Skills shortages

A number of industries in Austria benefit from year-round employment prospects. Yet many other industries are suffering skills shortages – predominantly in the engineering sector and in manual labour roles.

There are presently a number of available job placements and industry areas in need of workers in a variety of occupations such as:

• specialist engineers – power, agriculture, electrical
• data processing
• motor mechanics
• nurses
• mechanical engineering
• payroll accountants
• power engineering
• construction joiners
• roofers

The full list of what the Austrian government currently deems shortage professions can be found at migration.gv.at – Austria-wide shortage occupations.

 

Searching for job vacancies in Austria

While still in your home country, you should do a search for vacancies from your home country by using an online job search engine like EURES. Online mobility and globalism mean popularity of online applications is growing in Austria, but still not all future employers accept and approve of this method. You may have to send your application by post.

To apply for a position, submit your CV with an attached portrait photograph, along with all qualification certificates. Incorporate concise details of previous relevant work experience, voluntary work and hobbies, as well as your contact details.

Your CV should be up to 2 pages long and supplemented with a cover letter – both should be translated into German.

Many companies list job vacancies on their websites. The respective categories are usually called

• “Stellenangebote” (job openings)
• “Karriere” (career), or
• “Vakanzen” (vacancies)

You can find job advertisements in following newspapers and job services websites on the internet:

• Oberösterreichische Nachrichten: http://www.nachrichten.at
• Salzburger Nachrichten: http://www.salzburg.com
• Kronen Zeitung: http://www.krone.at
• Kleine Zeitung: http://www.kleinezeitung.at
• Kurier: http://www.kurier.at
• Die Presse: http://diepresse.com
• Der Standard: http://derstandard.at/
• Tiroler Tageszeitung: http://www.tirol.com/
• Wiener Zeitung: http://www.wienerzeitung.at/amtsblatt/jobs
• Wirtschaftsblatt: http://www.wirtschaftsblatt.at
• Österreich: http://www.oe24.at
• Heute: http://www.heute.at

 

Seasonal work

Austria offers a variety of summer jobs and seasonal jobs – summer jobs are available in a variety of sectors. Seasonal workers are needed in Austria’s flourishing tourist industry – in bars, clubs, restaurants or cafes.

There are also year-round openings in Austria for grape picking and au pair work.

Work permits

Austrian work permit for non-EU citizens – citizens of non-EU countries can apply in 3 different ways when they seek employment in Austria:

1. a restricted work permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung)which will last for 1 year
2. a work permit that lasts 2 years (Arbeitserlaubnis)

• an unrestricted work permit for 5 years (Befreiungsschein)

The work permits must be applied for in the sequence specified above; you cannot immediately apply for the 5 year permit – each permit continues to act as a level of proof that you are in employment and can support yourself.

For non-EU residents, a work permit will require a lot of supporting documentation – which has to be submitted in German at the Austrian Public Employment Service (Arbeitsmarktservice, AMS). The approval process typically takes about 7 weeks, if everything goes well.

• once approved, future employees are required to get a visa application in their country of residence
• work permits must be applied for by the prospective employer

Austrian visas

For foreigners who are not from the EU or EEA, you will need a visa to enter Austria and find work. There are a number of visas obtainable according to different purposes. These include:

• Schengen Visa

• the EU Blue card –
  • this type of residence and work permit is connected to a specific job offer
  • it requires a university degree
  • it entitles you to work for a period of up to 2 years
  • the application for the EU Blue Card (German) – here
• the Red-White-Red card, Rot-Weiß-Rot –
  • this is a points-based immigration system
  • it allows you to work for an Austrian employer for up to a year

• most migration from third-country nationals is done through the Red-White-Red Card, which is specifically designed to grant residence based on the skills of potential incoming workers and to fill shortages in the Austrian labour market

• • to qualify for the Red-White-Red card you must be
    • highly qualified, or
    • a skilled worker in an occupation facing shortages, or
    • a self-employed key worker, or
    • a graduate of an Austrian university
• the Jobseeker visa –
  • allows highly-qualified non-EU citizens to look for work in Austria for a period of 6 months
  • if you successfully secure employment during the 6 months you must apply for the proper work permit

• Austrian Business Visa –
  • for those traveling to Austria for business reasons, to attend meetings, or symposiums

Schengen Visa

The documentation listed below is required for any short-term Schengen visa application:

• Schengen visa application form
• valid passport, or similar travel document, valid for at least 3months
• 2 passport size photos taken within the last 3 months
• travel Insurance with a minimum 30,000 EUR coverage of medical emergencies.
• an invitation letter that explains the purpose of your trip

• itinerary specifying entry and exit dates from Austria, and if applicable, flight numbers
• hotel reservations, or similar proof of accommodation
• proof of sufficient funds for the duration of your stay in Austria
• proof of marital status, such as certificates

Some Austrian Embassies may require specific documents from applicants depending on their employment status and depending on the type of Schengen visa applied for, such as bank statements, Affidavit of Support (should the applicant lack the sufficient funds to apply for the visa), or even a travel itinerary, describing the nature and duration of their trip.

Once the Schengen Visa application form is completed and signed, applicants must contact their local Embassy to schedule an appointment.

EU Blue Card

It is issued in the shape of a bank card and is a combination of residence permit and employment permit. If you are the holder of an EU Blue Card, you are entitled to temporary settlement and to employment with a specific employer. It is issued for a validity period of 2 years.
If you held an EU Blue Card for 2 years, you may apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus, provided you were employed for at least 21 months during the previous 24 months in a job matching your qualification.

Detailed requirements and documentation can be found here – the EU Blue Card.

