Austria has become an attractive destination for international professionals seeking career opportunities in Europe. With a strong economy, high standard of living, advanced industries, and demand for specialised talent, the country offers several immigration pathways for qualified non-EU professionals.
One of the most important options is the Austria Red-White-Red Card for Highly Qualified Workers, officially referred to as the Red-White-Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers.
This residence and employment route is designed to attract experienced professionals, researchers, senior managers, technology specialists, scientists, and other highly qualified individuals from outside the European Union.
For professionals looking for an Austria work permit for highly skilled workers, the Red-White-Red Card can provide a structured pathway to legally live and work in Austria.
This guide explains its eligibility requirements, points system, Job Seeker Visa option, documents, benefits, application process, and important rules.
The Red-White-Red Card is a combined residence and employment permit designed for qualified third-country nationals who want to settle and work in Austria.
Austria offers the card under several immigration categories, including Very Highly Qualified Workers, Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations, Other Key Workers, graduates of Austrian universities, start-up founders and certain other applicants.
For Very Highly Qualified Workers, Austria operates a points-based selection system. Applicants generally need to obtain at least 70 points out of a maximum of 100 points.
One of the biggest advantages of this category is that an eligible Very Highly Qualified Worker who does not yet have an Austrian job offer may apply for a six-month Job Seeker Visa to search for qualifying employment in Austria.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Immigration category | Very Highly Qualified Workers |
| Target applicants | Highly qualified third-country nationals |
| Minimum points | 70 out of 100 |
| Job offer needed for Red-White-Red Card | Yes |
| Job offer needed before Job Seeker Visa | No |
| Job Seeker Visa validity | 6 months |
| Red-White-Red Card validity | Generally 24 months |
| Initial employment access | Employer-specific |
| Main assessing authority | Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) |
| Route to broader labour-market access | Red-White-Red Card Plus |
| Main purpose | Residence and skilled employment in Austria |
The Red-White-Red Card is generally issued for 24 months and initially permits employment with the employer specified in the application.
Austria’s system is intended to attract professionals with particularly strong qualifications and experience.
Potential applicants may include:
However, having a particular job title alone does not make someone eligible.
The Austrian authorities assess applicants using the official points system. Applicants must generally achieve at least 70 points.
The points system evaluates education, professional experience, language ability, age, Austrian studies, research achievements and certain other qualifications.
| Category | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Special qualifications and skills | 40 |
| Relevant work experience | 20 |
| Language skills | 10 |
| Age | 20 |
| Studies completed in Austria | 10 |
| Maximum available | 100 |
| Minimum required | 70 |
Austria’s official migration portal confirms that applicants for the Very Highly Qualified Worker category need at least 70 out of 100 points.
Applicants can obtain up to 40 points in this category.
| Qualification | Points |
|---|---|
| Degree from a higher-education institution with a minimum programme duration of four years | 20 |
| Degree in mathematics, informatics, natural sciences or technology — MINT subjects | 30 |
| PhD or post-doctoral qualification | 40 |
| Research or innovation activities | 20 |
| Recognised awards or prizes | 20 |
Certain applicants with previous senior-management experience may also receive points based on qualifying previous annual gross salary and employer criteria.
For example, senior managers may receive points where their previous position and company satisfy the rules established under the programme.
Austria assigns higher education points to applicants whose qualifying study programme falls within the MINT fields:
A qualifying MINT degree can therefore help an applicant reach the 70-point threshold faster.
Relevant professional experience can contribute up to 20 points.
Applicants can generally obtain points for work experience that adequately corresponds to their qualifications or qualifying senior-management experience.
The official system awards 1 point for every six months of qualifying professional experience, subject to the category maximum. Austrian work experience can also receive additional recognition under the system.
This makes documented professional experience particularly important for applicants seeking an Austria work permit for highly skilled workers.
Applicants may need evidence such as:
The Austrian authorities assess whether the experience is relevant to the applicant’s qualifications.
Language ability can provide up to 10 points.
| Language Qualification | Points |
|---|---|
| German or English A1 | 5 |
| German or English A2 | 10 |
| French B1 | 5 |
| Spanish B1 | 5 |
| Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian B1 | 5 |
Austria therefore does not necessarily require advanced German proficiency to qualify under the points system.
English proficiency can also contribute points.
The official portal lists certificates including IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge and TELC among examples of evidence that may be used to demonstrate English proficiency. German certificates may include those from ÖSD, Goethe-Institut, TELC and the Austrian Integration Fund. Language evidence should generally not be older than five years.
Younger applicants can receive additional points.
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | 20 |
| Under 40 | 15 |
| Under 45 | 10 |
Age can therefore make a significant difference when calculating Red-White-Red Card eligibility.
An applicant who is under 35 can receive the full 20 points available under the age category.
Applicants who have previously studied in Austria may receive additional points.
| Austrian Studies | Points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying portion of a diploma programme or half of the required ECTS credits | 5 |
| Completed qualifying Austrian diploma programme or Bachelor’s and Master’s programme | 10 |
This category can provide up to 10 additional points.
