Austria Red-White-Red Card

Austria’s Red-White-Red Card is the national skilled-worker and key-worker framework for third-country nationals. It covers several categories, including very highly qualified workers, skilled workers in shortage occupations, other key workers, Austrian graduates, regular workers in tourism, agriculture and forestry, self-employed key workers, and start-up founders.

Start Here

Need	Best page
Compare with the EU Blue Card	Austria Red-White-Red Card vs EU Blue Card
Check categories, salary, and points	Salary, categories, and AMS rules
Plan filing and documents	Timeline and documents
Review family, employer changes, and settlement	Family, employer change, and settlement
Compare self-employed founder routes	Self-employed and start-up alternative

Programme Snapshot

Item	Current Rule
Main audience	Qualified workers and key workers with Austrian job or qualifying business route
Category structure	Very highly qualified, shortage occupations, other key workers, Austrian graduates, seasonal regular workers, self-employed key workers, start-up founders
Points	Many categories use points; thresholds vary by category
Other key worker 2026 salary	EUR 3,465 gross monthly payments
Shortage occupation salary	Minimum pay under law, regulation, or collective agreement
Labour market test	Applies to some categories, including other key workers
AMS role	Reviews eligibility, points, salary, labour market test, or economic benefit depending on category
First permit	Generally 24 months
Work rights	Fixed-term settlement and employment with the specified employer, or approved self-employed activity
Follow-up	Red-White-Red Card plus can allow unlimited labour market access after qualifying employment

Good Fit

The Red-White-Red Card is strongest where the case fits a specific Austrian category: shortage occupation, other key worker, very highly qualified worker, Austrian graduate, or a genuine self-employed/start-up route.

Poor Fit

It is usually a poor fit where there is no Austrian employer, no Austrian business purpose, no category fit, or no evidence for the points, salary, AMS, or professional-permission requirements.