The visa · Austria
Austria
Austria has no visa for remote workers. Non-EU nationals who want to base there use the quota-limited settlement permit that excludes gainful employment, the Red-White-Red Card for self-employed key workers, a working-holiday visa for twelve partner countries, or a Visa D for up to six months; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens simply register. The one thing to know is that the private-means permit is rationed by a yearly quota and consulate booking windows that open once, in the winter before the year of entry.
- Nomad visa · September 2026None as suchRoutes5Bases1
- Salzburg10 pieces
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The routes
Researched 6 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice
Long stay
Settlement Permit – Except Gainful Employment (private means)
Niederlassungsbewilligung – ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit / Settlement Permit – Except Gainful Employment
Non-EU nationals with steady passive or foreign income who want to live in Austria without working in the Austrian labour market; the closest thing Austria has to a nomad route, though remote work on it is not expressly addressed.
- Income floor
- Regular monthly income of at least twice the ASVG equalisation-supplement reference rate: for 2026 €2,616.78 for a single applicant, €4,128.24 for a couple and €403.76 per child (migration.gv.at). One 2026 report quotes the single rate of €1,308.39 as the floor; the official portal states double that. Income may include investment income, pensions, company profits or savings, and authorities look for sustainability rather than a lump sum.
- Duration
- Initially 12 months; first extension 12 months; then 3 years if two years of continuous residence and Integration Module 1 are completed. After five years, long-term resident – EU status is possible with Module 2.
- Cost
- €218 application fee per permit from 1 January 2026 (Vienna MA 35 lists the pre-2026 rates as €192 and €212).
- Processing
- No statutory time published on the pages opened. The practical constraint is the quota: a place must be free, and consulates process applications in date order after a one-week booking window. For the 2026 quota, reservation codes were issued 3 to 9 November 2025 and appointments booked 1 to 8 December 2025 per reporting; the Canberra embassy page directs applicants to contact the mission for the booking procedure.
- Eligibility
- Third-country nationals intending to stay more than six months; a free quota place in the federal state of residence (Styria had 75 places in 2025; one report puts the national 2025 intake at 450 principal applicants); German at A1 on application; health insurance covering all risks and valid in Austria; adequate accommodation by local standards; secured means; criminal record certificate on first application.
- Work rights
- No access to the Austrian labour market: employment and self-employment in Austria are prohibited. The permit text does not address remote work for foreign employers or clients; reporting describes this as a grey area.
- Dependants
- Family members apply under the same permit type and need their own quota place and the higher family income figures (couple €4,128.24, plus €403.76 per child in 2026). Newborns of holders are exempt from the quota.
- Leads to
- Counts toward long-term resident – EU status after five years (with Integration Module 2), which is the permanent-residence stage; naturalisation generally after ten years of residence with B1 German and a citizenship test.
- Apply
- In person at the Austrian embassy or consulate for the country of residence, within the annual booking window; extensions in Austria at the settlement authority (Vienna MA 35, elsewhere the district administration).
Documents Valid passport and biometric photo not older than six months · Proof of regular income at or above twice the ASVG reference rate (pension, investment income, company profits, savings) · Proof of accommodation such as a lease or ownership · Health insurance confirmation covering all risks in Austria · German A1 certificate from a recognised institute · Criminal record certificate (first application) · Translations of any documents not in German or English
Freelance / self-employed
Red-White-Red Card for Self-employed Key Workers
Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte für selbständige Schlüsselkräfte / Red-White-Red Card for Self-employed Key Workers
Founders and self-employed professionals who can show a macroeconomic benefit to Austria; framed for investors and business builders rather than a solo contractor earning from abroad.
- Income floor
- No salary or income floor. One of four benefit tests must be met: a sustained transfer of at least €100,000 investment capital to Austria, creation or securing of jobs, transfer of know-how or new technology, or business significance for a whole region. No points system applies.
- Duration
- 24 months; afterwards a settlement permit is issued if all requirements are still met, with a three-year permit after two years of settlement.
- Cost
- €218 application fee.
- Processing
- The Public Employment Service (AMS) issues its expert opinion on the macroeconomic benefit within three weeks; the settlement authority then decides. A digital single-platform Red-White-Red process with an eight-week target was announced in December 2025 for late 2026.
- Eligibility
- Third-country nationals; the self-employed activity must match the business plan; health insurance covering all risks; criminal record extract recommended not older than three months; adequate accommodation.
- Work rights
- Only the self-employed activity described in the application; taking employment requires switching to another Red-White-Red Card category with a binding job offer.
- Dependants
- Family members may apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus for family reunification under the general rules.
- Leads to
- Yes: settlement permit after the 24 months, then long-term resident – EU after five years.
- Apply
- In person at the Austrian embassy or consulate of the home or residence country; after lawful entry, at the settlement authority (Lower Austria: provincial government; Vienna: MA 35; Graz: Styrian provincial government; elsewhere: district administration).
