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Updated October 2024

Key takeaways 
  • Austria’s job seeker visa allows highly qualified non-EEA nationals to stay for six months to search for a job.
  • Applicants must score 70 points based on qualifications, skills, and experience.
  • The visa requires a personal application at the Austrian Embassy or Consulate.

What is Austria’s job seeker visa?

Austria’s job seeker visa is available to very highly qualified workers from third countries (countries that are not members of the European Economic Area and Switzerland) who do not have a job offer. This visa allows them to stay in Austria for six months to search for employment.

If they secure a job, they can apply for the Red-White-Red card through the appropriate Austrian representation in their home or current country of residence.

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How to apply for Austria’s job seeker visa?

Starting your journey to Austria with a job seeker visa requires thorough preparation. This section will walk you through the essential steps for a seamless application process.

Prerequisites (points system)

Austria regulates the immigration of qualified third-country nationals to Austria with a criteria-based model, which applies to job seeker visas. The applicant has to achieve a sufficient amount of points as a prerequisite under the very highly qualified worker category for a 6-month job seeker visa and Red-White-Red-Card. 

The points are calculated under various categories, such as qualifications, skills, work experience, language proficiency and more. This system allocates a total of 100 points for each applicant and the applicant must acquire at least 70 points. 

You can estimate your points using the Points Calculator on the Austria Migration website. This would help to assess whether you’re eligible to apply for the job seeker visa. The points calculator is provided for initial guidance only. It does not constitute an application and cannot replace the official evaluation by Austrian authorities. 

The following section discusses the maximum allowable points under various categories for the job seeker visa.

Special qualifications and skills

The maximum allowable points for this category is 40.

  • Graduation from an institution of higher education, the minimum duration of the programme: four years – 20 points
    • In the subjects mathematics, informatics, natural sciences or technology (MINT subjects) – 30 points
    • Post-doctoral qualification (habilitation) or PhD – 40 points
  • Gross salary of the previous year earned in a senior management position with a company listed on the stock exchange or a company for which the Austrian foreign trade office in charge issued a positive report about its activities or business segment:
    • EUR 50,000 to 60,000 – 20 points
    • EUR 60,000 to 70,000 – 25 points
    • More than EUR 70,000 – 30 points
  • Research and innovation activities (Patent applications, publications) – 20 points
  • Awards (recognised prizes) – 20 points

Work experience 

This category must reflect the applicant’s qualification or senior management position with 20 maximum allowable points.

  • Work experience (per half-year) – 1 point
  • Six months of work experience in Austria – 10 points

Language skills

Language skills have a maximum allowable score of 10 points.

  • German or English language skills for the elementary use of the language on a basic level – (A1 level) – 5 points
  • German or English language skills for the intensified elementary use of the language – (A2 level) – 10 points
  • French language skills for the independent use of the language – (B1 level) – 5 points 
  • Spanish language skills for the independent use of the language – (B1 level) – 5 points
  • Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian language skills for the independent use of the language – (B1 level) – 5 points

Age

The maximum allowable points for the age category is 20.

  • Up to 35 years of age – 20 points
  • Up to 40 years of age – 15 points
  • Up to 45 years of age – 10 points

Studies in Austria

The maximum allowable points for this category is 10.

  • Second part of diploma programme (Diplomstudium) or half of the required total ECTS points – 5 points
  • Completed diploma programme (Diplomstudium) or Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programme – 10 points

Requirements

General requirements

The following are the documents that are generally required to apply for a job seeker visa to Austria:

  • Valid travel document (e.g. passport)
  • Photo with dimensions 45x35mm (not older than six months)
  • Proof of locally customary accommodation (for instance, lease contracts, preliminary agreement on tenancy rights or ownership evidence)
  • Proof of health insurance covering all risks – compulsory health insurance or equivalent insurance policy
  • Proof of adequate means of subsistence – payslips, pay certificates, employment contracts, insurance benefit certificates, evidence of retirement or other pension or insurance benefits, investment capital or sufficient own assets

Special qualifications and skills

The following documents must be submitted for examination of the individual criteria under the points system.

Graduation

  • Document furnishing proof of successful completion of a four-year programme at a university or another institution of tertiary education
  • Document reflecting the status of the university or other institution of tertiary education
  • Document furnishing proof of successful completion of a programme in a MINT subject 
  • Document furnishing proof of habilitation

Gross annual salary in a senior management position

  • Tax assessment notice or pay certificate
  • Confirmation by the previous employer that you worked in a senior management position
  • Proof that the company is listed on the stock exchange or a positive report from the competent Austrian foreign trade office about its activities or business segment

Research and innovation activities

  • Proof of scientific publications stating titles and sources
  • Certificate issued by a university or research institution where you worked in R&D or academic scientific teaching
  • Proof of patent application(s) through extracts from national or regional patent registers

Recognised awards and prizes

  • Document proving the conferral of the award or prize

Work experience

  • Testimonials and work certificates

Language skills

  • Language diploma or language course certificate at the A1 or A2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The certificate should not be older than five years.
  • German language diplomas and certificates may, in particular, be obtained from the following institutions: ÖSD, Goethe-Institut, Telc GmbH, Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF)
  • The following diplomas and certificates, in particular, are recognised as evidence of proficiency in English: Cambridge Certificate, TELC, IELTS diploma, TOEIC diploma, and TOEFL diploma.

Studies in Austria

  • Course record book and related examination certificates
  • Document reflecting the successful completion of a programme of studies in Austria

Please note that the applicants must submit both originals and copies of all required documents. If not in German or English, translations must be provided. The Austrian representative will review the documents and forward them to the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) for assessment. Legalized versions may be required upon request.

Application process

  • Applicants must personally apply for the job seeker visa(category D visa) at the appropriate Austrian Embassy or Consulate in their home or resident country and complete an application form.
  • The 6-month job seeker visa is granted if the AMS confirms to the Austrian authorities that the applicant has met the required points for admission. The visa costs EUR 150.

Please note that if a job offer is received during the visa’s validity, applicants may apply for the Red-White-Red Card with the relevant residence authority in Austria. For “Very Highly Qualified Workers,” the Red-White-Red Card application process is similar to the job seeker visa, but the employer must also apply.

Alternatively, for more details, please check with the relevant authorities.

 

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