Austria - why work abroad?

⇑Why work in this country?

Austria is a country of 9.2 million people in the middle of Europe with an employment rate above the EU average: 77.6% of people aged 20–64 have a job (EU: 76.1%).

The economy has been weak since 2023 and unemployment has gone up – from 4.8% in 2022 to 5.7% in 2025. That is still below the EU average of 6.0%. Youth unemployment is also lower than in the EU as a whole: 11.5% among people aged 15–24, compared with 15.2%.

As an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen you do not need a work permit – you can move, look for a job and start working on the same terms as Austrians. What you do need for most jobs is German: applications are normally written in German, unless the job ad says otherwise.

⇑Where the jobs are

The clearest official signal of where employers are short of staff is the shortage occupation list. For 2026 the government lists 64 nationwide shortage occupations (Skilled Workers Regulation 2026, BGBl. II No. 316/2025) – jobs for which there are fewer than 1.5 jobseekers per vacancy registered with the AMS. They include:

• health and care – registered nurses, nursing assistants, doctors, medical-technical specialists,
• engineering and IT – graduate engineers in mechanical, electrical and telecommunications engineering, data processing (IT), technical physics; project, sales, service and plastics technicians,
• skilled trades and construction – electricians, plumbers, roofers, carpenters, joiners, welders, metalworkers, car mechanics, painters,
• education – early childhood teachers,
• railways and tourism – train drivers, dispatchers, restaurant cooks.

On top of that, each province (except Vienna) has its own regional list. Tourism also hires many seasonal workers for the winter and summer seasons – in hotels, restaurants and ski resorts.

For graduates, the best chances are in technical fields, IT and healthcare. Some employers advertise in English and accept applications in English – but for most jobs, and for daily life, German makes a big difference.

⇑How to find a job

Most vacancies in Austria are advertised through the public employment service AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice), on company websites, in newspapers and on online job boards. Start here:

• alle jobs – the AMS job search engine: AMS vacancies plus offers from company websites, the public administration and selected jobs from Germany,
• EURES – the EU job portal, plus EURES advisers in your home country and in Austria who help with moving for work,
• the alle jobs app (Android, iOS) with a job alert for new vacancies near you.

Many companies only accept online applications through their own forms. Speculative applications – to companies that have not advertised a job – are common and worth trying. Personal networks matter too: ask friends and acquaintances.

For step-by-step advice on job search, CVs and interviews in any EU country, see our How to find a job abroad – 10 practical guides.

⇑CV, application and interview

A complete Austrian application usually contains:

• a cover letter written for this specific job – addressed to a named contact person, with the correct title (e.g. “Dear Dr Müller”),
• a CV – short and clear, ideally one A4 page, at most two; many companies accept or even ask for the Europass CV,
• copies of your diplomas, certificates and references,
• an application photo – optional, but still common in Austria.

Write in German unless the ad asks for another language. Applications are almost always sent by email or online; some employers also welcome a short application video.

The interview: learn about the company beforehand, be on time and bring your CV, certificates and proof of previous jobs. Interviews may be held in person, by phone or online. The AMS has an interactive application portal with tips and examples (in German).

Diplomas: for most jobs, the employer decides how to assess your qualifications. For regulated professions (e.g. nurses, doctors, teachers) you need formal recognition – the official contact point is berufsanerkennung.at.

⇑Pay and working conditions

• No statutory minimum wage. Minimum pay is set in collective agreements (Kollektivverträge) for each sector, negotiated by trade unions and employers. Check the agreement for your job before you sign – the Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer) explains how and has a gross-net calculator.
• 14 salaries a year. If your job is covered by a collective agreement, you usually get 12 monthly salaries plus a holiday bonus and a Christmas bonus. So when you compare a yearly offer, divide by 14, not 12.
• Working time: normally 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week; many collective agreements set less, e.g. 38 hours. Maximum: 12 hours a day and 60 hours a week, on average 48 over 17 weeks. After 6 hours you get at least a 30-minute break, and at least 11 hours of rest between working days.
• Overtime is paid with a 50% bonus (or 1.5 hours off per hour worked). Part-timers get a 25% bonus for extra hours.
• Holidays: at least 5 weeks (25 working days) of paid leave a year – also for part-time and marginal jobs.
• Contract: a contract can be oral, but if you do not get a written one, the employer must give you a written statement of the main terms (Dienstzettel) when you start.

⇑Student jobs and internships

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Austria without any permit, just like Austrians.

• Marginal job (geringfügige Beschäftigung): if you earn no more than €551.10 a month (2026), you are only covered by accident insurance and pay no social security contributions. Above this limit you are fully insured (health, pension, unemployment).
• Holiday and seasonal jobs (Ferialjobs) are normal employment: the collective agreement applies, including minimum pay, and your employer must register you with social insurance.
• Compulsory internship (Pflichtpraktikum – required by your study programme): if you really work as part of the team, it counts as employment, with collective-agreement pay including the 13th and 14th salary.
• Voluntary placement (Volontariat): you are there to learn, not to work under instructions – usually no right to pay, only accident insurance.
• Traineeships after graduation: many “traineeships” are in fact employment – then employment law and the collective agreement apply.

Students from outside the EU with a student residence permit need a work permit (Beschäftigungsbewilligung), which the employer requests from the AMS. Up to 20 hours a week it is granted without a labour market test.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Austria – practical information.

⇑Your first weeks: registration, tax and insurance

1. Register your address (Meldezettel) at the local registration office within 3 days of moving in. The form must be signed by you and by your landlord or the person who provides the accommodation.
2. Registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung): if you are an EU/EEA citizen and stay longer than 3 months, apply within 4 months of arrival at the residence authority (in Vienna: MA 35). Fee: €44.
3. Social insurance: your employer registers you with the social insurance before you start work. You get an e-card – your health insurance card for doctors and hospitals.
4. Tax: income tax (Lohnsteuer) and social insurance contributions are deducted from your salary by the employer. In 2026 the first €13,539 of yearly income is tax-free; above that the rate starts at 20%. After the year ends, file the employee tax assessment (Arbeitnehmerveranlagung) – many people get money back.
5. Bank account: salaries are normally paid into an account at the end of the month.

Problems with your rights as an EU worker? Your Europe Advice and SOLVIT help for free.

⇑From outside the EU

If you are not an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, you need a residence and work permit. The main routes:

• Graduates of Austrian universities can get a residence permit for 12 months to look for a job or start a business. With a job offer that matches your degree and pays the usual salary for graduates, you can apply for a Red-White-Red Card.
• EU Blue Card – for graduates of at least 3-year programmes with a job offer paying at least €55,678 gross a year (2026, including special payments). It is issued for 24 months.
• Red-White-Red Card for shortage occupations – for skilled workers in one of the 64 nationwide (or regional) shortage occupations.

All the conditions, points systems and application steps are explained on the government portal migration.gv.at.

⇑Sources and useful links

• Eurostat – population on 1 January, unemployment by age, employment rate (data for 2025 and 2026),
• EURES – Living and working conditions: Austria,
• AMS – applying the right way, marginal earnings threshold 2026,
• Federal Ministry of Finance – income tax rates 2026,
• oesterreich.gv.at – registration certificate for EU/EEA citizens, registering your address,
• RIS – Skilled Workers Regulation 2026 (shortage occupations),
• migration.gv.at – EU Blue Card, graduates,
• Austrian Business Agency – employing international students,
• Your Europe – working abroad.

Updated: October 2026.