Austria

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.