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Visiting lecturers, scientists, researchers

Residence permit "Special cases of gainful employment"

This kind of permit is available to all persons whose activities are exempted from the Law Governing the Employment of Foreign Nationals. These are scholarship recipients, academic teachers and researchers (without a "hosting agreement").

The first-time application you have to submit in person at the competent Austrian representation authority österreichischen Vertretungsbehörde  (embassy, consulate-general) before travelling to Austria and you have to await the processing of it in your home country.

The application will be forwarded to Austria and processed by the competent Austrian authority in charge of foreign nationals in Austria. The decision has to be awaited in your home country, therefore you should apply at least 3 months before the intended entry to Austria.

If the Austrian authority decides to grant you the permit, the representation authority will inform you about it and, upon your application, issue a residence visa D for entry to Austria. You have to apply for this visa within 3 months of getting the information. You then have to collect the residence permit in Austria within 6 months of getting the information, in any case within the validity period of the visa.

Exception: If you are allowed to enter Austria without a visa or with a valid residence title of another Schengen country, you can apply for the residence permit during your visa-free stay in Austria (the application, however, does not permit you to stay longer than your visa-free stay). Gainful employment is not permitted during a visa-free stay!

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Residence permit “Researchers"

If you have concluded a “hosting agreement” (Aufnahmevereinbarung) with your Austrian research institution, you can apply for a residence permit “Researcher” in Austria. For this residence permit no additional documents proving the funding and the health insurance and no police record/certificate of good conduct are necessary.

If you need a visa to come to Austria, the research institution will send the hosting agreement and your contact data to the Austrian representative authority (embassy, general consulate). The representative authority will then invite you to apply for a visa D.

After arriving in Austria you should apply for the residence permit “Researcher” at the competent  Austrian authority as soon as possible.

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"Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte"

If you are highly qualified, meet the requirements of a key worker or graduated from an Austrian higher education institution, if you are planning to settle in Austria and fulfill the criteria for admission in one of the above mentioned categories you may apply for a "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte".

You have to file the application for "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte" togehter with a declaration of your prospective employer about the compliance of regulations concerning employment at the Austrian representation authority of your contry of residence. In case you are allowed to stay in Austria without Visa you may file the application at the competent authority in Austria.

The issuance of the "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte" is performed within a one-stop-shop procedure. The Austrian employment service provides an expertise about the fulfillment of the criterias of the applicant and that the requirement for employment acording to the Austrain employment regulations are meet. The authority has to decide upon the application within 8 weeks after filing. The "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte" is quota free and is issued for 12 month, no further working permit is required.

Admission criterias for highly qualified persons (please follow the link for detailed information):
• special qualifications and abilities:
- University graduation in course with four years minimum duration or
- Last year’s gross salary of above Euro 50,000/year in a senior management position with a company listed on the stock exchange or a company for whose activities or field of trade the competent foreign trade office has issued a positive report
- Research and innovation activity (patent applications, publications) or
- Awards (approved prize winner)
• Work experience (per year), language skills (German or English) und Age

Admission criteria for key workers (please follow the link for detailed information):
• Qualifications:
- completed professional education or special knowledge and abilities regarding the intended occupation or
- Graduation in university course of studies with a minimum duration of three years
• minimum income:
- under 30 years of age: 50 % of the maximum assessment base under the Austrian General Social Security Act (2011: Euro 2,115 gross per month, plus special payments)
- over 30 years of age: 60 % of the maximum assessment base under the Austrian General Social Security Act (2011: Euro 2,538 gross per month, plus special payments)
• professional experience adequate to education, language skills (German or English), Age


In both cases the „Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte“ will only be issued if the employment is adequate to the applicant's education.

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"EU Blue Card"

Possibly you have the qualifications and an income that meet the requirements to apply for the "EU Blue Card". The application has to be filed personally by you with the Austrian representation authority of the country of your residence. In case you are allowed to stay in Austria without Visa with the competent authority within Austria.

The issuance of the "EU Blue Card" is performed in a one-stop-shop procedure. The Austrian employment service provides an expertise about the fulfillment of the criterias of the applicant, that the requirements for employment according to the Austrian employment regulations are meet and that no equally qualified unemployed person is registered with the Austrian Public Employment Service (mandatory labour market test). The authority has to decide upon the application within 8 weeks after filing.