Documents Valid travel document and photo 45x35 mm not older than six months · Business plan with market and competition analysis · Evidence of the investment-capital transfer or of jobs created or secured · Proof of professional qualification · Company agreements and trade authorisations where relevant · Evidence of health insurance covering all risks · Criminal record extract
Working holiday
Working Holiday Visa
Working Holiday Programme (Visa D) / Working-Holiday-Programm
Citizens aged 18 to 30 of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Taipei and the United States who want up to a year in Austria with open work rights.
- Income floor
- Proof of sufficient funds for initial expenses is required; no figure is published on the BMEIA page.
- Duration
- Up to twelve months from first entry; the period cannot be changed after issue and there is no extension. Secondary reporting says New Zealanders receive up to six months.
- Cost
- €195 (BMEIA Ottawa page; charged in local currency at the monthly rate).
- Processing
- Not published on the pages opened; national Visa D processing applies.
- Eligibility
- Nationals of the twelve partner countries; aged 18 to 30 at application (the visa may be used after turning 31 if issued before); police clearance; health and travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical and repatriation cover across Schengen; proof of transport to and from Austria. One 2026 guide lists ten partner countries without India and Israel; the BMEIA page lists twelve.
- Work rights
- Any job in Austria except where labour-market or educational access restrictions exist; remote work is not addressed but employment is open.
- Dependants
- None; the visa is individual.
- Leads to
- No; it does not count toward settlement.
- Apply
- Austrian embassy or consulate, or VFS Global where used; Canadians apply via VFS or the missions in Ljubljana, London, Bratislava or the Munich consulate.
Documents Completed national visa (D) application form · ICAO passport photo · Passport valid at least three months beyond the visa · Police clearance certificate · Insurance with at least €30,000 medical and repatriation cover · Proof of sufficient funds · Proof of means of transport to and from Austria
Temporary stay
Visa D (national long-stay visa)
Visum D / Aufenthaltsvisum
Non-EU nationals who need between 91 days and six months in Austria without settling, for example a longer stay beyond the 90-day Schengen limit.
- Income floor
- Proof of means of subsistence is required; no figure is published on the pages opened.
- Duration
- 91 days to six months; up to twelve months only under international agreements such as the working-holiday programme; no settlement right.
- Cost
- Fee not verified from the official pages opened.
- Processing
- Not published on the pages opened.
- Eligibility
- Third-country nationals; the visa is issued only abroad by an Austrian representation; a Visa D does not by itself allow gainful employment in Austria.
- Work rights
- No local work right attached; employment in Austria needs a separate permit. Remote work for foreign clients is not addressed in the published rules.
- Dependants
- Each family member applies separately.
- Leads to
- No.
- Apply
- Only at an Austrian embassy or consulate abroad; where Austria has no mission, the competent office in a neighbouring country.
Documents National visa (D) application form · Passport and photo · Proof of means of subsistence and accommodation · Travel health insurance
Other route
EU / EEA / Swiss registration certificate
Anmeldebescheinigung / Registration Certificate
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, including remote employees and freelancers, who stay beyond three months.
- Income floor
- None fixed; sufficient resources and comprehensive sickness insurance so that no social assistance is needed, or employment or self-employment in Austria.
- Duration
- Indefinite while the conditions hold; certificate of permanent residence after five years of continuous lawful residence.
- Cost
- One guide gives €15; a 2026 report gives €44; the official page opened states no fee.
- Processing
- Issued by the settlement authority on presentation of the documents; no statutory time published on the page opened.
- Eligibility
- Free stay of three months; beyond that, employed or self-employed in Austria, or self-sufficient with insurance, or a student with means. Application must be lodged within four months of arrival.
- Work rights
- Full: employment, self-employment and remote work for foreign clients.
- Dependants
- Family members, including non-EU spouses, derive rights and obtain a residence card for family members.
- Leads to
- Certificate of permanent residence after five years.
- Apply
- Settlement authority of the province of residence (Vienna MA 35, elsewhere the district administration).
Documents Passport or national ID · Proof of employment, self-employment or sufficient resources · Comprehensive health insurance · Address registration (Meldezettel)
Without a visa, by passport
The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated
- EU / EEA / SwitzerlandFree movement: 3 months without conditions, then register within 4 monthsRemote work and local work fully permitted.
- United Kingdom90 days in any 180BMEIA states entry is for tourism, visits and business without gainful work in Austria; remote work for a foreign employer is not addressed and reporting treats it as not permitted or grey.
- United States90 days in any 180Visa-free for tourism and business without gainful work in Austria; remote work not addressed in published rules.
- Canada90 days in any 180Same as above; a working-holiday route exists for ages 18 to 30.
- Australia90 days in any 180Same as above; a working-holiday route exists for ages 18 to 30.
- New Zealand90 days in any 180Same as above; working-holiday route exists.
- Japan90 days in any 180Same as above; working-holiday route exists.
- South Korea90 days in any 180Same as above; working-holiday route exists.
- Brazil90 days in any 180Visa-free for tourism and business; no work in Austria on this stay.
- Israel90 days in any 180Visa-free; working-holiday route exists.