 

The Red-White-Red Card scheme – criteria-based; points

The Red-White-Red Card is issued in the shape of a bank card and is a combination of residence permit and employment permit. It is issued for a period of 2 years and entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment by the employer specified in the application. If you change your employer within the first 2 years, you have to apply for a new Red-White-Red Card.

The Red-White-Red Card scheme regulates the immigration of qualified third-country nationals to Austria according to a criteria-based model. In order to receive a Red-White-Red Card, the applicant has to achieve the sufficient amount of points that are awarded for education, professional experience, age, language skills et cetera. A points calculator is available here, so you can check if you would achieve the required amount of points.

Citizens of a third country (non-EU) who are qualified workers seeking to live and work in Austria can apply for the Red-White-Red Card[1] (family members can apply for the Red-White-Red Card plus).

The Red-White-Red Card plus is issued in the shape of a bank card and entitles its holder to settlement and unrestricted employment. If you are the holder of a Red-White-Red Card plus, you may change your employer at any time without having to apply for a new permit.

If you held a Red-White-Red Card for 2 years, you may apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus, provided you were employed in accordance with the eligibility requirements for a minimum of 21 months during the previous 24 months.

Family members of Red-White-Red Card holders and of holders of an EU Blue Card may apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus right away.

Those eligible for a Red-White-Red Card are (all link to a detailed description of requirements):

• Very Highly Qualified Workers
• Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations
• Other Key Workers
• Graduates of Austrian Universities and Colleges of Higher Education
• Self-employed Key Workers
• Start-up Founders

 

Application forms for the Red-White-Red Card can be found here (German).

The Jobseeker visa

The application forms for the Jobseeker Visa and criteria data sheet (German/English)
Workers are considered very highly qualified if they reach at least 70 out of 100 points according to a list of criteria (here you can find the points system). The Red-White-Red Card category “Very Highly Qualified Workers” seeks to attract very highly qualified and experienced top-level personnel, such as scientists and senior-level top-managers.

If you qualify as a very highly qualified worker and you have not yet found an employer in Austria, you may apply for a 6 month residence visa for your job search – this is the Job Seeker Visa. If you find a job matching your qualification during the validity period of your visa, you may apply for the Red-White-Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers.

The application for the Job Seeker Visa for Very Highly Qualified Workers must be filed with the competent Austrian representation (embassy or consulate) abroad.

Based on your profile, you may either need to get 65 or 70 points in order to qualify. Main details of the Austria Job Seeker Visa are:

• it allows you to search for a suitable job in Austria
• upon receiving an offer letter from an employer in Austria you can convert the visa to a Red-White-Red (RWR) card which is issued for 2 years
• after 21 months on the RWR card and working for the employer based on which you had received the RWR Card, you can apply for a Red-White-Red (RWR) Card Plus which allows you to work for any employer in Austria

 

Residence permit

Third-country nationals who want to stay in Austria for more than 6 months must apply for a residence permit. Those planning to move to Austria for an indefinite period, to work, study, take up a one-year-job as an au-pair, work as a researcher, or being transferred to their company’s office in Austria, will need a long-term visa, or residence-permit.

Qualified workers and third-country nationals seeking to live and work in Austria will need the Red-White-Red Card described above.

 

Further information on working in Austria

• oesterreich.gv.at: Working in Austria (general information; in German only)
• Austrian Agency for International Mobility and Cooperation in Education and Research: www.oead.at
• Federal Government‘s official information website on migration to Austria: www.migration.gv.at/en
• Public Employment Service Austria (AMS): www.ams.at/english.html

 

Language requirements; Migrant Integration

As part of NAP, the Austrian Federal Government ruled that a solid grasp of German – spoken and written – is the basis of successful integration in Austria, from both a professional and social perspective. German language skills are then not only vital for economic and social participation in Austria but also crucial for migrants’ integration into the labour market.

National Action Plan for Integration (NAP)

Since 2010 the governance of integration issues in Austria follows an action plan focusing on labour market integration and the knowledge of both the German language and the so-called “Austrian values”[2]. The policy is designed by the Ministry of the Interior and is being executed on different governance levels.

Statistics – on 1 January 2017, 686 406 Third Country Nationals (TCNs) were living in Austria. According to Statistics Austria, they represented 7% of the total Austrian population.

In addition to the foreign population, there were around 583.400 Austrian citizens with third country background. 7 285 were naturalised in 2016.

Integration Strategy

The strategy is designed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with relevant ministries, local authorities, social partners, scientists and civil society organisations. It focuses on:

• Language and Education
• Work and Employment
• Rule of Law and Values
• Health and Social Issues
• Intercultural Dialogue
• Sports and Recreation
• Living and the regional Dimension of Integration

It is primarily implemented through a compulsory integration programme called Integration Agreement which includes:

• language courses
• civic education
• vocational training

It is based on a two-step process: migrants must have a basic knowledge of German (level A1) prior to their arrival to Austria and fulfil 2 post-arrival modules within 2 years. The first module, which is required for those applying for permanent residence, includes courses for German Level A2 and basic values of the country’s legal and social order. The second module consists of courses for German level B1, and deepened understanding of basic values of the country’s legal and social order.

The Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (ÖSD), or the Austrian Language Diploma, is Austria’s officially-recognised examination system for German as a foreign language. You can take the exam at centres in more than 45 countries around the world.

Other institutions and organisations also offer a variety of German language courses. For more information, visit the association of Austrian language schools Campus Austria.

 

Income tax

Austria operates a progressive rate of income tax of 0-50% – the amount of tax depends on what you earn. Income tax and insurance contributions are deducted from your salary each month. For more detailed information on tax, working conditions see and social insurance contributions see migration.gov.at – income and taxation.

[1] https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/permanent-immigration/

[2] https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/governance/austria