About Austria

Whether you’re looking to visit, live or work in Austria—we can support your immigration needs at every stage of your journey.

Austria is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area. If you're a foreign national looking to visit, live, and/or work in Austria, several options are available.

• Business Visits: Business visitors to Austria typically use a local version of the Schengen C Visa unless visa exempt based on nationality. The Schengen Area limits stay to 90 days in a 180-day period. However, business visits to Austria should typically range from three to four cumulative business days.
• Work Authorization: The main work authorization categories are Short-Term Work Authorization, valid for stays up to 6 months; the EU Blue Card, for skilled local hires who meet a high-salary threshold; the Red-White-Red Card, for locally hired key personnel with long-term accommodation; and the EU Intracompany Transferee (ICT) Permit, for intracompany transfers of managers, specialists, and trainees.
• Internships/Traineeships: The EU Intracompany Transferee (ICT) Permit is suitable for intracompany trainees transferred from outside the European Union. It can be granted for up to one year, and extensions may be available for up to another one year of cumulative stay. You must hold a university degree and six months of continuous prior employment with an employer outside the European Union. Other trainee permit options are available, depending on the duration of your stay, transfer type, and training purpose.
• Self-sponsored: If you're an investor or entrepreneur, Austria has two main investor routes. One requires an initial investment of EUR 100,000, and the other, an investment of EUR 50,000, aimed at introducing an innovative new product or service. Before filing an immigration application, an assessment by the Labour Market Authority is required and typically takes four months to process with no guarantee of approval. Successful applicants receive a self-employed entrepreneur permit. Austria also offers a 'Settlement permit – gainful employment excepted' for those with independent means. However, approval chances for this permit are low due to exceptionally high-income requirements and limited available quota spots for this permit.

Fragomen can also consult on citizenship matters and, as permitted within the confines of local law, may be able to offer citizenship assistance.