or in certain provinces, a 'new middle school'. All school types comprise four educational levels. The ninth school year can be completed at a polytechnical school or another type of school.

There are also special schools for disabled children or those with special educational needs. In many cases, these children are also educated in standard schools in 'integration classes'.

After the nine years of compulsory education, young people must either continue school education or go into professional training until the age of eighteen or until they complete a further educational level.

Vocational Schools

Intermediate vocational schools (from age 14) conclude with a technical examination, while higher vocational schools (also from age 14) conclude with a technical examination and the general school-leaving examination ('Matura'). Pupils leaving vocational schools may have qualified for one or more professions.

The higher general secondary school and grammar school (also from age 14) conclude with the general school-leaving examination ('Matura').

Basic Vocational Training

Training for around 250 professions can be obtained in basic vocational training (apprenticeship) from age 15. Most apprenticeship training courses last between three and four years. After the apprenticeship period, the apprentice passes a final examination and becomes a skilled technician or craftsman.

Higher Education

The 'Matura' (school-leaving examination) is the prerequisite for higher education. Qualified school-leavers can prepare for university entrance by way of the vocational qualifying examination or the study entitlement examination.

There is a variety of course options in technical studies, humanities, arts and other fields of study. Technical universities offer practical training, facilitating direct access to a profession. Higher education colleges offer training for teachers at primary schools, secondary schools, special schools and polytechnic schools.

Private schools in Austria account for about 8% of the total number. Most publicly authorised private schools are denominational schools. Private schools are fee-paying, whereas state schools are free. The quality of state schools is very high in comparison to other education systems in Europe.

Studying in Austria as a Foreign Citizen

Foreign citizens require a residence permit to study in Austria unless they are EEA citizens or Swiss, or already have a right of residence or a residence title.

To be admitted to an Austrian university, foreign citizens must have an A-level or high school diploma that can be considered equivalent to an Austrian Matura examination certification. This certification must be sufficient for acceptance to the desired course of study at a university in the country in which it was acquired. Any study-related requirements (e.g. entrance examination) must be fulfilled in the country in which the A-level or high school diploma was issued.

In addition, the applicant must have sufficient German knowledge. If necessary, an examination will be taken.

Studying in Austria as a British Citizen

If you are moving to Austria from the UK, you must meet all visa requirements before you travel. Contact the relevant higher education provider in Austria to check what fees you may have to pay.

Frequently asked questions