Red-White-Red Card –
Working and Living in Austria
The Red-White-Red Card is the key residence permit for qualified third-country nationals who wish to work and live legally in Austria.
The system is criteria-based (e.g. education, professional experience, language skills, age) and therefore predictable, provided that the legal requirements are met.
Overview & Contents
Use the overview to jump directly to the sections relevant to you.
I. Which Red-White-Red Card category is right for me?
A) Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations (Points-based system)
This category is particularly relevant if your professional qualification is in an occupation officially classified as a shortage occupation in Austria, such as:
- Medical doctors
- Qualified nurses
- Medical-technical professionals
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering technicians,
- Train drivers
- Roofers
- Plumbers
- Welders
- Metal workers
- Carpenters
- Automotive mechanics,
- Installers
- Payroll specialists
- Chefs
- Teachers and educators
and others
Requirements:
A concrete job offer in Austria, an appropriate supporting documentation and a minimum of 55 points (see Section XI).
B) Other Key Workers (Points-based system + minimum salary threshold)
This category applies to qualified professionals with a job offer outside the official shortage occupation list.
Minimum points required: 55 points (see Section XI)
In addition, the employer must meet the statutory minimum salary threshold (2026: EUR 3,465 gross per month, plus special payments). Typical professional profiles include:
- Software development
- IT engineering
- System administration
- IT operations
- Data & analytics (e.g. Data Analyst)
- Mechanical or electrical engineering (project-based or specialist roles)
- Technical quality management
- Logistics
- Supply chain (qualified roles)
- Technical project management
- Specialists in manufacturing companies (depending on profile)
C) Very Highly Qualified Persons and Job Seeker Visa
This category is designed for highly qualified individuals and has a higher points threshold.
Minimum points required: 70 points (see Section XI)
If you do not yet have a concrete job offer, you may apply for a Job Seeker Visa (Visa D), allowing you to stay in Austria for up to six months to look for qualified employment.
Once a suitable job offer is secured during the validity of the visa, you may apply for the Red-White-Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Persons, either from abroad or directly in Austria, depending on your situation.
II. The points system – explained briefly
Depending on the category, points are awarded for criteria such as:
- Education and qualifications
- Professional experience
- Language skills (German and/or English)
- Age
- Additional category-specific factors
In practice, it is almost always the combination of criteria, not a single factor, that determines success (see examples in Section XI).
55 points typically apply to shortage occupations and other key workers
70 points apply to very highly qualified persons (including Job Seeker Visa applicants)
III. Where can the application be filed?
Depending on your personal situation, several lawful options are available:
1) Before entry – at the Austrian embassy or consulate
If you are abroad, the application must generally be filed with the competent Austrian diplomatic mission in your country of residence.
2) After legal entry – in Austria
If you have entered Austria legally and are staying lawfully, the application may, in certain cases, be submitted directly in Austria (e.g. in Vienna at the Municipal Department 35).
3) Filing by the future employer in Austria
In many cases, the future employer may submit the application on your behalf in Austria.
The optimal filing route depends on factors such as your current residence status (visa-free, Visa D, other residence permit), the relevant category, and the timing of the intended start of employment.
4) Job Seeker Visa (Visa D)
If you qualify as a very highly qualified person and reach 70 points, but do not yet have a job offer, you may apply for a Job Seeker Visa, allowing you to stay in Austria for up to six months to seek employment.
IV. Family reunification – living together in Austria
Under certain conditions, family reunification is possible (e.g. spouse/partner, minor children).
Typically required documents include proof of:
- Adequate accommodation
- Sufficient financial means
- Health insurance
- Language skills (depending on the type of application)
During the consultation, we assess whether a joint application is advisable or whether a later family reunification is strategically preferable.
V. Extension of the Red-White-Red Card
We also provide reliable and comprehensive support for the extension of your residence permit.
