Austria

Country: Austria

No statutory minimum wage, but collective agreements that set minimum pay for almost every job – usually paid 14 times a year. Austria has 64 nationwide shortage occupations, from nurses and doctors to engineers, IT specialists, electricians and cooks. Find out where to look for a job, how to apply in German and what to do in your first weeks.

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.


published: 2014-09-03
last modification: 2026-10-03

Common questions about job applications and interviews

Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.

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