Consider a hypothetical 32-year-old IT professional with:
An indicative calculation could look like this:
| Criteria | Points |
|---|---|
| MINT/Informatics qualification | 30 |
| Six years of qualifying work experience | 12 |
| English A2 | 10 |
| Age under 35 | 20 |
| Total | 72 |
The applicant would exceed the required 70-point threshold.
Austria’s official migration portal uses a similar example of a 30-year-old informatics graduate with more than six years of experience who obtains 72 points.
However, the official points calculator is only an orientation tool. Final eligibility and points are determined by Austrian authorities based on the documents submitted.
This is one of the most important aspects of the programme.
A concrete employment offer is required before the Red-White-Red Card can be issued.
The proposed employment must:
The Austrian Public Employment Service, or AMS, examines the employment and eligibility requirements.
Very Highly Qualified Workers who achieve at least 70 points but do not have an Austrian employer may apply for a six-month Job Seeker Visa.
This enables them to enter Austria and search for qualifying employment.
Once they receive a suitable job offer, they can apply for the Red-White-Red Card.
The Job Seeker Visa is particularly useful for international professionals who qualify under the points system but have not yet secured employment.
It is a Category D visa and is generally valid for six months.
Applicants submit the application personally to the relevant Austrian embassy or consulate in their home country or the country where they are legally residing.
The Austrian Public Employment Service assesses whether the applicant has reached the required points threshold before the visa can be granted.
A Job Seeker Visa is not the same as an unrestricted work permit.
Its purpose is to allow eligible Very Highly Qualified Workers to search for suitable employment.
Once a qualifying employment offer has been obtained, the applicant can proceed with the Red-White-Red Card application.
Applicants generally need to satisfy several important conditions.
The applicant must reach at least 70 out of 100 points under the Very Highly Qualified Worker system.
The employment must match the applicant’s qualifications before the actual Red-White-Red Card can be issued.
Applicants must submit sufficient evidence of their university education, research credentials, professional experience or other qualifications for which points are claimed.
Applicants must satisfy applicable Austrian residence requirements, including appropriate health-insurance requirements.
The Austrian Public Employment Service assesses the points and qualifying employment.
Documentation depends on the applicant’s individual situation and the points being claimed.
A typical application may involve the following:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Valid passport | Identity and nationality |
| Recent passport photograph | Application requirement |
| University degree certificates | Qualification points |
| University/institution evidence | Verification of education |
| MINT qualification evidence | Additional education points where applicable |
| PhD/habilitation evidence | Advanced qualification points |
| Employment certificates | Work-experience points |
| Language certificate | Language points |
| Research publications | Research/innovation points |
| Patent evidence | Research/innovation points |
| Award certificates | Award points |
| Employment offer/contract | Red-White-Red Card requirement |
| Employer’s declaration | Details of proposed employment |
| Health-insurance evidence | Residence requirement |
Applicants using the Job Seeker Visa route must additionally provide evidence such as suitable accommodation, adequate means of subsistence and health insurance covering relevant risks.
Documents used for assessment generally need to be submitted as originals and copies. Documents that are not in German or English must be accompanied by translations into German or English, and legalised documents may be requested.
Not every applicant needs to complete a separate formal qualification-recognition procedure.
Formal recognition is particularly important for regulated professions.
Examples can include:
For other professions, the applicant’s qualifications are normally assessed using the documents submitted with the Red-White-Red Card application.
Applicants working in regulated occupations should therefore check recognition requirements before planning employment.
The process depends on whether you already have a qualifying Austrian job offer.
Review your:
Confirm whether you are likely to achieve at least 70 points.
The job should correspond to your qualifications and meet the relevant conditions.
Collect educational, employment, language and identification documents.
An applicant can generally apply personally at the relevant Austrian diplomatic representation in the country of residence.
The prospective employer may alternatively submit the application to the competent residence authority in Austria.
The Austrian Public Employment Service evaluates:
If the requirements are satisfied, the competent authority processes the residence permit application.
Once issued, the applicant may live in Austria and work for the employer specified in the permit.
For Very Highly Qualified Workers, the route can be:
Calculate Points → Reach 70 Points → Apply for Job Seeker Visa → Enter Austria → Search for Suitable Job → Secure Employment → Apply for Red-White-Red Card
The Job Seeker Visa provides up to six months for eligible applicants to search for qualifying employment in Austria.
According to Austria’s official migration portal, the listed fees currently include:
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Job Seeker Visa | €195 |
| Red-White-Red Card application fee | €218 |
These amounts are current on the Austrian government migration portal and can change, so applicants should confirm the applicable fee before submitting an application.
The Red-White-Red Card is generally issued for 24 months.
During this initial period, employment is linked to the employer specified in the application.
It is therefore important to understand that the initial card does not automatically provide unrestricted access to every employer in Austria.
Because the initial Red-White-Red Card is linked to a particular employer, changing employers can involve additional immigration procedures.
Current Austrian rules also provide a mechanism under which an eligible Red-White-Red Card holder may provisionally begin new employment after a 45-day waiting period from submission of a complete qualifying application to change the residence purpose. The exact requirements should be checked before changing employment.
