For non EU citizens to take up legal gainful employment in Austria can be difficult, however Austria has introduced a flexible new immigration scheme: the Red-White-Red Card. It aims to facilitate the immigration of qualified third-country workers and their families with a view to permanent settlement in Austria, based on personal and labour-market related criteria. The related set of rules entered into force on 1 July 2011. More Info

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens basically enjoy the same rights as Austrians, except where legislation governing the employment of foreign nationals provides otherwise.

Travel or limited stay visas for tourists or for visiting relatives do not entitle the visitors to take up work. Third country citizens who are caught in illegal employment have to expect immediate deportation and a residence ban lasting up to ten years.

Red-White-Red Card

The Red-White-Red Card is issued for a period of twelve months and entitles the holder to fixed-term settlement and employment by a specified employer.

The following persons are eligible for a Red-White-Red Card:

• very highly qualified workers
• skilled workers in shortage occupations
• other key workers
• graduates of Austrian universities and colleges of higher education
• self-employed key workers

Degree Validation (Nostrifizierung)

Validation is the conversion of a foreign (bachelor's, master's, diploma or doctor's) university degree into a corresponding Austrian one by the organ in charge of study affairs, or into a corresponding Fachhochschule degree by the Fachhochschule Collegium respectively.

This means the complete equivalence of the two degrees, the right to use the respective Austrian academic degree and all the rights connected with its use. This relates in particular to the entitlement to exercise a profession for which in Austria an academic degree is required. More Info

• Doktor (Dr.) a university degree similar to the U.S. doctorate
• Magister (Mag.) similar to the U.S. master of arts
• Diplom Ingenieur (D.I. or Dipl. Ing.) similar to the U.S. master of science

Recognized degrees for the application for Jobseeker Visa, Red-White-Red Card and EU Blue Card More Info

Employment Applications and CV'S

A résumé, commonly written "resume", is a document that contains a summary or listing of relevant job experience and education. It is closely related to a similar document used in Austria and throughout the world, a Curriculum Vitae (CV) which focuses more on education, publications, and other accomplishments. Both are typically used to screen applications, often followed by an interview, when seeking employment. The résumé or CV is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker, and therefore a large amount of importance is often ascribed to it.

Keep in mind that overseas employers often expect to read the type of personal information on a curriculum vitae that would never be included on an American resume, such as date of birth, nationality and place of birth. United States law on what information job applicants can be asked to provide does not apply outside the country. More Info

Salaries

Salaries and wages have to be paid by law 14 times a year. Normally the 13th salary is paid at the end of June and the 14th at the end of November. For the employees the 13th and the 14th salary are taxed at a very low rate (6%). Collective agreements between representatives of the employers and the employees regulate the minimum conditions of all working contracts including a minimum wage. This minimum wage depends on the standard of the work, on the age of the employees and on the particular business sector. Normally salaries and wages are substantially higher than these minimum amounts. Often they also agree on general increases not only for the minimum wages but for the actual wages. The result of these negotiations is binding on all employers.

Salary Calculator (In German) This handy Calculator will figure your monthly take home pay and 13th and 14th month salary.

SOCIAL SECURITY

In Austria both the employer and the employee are required to pay social security contributions. The employee’s part of the contributions are withheld by the employer and then paid together with its own contribution. The basis of assessment is the employee’s monthly gross salary. The contributions cover insurance for health, unemployment, old age and disability..