Austria is one of the most developed countries in Europe, and therefore many immigrants come here in search of a better life. Getting a job in Austria allows a foreigner to subsequently move to this country for get an Austrian residence.

To live and work in Austria, a foreigner needs to issue a red and white card. It is issued to highly qualified specialists and representatives of rare professions. This document allows an immigrant to work in the country in a specialty or open a business here. Therefore, obtaining a red and white card of Austria is of interest to individual entrepreneurs, specialists from various fields, representatives of rare professions, and other people who want to work and live in a developed EU country.

Residence permit in Austria for specialists

A residence permit is issued to work in a specific company – after the employment service (AMS) makes sure that they do not have an Austrian employee of the same qualifications on their books. This type of residence permit in Austria in German sounds like this – Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte (red-white-red card).

An applicant for this type of Austrian residence permit must collect a certain number of points, and his salary must comply with the Austrian labor legislation.

How to get a red-white-red card?

This version of the red and white card of Austria is issued to the following persons:

Specialists of various categories. If a person is the owner of a regular RWR card, then after a year he/she has the opportunity to receive a red and white plus card.

Family members of those who already have such a card.

Blue card holders who have officially worked for 21 months or more over the past two years.

Consider who can come to Austria for family reunification. It can be:

  • native and adopted children who have not reached the age of majority;
  • spouses (over 21 years old).

The above persons can obtain a residence permit under a simplified scheme.

Requirements for Austrian residence

Austria is ready to accept only respectable citizens. You can apply for a residence permit if you did not violate the EU visa regimes, did not enter into a fictitious marriage and have no previous convictions.

Income level

Your salary requirements in Austria depend on age: This amount may include bonuses and allowances. Qualifications: 50 points In Austria there is a special system for recruiting points, which takes into account age, work experience, educational level, knowledge of the language.

For example: for German at the A2 level of English at B2 level you will receive 15 points, for completed vocational education – 20 points, if you are under 40 years old – another 15 points.

Documentation

Buy health insurance and find housing in Austria, collect documents from the list, translate them into German, then submit the entire package and wait for consideration.

1 Step: Find housing and collect documents. Solve the issue with housing: to submit documents you need a lease or purchase agreement. Buy health insurance from an Austrian insurance company.

Prepare a birth certificate, passport, and photographs for documents (35 × 45 mm, no older than 6 months). Besides, you need a job invitation from – the employer fills it out, a certificate stating that you have no criminal record, an income statement or bank statement, a diploma of your education, a certificate of passing exams in German or English.

A Goethe-Institut diploma, a TELC GmbH certificate, an ÖSD language test or an ÖIF test, a workbook, and letters of recommendation from previous jobs are suitable if a family moves with you, then proof of family ties is a certificate of marriage, divorce, adoption.

2 Step: Translate into German. Translation of documents must be done by an official (court) translator. The translated copies must be certified with the Apostille seal.

3 Step: Submit to the consulate or migration service. Prepare to pay the fees: When you submit your documents, they will be sent to AMS, the Austrian Employment Service, for verification. If AMS confirms that everything is in order, you can go for a residence permit.

Austria

Labor book and letters of recommendation from previous jobs, if a family moves with you, then proof of family ties is a certificate of marriage, divorce, adoption. € 80 when applying, plus € 20 when receiving a residence permit card for an adult, € 50 plus € 50, respectively, for each child, € 20 for having your photo and signature on the residence permit card.

Most likely, the solution will be ready within a month. The maximum legal term is 3 months. An important point: along with a residence permit card, you must live in Austria for at least 183 days a year. This is strictly monitored: if there are fewer days, you simply will not be extended your residence permit.

How to extend it?

After 1 year, the Austrian residence permit for key specialists is issued for a year, then it can be extended – again for a year.

After 2 years If you have lived in Austria without interruption for 24 months (other option – raised your German to level A2), then the residence permit can be extended immediately for three years. After 5 years After five years of continuous residence in Austria, you can apply for permanent residence status. You will need a certificate of knowledge of German at level B1.

Change of employer

Since the red and white card of Austria is issued if there is a specific employer, then when you change your place of work, you will need to reapply for a residence permit. Accordingly, the employment service will conduct a second check. Earlier scores will not be reviewed.