Applicants should therefore avoid assuming they can freely switch jobs without immigration consequences.
One of the important longer-term advantages of the system is the possibility of moving to a Red-White-Red Card Plus.
A Very Highly Qualified Worker may generally apply for the Plus card after being employed in accordance with the eligibility requirements for at least 21 months during the previous 24 months, subject to AMS assessment.
The Red-White-Red Card Plus provides unlimited labour-market access, meaning the holder is no longer limited to the employer named on the original Red-White-Red Card.
| Feature | Red-White-Red Card | Red-White-Red Card Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Employer-specific | Yes, initially | No |
| Labour-market access | Restricted | Unlimited |
| Residence rights | Yes | Yes |
| Typical progression | Initial permit | Later-stage permit |
| Ability to change employers freely | Limited | Significantly broader |
For qualified professionals, the Red-White-Red Card offers several potential advantages.
Eligibility is assessed against clearly defined factors such as qualifications, experience, age and language proficiency.
Very Highly Qualified Workers who meet the points threshold may use the six-month Job Seeker Visa route even before securing an employer.
The Red-White-Red Card combines residence permission with authorised employment.
Eligible workers can eventually progress to the Red-White-Red Card Plus.
Professional experience gained outside Austria can contribute toward the points calculation when it meets the relevant requirements.
Applicants are not limited to German for language points. Qualifying English ability can also contribute toward eligibility.
The points system can particularly benefit applicants with qualifying degrees in mathematics, informatics, natural sciences and technology.
Do not assume that every qualification or year of employment automatically qualifies for points.
Only points accepted by the Austrian authorities count.
Austria’s online points calculator is intended for preliminary orientation. The final determination is made by the authorities based on supporting documents.
If you claim points for employment history, make sure the experience can be properly documented.
The six-month Job Seeker Visa allows qualifying applicants to search for work. The Red-White-Red Card requires qualifying employment before it can be issued.
Applicants in regulated professions may need formal recognition of their professional qualifications.
Make sure the language evidence complies with Austrian requirements and is accepted for points calculation.
For the Very Highly Qualified Worker category, the employment should correspond to your qualifications and offer adequate remuneration.
Calculate your likely score and determine which evidence supports each claimed point.
Work certificates should clearly establish your position, period of employment and relevant experience.
Provide complete degree and institutional documentation.
Applicants with publications, patents or recognised research activity should ensure those achievements are properly documented.
Even basic qualifying German or English can contribute valuable points.
Professionals using the Job Seeker Visa should not wait until arriving in Austria to begin understanding their employment market.
Healthcare, education, law and certain other fields can involve separate professional-recognition requirements.
The Austria Red-White-Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers may be particularly suitable for professionals who have:
Applicants who do not reach 70 points may need to explore another Red-White-Red Card category, such as Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations or Other Key Workers, depending on their profile.
Applicants under the Very Highly Qualified Workers category generally need at least 70 points out of 100.
You may qualify for the six-month Job Seeker Visa without a job offer if you satisfy the Very Highly Qualified Worker points requirements.
However, a suitable job offer is required before the Red-White-Red Card itself can be issued.
The Job Seeker Visa for Very Highly Qualified Workers is valid for six months.
IELTS itself is not universally mandatory. English or German language ability can provide points, and Austria accepts several forms of qualifying language evidence.
German is not necessarily required to reach the minimum points because English can also earn language points. However, German skills can significantly improve employment prospects and everyday integration in Austria.
A qualifying PhD or post-doctoral qualification can provide up to 40 points under the special qualifications and skills category.
Yes. Informatics is included in the MINT category, and a qualifying degree in this area may receive 30 points under the educational qualification criteria.
The Red-White-Red Card functions as a combined residence and employment permit for qualifying third-country nationals. The Very Highly Qualified Worker route is therefore one of the main options for professionals researching an Austria work permit for highly skilled workers.
It is generally issued for 24 months.
Eligible Red-White-Red Card holders may progress to the Red-White-Red Card Plus after meeting the applicable employment and residence conditions. For Very Highly Qualified Workers, one key requirement is generally qualifying employment for at least 21 months during the preceding 24 months.
The Austria Red-White-Red Card for Highly Qualified Workers offers an attractive pathway for talented professionals who want to build their careers in Austria.
With a transparent points-based system, a six-month job-search option for Very Highly Qualified Workers, and the possibility of progressing to broader labour-market access through the Red-White-Red Card Plus, the programme can be particularly valuable for experienced international professionals.
Applicants searching for an Austria work permit for highly skilled workers should begin by assessing their qualifications, professional experience, age and language ability against the official points system.
Achieving 70 points is an important first step, but it does not guarantee approval. Applicants must also provide sufficient supporting evidence and, before receiving the Red-White-Red Card, obtain employment that matches their qualifications and satisfies the applicable Austrian requirements.
Because immigration regulations, fees and administrative procedures can change, applicants should always verify the latest requirements with Austria’s official immigration authorities before submitting their application.