Timely extension is crucial to ensure the uninterrupted legality of your stay and work authorization in Austria. We review your eligibility, prepare all required documentation together with you, and accompany you throughout the entire procedure.
We ensure that deadlines are met, formal requirements are complied with, and potential risks are identified at an early stage.
We recommend contacting us several months before your current Red-White-Red Card expires.
VI. Initial assessment – know your chances realistically
Many applicants are unsure whether their qualifications and points are sufficient or how their profile should be classified. As part of our initial assessment, we review:
- The appropriate category (shortage occupation / key worker / very highly qualified / Job Seeker)
- A preliminary points evaluation (55 or 70 points, depending on the category)
- Required documentation and evidence strategy
- The most suitable filing route (embassy / Austria / employer)
Fee
The initial assessment is subject to a fee of
EUR 1,000 incl. VAT
If you subsequently mandate us with full legal representation, this fee will be fully credited.
VII. Our approach – everything from one source
The Red-White-Red Card is not a single application but a process. Therefore, we support our clients continuously, not selectively.
Our comprehensive service includes:
- Legal representation and coordination with authorities
- In-depth legal advice on residence and employment matters
- Ongoing procedural support
- Direct coordination with competent authorities (in particular MA 35 in Vienna)
- Structured internal workflows and checklists
- Systematic preparation of documentation
- Contact with potential employers from our own client network (without job or success guarantees)
- Guidance on the Austrian labour market
- Initial support with housing, schools and universities for children
We handle these procedures on a daily basis and are familiar with the authorities’ requirements and typical follow-up questions. Our dedicated in-house team focuses exclusively on residence and immigration matters, ensuring consistently high quality even in complex cases.
VIII. Experience and track record
We have successfully completed numerous procedures over the years and have decades of experience in immigration and residence law, particularly in family reunification cases.
Experience, timing and strategy are crucial – especially for family procedures. A realistic and honest initial assessment often saves months of time and unnecessary costs.
IX. Austrian citizenship
Based on many successful residence procedures, we have also accompanied clients and their families through the demanding process of acquiring Austrian citizenship.
If you are interested in obtaining Austrian citizenship, please contact us for comprehensive legal advice.
X. Examples from our practice – points system
Example 1: Skilled worker in a shortage occupation (55 points required)
Profile: Mechanical engineering technician from China, 34 years old, job offer in Austria
Points:
- Relevant completed education: 20 points
- Professional experience (6 years): 20 points
- Age (under 40): 15 points
- Total: 55 points → requirements met
Example 2: Other key worker (55 points + salary threshold)
Profile: Software developer from Brazil, 29 years old, job offer in Vienna (EUR 4,200 gross/month)
Points:
- University degree (IT): 30 points
- Professional experience (4 years): 20 points
- Age (under 35): 15 points
- Total: 65 points
Statutory salary threshold met → Red-White-Red Card granted
Example 3: Very highly qualified person (70 points required)
Profile: Data scientist from India, 32 years old, no job offer yet (Job Seeker Visa)
Points:
- Master’s degree: 30 points
- Professional experience (5 years): 20 points
- English C1: 10 points
- Age (under 35): 15 points
- Total: 75 points → Job Seeker Visa possible
Example 4: Qualified nurse (shortage occupation)
Profile: Qualified nurse from Argentina, 38 years old, German A2, job offer available
Points:
- Training in shortage occupation: 30 points
- Professional experience (8 years): 20 points
- German language skills A2: 5 points
- Total: 55 points → requirements met
Example 5: Below the threshold – strategically solvable
Profile: Technical project manager from Egypt, 41 years old
Points:
- Technical education: 20 points
- Professional experience (5 years): 20 points
- Age (over 40): 5 points
- Total: 45 points → currently insufficient
Possible strategies:
- German language skills A2/B1
- Higher salary (key worker category)
- More precise recognition of qualifications
Important note:
The points system is combination-based. In practice, success rarely depends on a single point, but on the strategically correct presentation of qualifications and evidence.