- IndiaSchengen C visa requiredNo visa-free stay; working-holiday visa available for ages 18 to 30 per BMEIA.
- Turkey, United Arab Emirates, China, South AfricaSchengen C visa requiredListed as visa-required by the Austrian embassy in London (Turkey, UAE, China); South Africa is on the Schengen visa-required list. A C visa gives no work right.
Tax
When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer
- Residency trigger
- Unlimited liability on worldwide income arises from either a domicile (a dwelling in Austria that the person evidently keeps and uses repeatedly, not necessarily the main home) or habitual abode. After six months of presence unlimited liability applies in any case, retroactively to arrival. Under the Second-Residence Ordinance (BGBl. II 528/2003) an Austrian dwelling used no more than 70 days a year does not trigger residence, but only if the centre of vital interests has been abroad for more than five calendar years.
- Special regime
- No nomad or newcomer flat tax. The Zuzugsbegünstigung offers scientists, researchers and artists relocating to Austria a 30 per cent flat deduction on Austrian employment income for up to five years, if not tax resident in the prior ten years and applied for within six months; ordinary remote workers do not qualify.
- Social security
- Self-employed residents register with the SVS (social insurance for the self-employed) once profits pass a small annual threshold; EU or EEA remote workers can stay in their home scheme with an A1 certificate for postings or multi-state work. Employees of a foreign employer without an Austrian establishment and non-EU contractors should expect Austrian coverage once resident unless a bilateral agreement applies; no official guidance for remote workers was found.
- Treaties
- Austria has an extensive double-taxation treaty network, including with the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, India, Brazil and South Africa. Once Austrian-resident, the treaty tie-breaker decides residence and employment income is generally taxable where the work is physically performed, so remote work done in Austria is Austrian-taxable, with a foreign-tax credit or exemption for any home-country tax.
Practicalities
- Address registration
- Everyone taking up residence must file a Meldezettel at the registration office within three working days of moving in; guides report fines up to €726 for a first breach and €2,180 for repeats.
- SIM registration
- Since 2019 every prepaid SIM must be registered to a named person with passport or ID before activation, in shop or online; no anonymous SIMs.
- Health insurance
- All residence routes require insurance covering all risks and valid in Austria; the working-holiday visa needs at least €30,000 medical and repatriation cover across Schengen.
- Overstay penalties
- Unlawful stay under section 120 of the Aliens Police Act carries a fine of €500 to €2,500, or up to two weeks' detention if unpaid; repeat offences €2,500 to €7,500.
- German language
- A1 German is required on first application for the private-means settlement permit; Integration Modules 1 and 2 govern later extensions and long-term residence.
- Bank account
- Not verified from primary sources; applicant guides report banks ask for a passport, Meldezettel and often a residence title or registration certificate.
Austria: no nomad visa, a quota-locked private-means permit and a high bar for the self-employed
Where remote workers actually land
Austria has no visa or permit written for remote workers, and the official portal is explicit that entering visa-free or on a Schengen visa gives no right to gainful work in Austria. Nomads who base there for more than a Schengen stint are overwhelmingly EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, who register within four months and carry on working for clients anywhere.
Non-EU applicants face a choice between a settlement permit that forbids employment and is rationed by quota, and a self-employed key-worker card that expects a business case worth €100,000 of capital or measurable jobs. Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck draw most long-stayers; the working-holiday visa is the easy year for the under-31s from twelve partner countries.
What applicants report about the process
The private-means permit lives or dies on the calendar. Each province gets a fixed number of places a year, consulates open a single one-week booking window in the winter before, and missing it means waiting a year. Reporting puts the 2025 national intake at 450 principal applicants, and Styria published 75 places.
Officers are reported to look past the headline income figure to whether the money is sustainable; a lump sum in a savings account without ongoing income has been refused. The A1 German certificate must be in hand on the day of application. For the self-employed key-worker card, the labour-market service returns its opinion within three weeks, but the settlement authority's decision and the consular stage add months in applicant accounts.
Money, tax and daily admin
Tax residence is triggered by a dwelling or by six months of presence, applied retroactively, so a nomad who keeps a flat and stays over half the year is taxed on worldwide income. The 70-day second-residence exception helps only people whose life has been abroad for more than five years. There is no flat-tax scheme for remote workers; the 30 per cent relief is reserved for scientists, researchers and artists.
Day-to-day admin is strict but predictable: register the address within three working days, register the SIM to a passport, and keep insurance that covers all risks. Overstaying carries a fine from €500 and a Schengen record.
What is changing
The 2026 package raised fees to €218, indexed the income floors and cut the shortage-occupation list. The announced digital Red-White-Red Card platform, promised for late 2026 with an eight-week target, is the change most likely to matter to self-employed applicants, but the enabling legislation was still in draft when this was checked. No remote-work category is on the government's published agenda.
Researched from migration.gv.at · migration.gv.at · wien.gv.at · bmeia.gv.at · bmeia.gv.at · bmeia.gv.at · oesterreich.gv.at · oesterreich.gv.at · usp.gv.at · findok.bmf.gv.at · the authority