Admission criterias:

1. Graduation in university course with a minimum duration of three years
2. minimum gross salary of EUR 50,100/year (1.5 of the average income in Austria)

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Common provisions

The residence or settlement permit is issued in the form of a card with photo, it also serves as an ID document. You should carry it at all times to prove your entitlement to residence in Austria or else keep it in a place near you.

To apply you need:

  • fully completed and signed application form. There are separate forms and explanations for
    • residence permit "Special Cases of Gainful Employment" (Aufenthaltsbewilligung "Sonderfälle unselbständiger Erwerbstätigkeit"; explanation)
    • residence permit "Researchers" (Aufenthaltsbewilligung "Forscher"; explanation)
    • "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte"
  • recent colour photograph, size between 3.5 x 4.5 cm and 4.0 x 5.0 cm
  • valid passport
  • birth certificate
  • Proof of your employment or research and of funding for your stay in Austria: at least 814.82 euros per month [as of 2012] has to be proved for one year in advance, e.g. by an employment contract with an Austrian higher education institution or confirmation of the award of a scholarship by the OeAD; if the costs for accommodation exceed 260.35 euros per month you have to prove additional funds; this proof is not necessary for researchers who are in possession of a hosting agreement.
  • Proof of accommodation in Austria: e.g. tenancy contract, assignment for the right of use of accommodation with private persons (e.g. family member, flat sahre, freind, ...), accommodation contract with a student hall of residence or confirmation of reservation of a room by the OeAD Housing Office or a student hall of residence; this proof is not necessary for researchers who are in possession of a hosting agreement.
  • Proof of a health insurance that is valid in Austria unless the employment is subject to a compulsory health insurance, e.g. insurance policy; this proof is not necessary for researchers who are in possession of a hosting agreement.
  • police record/certificate of good conduct (where available). Doctoral/PhD students in exchange programmes who are in possession of a confirmation of the Austrian rector confirming that they take part in the exchange programme and researchers with a hosting agreement do not need this certificate.
  • for "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte"and "EU Blue Card" proof of your qualifications

Please note

You have to submit all documents in the original and in photocopy. Foreign documents have to be legalised and documents in languages other than German have to be submitted together with a legalised German translation. An additional work permit or a confirmation of assignment (Entsendebestätigung) is not required.


A fee of 120 euros is payable for the residence permit. 80 euros of this have to be paid when you apply at the representative authority. Another 20 euros for the collection of police identification data (Personalisierungsgebühr"). The remaining 20 euros you have to pay when collecting your residence permit in Austria. Additional fees may occur. The visa for collecting the residence permit in Austria after having been informed by the Austrian authority is free of charge.

As a rule the first residence permit will be granted for the duration of your employment or your studies or research - but only for a maximum of one year. The residence permit "Researchers" can be issued for up to 2 years. Before expiry of the permit you can apply for a renewal in Austria.

During its validity period the residence permit, the "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte" and "EU BLue Card" also entitles you to travel through other Schengen countries and to stay in these countries for a maximum duration of 3 months.

Schengen countries are the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

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Family members

Family members (spouse, unmarried minors) of OeAD scholarship holders and academic teachers and researchers with a residence permit have each to apply for a residence permit "Family" (Aufenthaltsbewilligung "Familiengemeinschaft") for entry to Austria.

All the above-mentioned documents must also be submitted for each member of the family, especially the proof of sufficient financial means (1,221.68 euros per month for couples, an additional 125.72 euros for each child [as at 2012]), accommodation and health insurance.

Moreover, proof of being related to the OeAD scholarship holder, academic teacher or researcher (e.g. marriage certificate) and of living together as a family in the home country has to be produced.

Family members of "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte" holders may apply for "Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte plus". Family members than have unlimited access to the labour market. Possibly they have to prove knowledge of German language when applying and to fulfill the integration agreement.

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Other important information

Within 3 working days of arrival in Austria you have to register with the Registration Office (Meldeamt) at your place of residence.

If you wish to work in Austria beside these activities please make sure to observe the strict regulations of the Austrian Act Governing Employment of Foreign Nationals! Working in Austria illegally may lead to fines or prison sentences as well as to expulsion from Austria. Further information is available in the category Working in Austria.

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