Austria: Work Permit Expanded to Include Short-Term Local Hires

The Austrian government has made work permits available to certain foreign nationals who will be hired locally for up to six months. To qualify, applicants must be entering Austria to work on a specific project for a limited duration, and they must (1) have indispensable specialized knowledge; (2) have a high level of educational or similar qualifications, and (3) possess relevant professional experience for the activities they will perform in Austria (similar to the requirements under the EU Intra-Company Transferee permit). Previously, companies in Austria could not locally hire foreign nationals for such short-term projects. The process includes these steps: employers apply for a guarantee certificate; the foreign national then applies for a work visa; and the employer then applies for a work permit. Overall processing times are estimated to be six to 14 weeks.