Austria (AT)

Austria is a landlocked Central European republic of nine federal states (Bundesländer), renowned for its stunning Alpine landscapes, imperial history, world-class classical music, and high standard of living.

Capital: Vienna

Region: Europe

Language: German

Currency: EUR (€)

Cost of living: Expensive (index 72)

Emergency: 112

Jobs & Work Permits

Everything you need to find work and get authorised to work in Austria.

AMS — Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich

Arbeitsmarktservice (AMS)

Register as a job seeker (Arbeitsuchend melden) at your local AMS branch or online at ams.at. Bring passport, Meldezettel, CV, and qualifications. You will be assigned a career advisor (Betreuer) for regular check-ins. If entitled to Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit), register within 3 days of job loss — delays reduce your benefit period.

Services offered:

✓Job listings and matching (AMS eJob-Room — Austria's largest free job board)
✓Career counselling and aptitude assessment
✓Unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) payments
✓Retraining courses and upskilling funding (Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen)
✓German language courses for job seekers
✓Start-up support (Gründungsberatung)
✓Recognition of foreign qualifications support
✓Job fairs (Jobmessen)

Expat eligibility: EU/EEA citizens have full access to all AMS services and unemployment benefits (if previously employed and contributed in Austria). Non-EU citizens with work permits also access AMS services. Language courses and retraining are often available even without prior employment in Austria.

Visit AMS — Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich

💼 Work Permits

EU Citizens

EU/EEA citizens have full right to work in Austria without any work permit. Register your address (Meldezettel) within 3 days and start working immediately. After 5 years of continuous legal residence, you may apply for permanent settlement (Daueraufenthalt – EU).

Non-EU Citizens

Non-EU/EEA citizens need a work permit or combined residence-and-work permit. Main options: Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte (Red-White-Red Card) for highly skilled workers, shortage occupations, and graduates; Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte plus (permits family members to work); Niederlassungsbewilligung – Ausnahme for specific categories. Applications via the relevant authority (MA 35 in Vienna, Bezirkshauptmannschaft elsewhere) and employer registration.

EU Blue Card

Austria issues the EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU) for highly qualified non-EU workers. Requirements: university degree + job offer with annual gross salary of at least €55,678 (from January 2026, approximately €3,977/month base × 14 installments). The separate Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte) for highly skilled workers has a lower threshold. Leads to long-term residence. Apply at MA 35 (Vienna) or local BH.

Freelancer Visa

Self-employed non-EU citizens can apply for a Niederlassungsbewilligung – Selbständige or a Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte for self-employed persons. Requirements include business plan, proof of income, and WKO (Wirtschaftskammer) membership for regulated trades.

⏱️ Work Culture

Typical hours 38–40 hours per week standard. Core hours typically 8am–4pm or 9am–5pm. Overtime (Überstunden) is common and usually paid or compensated with time off (Zeitausgleich). Austrian law requires at least 11 hours rest between working days.

Annual leave Minimum 25 days paid annual leave (Urlaub) by law for first year; increases to 30 days after 25 years with same employer. Public holidays in addition. Many collective agreements (Kollektivvertrag) provide more.

Sick leave During illness: full pay for 6–12 weeks (depending on tenure), then 50% for 4 more weeks paid by employer. After that, Krankengeld from ÖGK. Doctor's note (Krankenstandsbestätigung) required from day 1 in most workplaces — your employer can require medical confirmation from day 1.

Trial period 1 month standard trial period (Probezeit). During probation either party can terminate without notice or reason. Some collective agreements allow up to 3 months.

Notice period Employer notice (Kündigungsfrist): minimum 6 weeks up to 5 months depending on length of service (white-collar) or as per collective agreement (blue-collar). Employee notice: typically 1 month. Notice must be given to coincide with the end of a calendar quarter in many cases (Quartalskündigung) — check your contract.

Salary range Minimum wage (Mindestlohn via collective agreements): €2,041/month gross (2026). Average gross salary: €3,200–3,800/month. Vienna IT/tech: €3,500–6,000/month gross. Management: €5,000–10,000+/month. Many salaries are negotiated on a 14-month basis (12 months + 2 bonus payments in June and November).

Pay frequency Monthly (monatlich). Many Kollektivverträge provide 14 monthly payments — 12 regular + Urlaubsgeld (holiday bonus in June) + Weihnachtsgeld (Christmas bonus in November).

Contract types

·Unbefristeter Dienstvertrag (permanent contract)
·Befristeter Dienstvertrag (fixed-term contract — limited renewals)
·Geringfügige Beschäftigung (marginal employment, under €518.44/month 2026)
·Freier Dienstvertrag (freelance service contract — different social contributions)
·Werkvertrag (contract for specific work output)

🔍 Job Boards

AMS eJob-Room

Austria's largest free job portal — all vacancies registered with the AMS. Filter by location, sector, and full/part-time. Used by most Austrian employers.

karriere.at

Austria's most popular private job board. Strong coverage of Vienna, IT, engineering, and professional roles. Good for mid-to-senior level positions.

StepStone Austria

International job board with strong Austrian coverage. Good for corporate and multilingual roles.

Willhaben Jobs

Part of Austria's largest classifieds site. Strong for SME employers, trade, and logistics roles.

Indeed Austria

Global platform with Austrian listings. Aggregates from other sites.

Essential for professional networking and corporate roles. Activate "Open to Work" to attract recruiters. Many Vienna-based multinationals recruit here.

Hokify

Mobile-first Austrian job platform — apply with a phone in minutes. Popular for hospitality, trade, and logistics roles.

🌍 Expat-Friendly Resources

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IAmVienna

Expat community platform for Vienna with job boards, housing, and networking events.

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Expat.com Austria

International community with job board and forum for expats in Austria.

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WKO (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich)

Austrian Chamber of Commerce — job boards, business matching, and professional directories.

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EURAXESS Austria

Research and academic job board for scientists and researchers in Austria.

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UN Vienna (UNOV/IAEA/CTBTO/UNIDO)

Vienna is a major UN hub — UN Office Vienna hosts multiple agencies with international job openings.

📝 Application Tips

CV format: Austrian CVs (Lebenslauf) follow a similar format to German CVs: photo optional (but common), personal data, education, work experience in reverse chronological order, skills, and languages. Keep to 1–2 pages. Use a professional format — templates from karriere.at or Europass are acceptable.

Cover letter: Expected

Language: German (B2–C1) is required for most Austrian employers. English is widely used in IT, multinationals, and international organisations (UN Vienna, OSCE, IAEA). Specify your German level clearly on your CV — Austrian employers expect at least B1 for most office jobs.

Interviews: Formal, structured interviews. Punctuality is essential. Use "Sie" (formal you) unless invited otherwise. Research the company beforehand — Austrians appreciate preparation. Discuss salary expectations openly (it is normal to ask about the Kollektivvertrag applicable to your role). Second or third interview rounds are common for senior roles.

🤝 Networking Tips

→Vienna has a large international community — events at WKO, AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology), AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) attract professionals.
→Expat groups: InterNations Vienna, Meetup.com English-speaking groups, IAmVienna events.
→LinkedIn Austria is very active — connect with Austrian professionals and recruiters in your sector.
→WKO (Wirtschaftskammer) offers free networking events and industry seminars for members and non-members.
→University alumni networks (TU Wien, WU Wien, Uni Wien) are useful for career networking.
→Industry-specific Berufsverbände (professional associations) often hold free networking events.

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