What is the Red White Red Card of Austria?

The Red White Red Card of Austria is a pathway for qualified skilled workers to immigrate to Austria. Very highly qualified professionals and skilled workers both are eligible for this visa stream. This brilliant opportunity also allows the family members of the main applicant to accompany

In the first four months of 2024, the Austrian government has issued 3,200 Red White Red Cards to foreigners. The country is aiming to issue 10,000 of these visas altogether by the end of the year.

What is a Red White Red Card visa in Austria?

The Red White Red Card visa is a points-based stream that helps non-EU qualified workers, skilled workers in shortage occupation lists, workers in key occupations, and Startup Funders to settle and work in Austria. It works under an employer-driven stream. You need a binding job offer to apply for the visa. The basic reason for introducing this visa was to overcome the worker shortage in the Austrian labor market and give non-EU qualified workers long-term employment opportunities. Since Austria is a schengen country, so this visa holders can also visit other 28 member countries of this zone for short term.

This visa is initially granted for 2 years and is divided into 7 different categories:

Red White Red Card Category	Eligibility Criteria
Start-Up Founders	Points based
Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations	Points based
Very Highly Qualified Workers	Points based
Other Key Workers	Points based
Graduates	Non points based
Self-Employed Key Workers	Non points based
Regular Seasonal Workers	Non points based

To be eligible for the visa, the applicants have to score a certain minimum number of points such as for training, professional experience, age, and language skills. When you apply for a red-white-red card, the criteria are checked by the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) based on the documents you submit, and you will be awarded points. The assessment of the AMS is decisive for the further procedure.

Difference between “Red White Red Card” and “Red White Red Card Plus”

The Red White Red Card is issued for 2 years. This is an initial visa that you get as an applicant from your country of origin. Your passport, and work contract must also have the same duration to apply for this visa.

The Red White Red Card Plus on the other hand is issued to you after the expiry of the first visa. This second one is valid for 3 years. This also gives you unlimited access to the labor market. You can work with any employer and can also be self-employed.

Who can apply for the Red White Red Card?

This visa stream offers a variety of non-EU workers to be eligible for this program. The eligibility is category-wise different against the points-based system that is as below:

Red White Red Card for Highly Qualified Professionals

Highly qualified professionals can apply for this card by fulfilling certain requirements. You need at least 4 years of university degree completed and worked in a managerial post.

Points score

You can achieve a maximum of 100 points in total. For a six-month job search visa and a red-white-red card for particularly highly qualified people you need at least 70 points.

Eligibility criteria for very highly qualified persons	Points
Special qualifications and skills	Maximum allowable points: 40
Graduation from an institution of higher education, minimum duration of programme: four years	20
– in the subjects mathematics, informatics, natural   sciences or technology (MINT subjects)	30
– Post-doctoral qualification (habilitation) or PhD	40
Gross salary of previous year earned in a senior management position with a company listed on the stock exchange or a company for which the Austrian foreign trade office in charge issued a positive report about its activities or business segment:- €50,000 to 60,000- €60,000 to 70,000- More than €70,000-	20 25 30
Research and innovation activities(Patent applications, publications)	20
Awards (recognised prizes)	20
Work experience (adequately reflecting applicant’s qualification or senior management position)	Maximum allowable points: 20
Work experience (per half-year) 1 Six months of work experience in Austria	10
Language skills	Maximum allowable points: 10
German or English language skills A1 level	5
German or English language skills A2 level	10
French language skills B1 level)	5
Spanish language skills B1 level	5
Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian language skills B1 level	5
Age	Maximum allowable points: 20
Up to 35 years of age- Up to 40 years of age- up to 45 years of age-	20 15 10
Studies in Austria	Maximum allowable points: 10
Second part of diploma programme or half of the required total ECTS points	5
Completed diploma program, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program	10
Sum total of maximum allowable points	100
Required minimum	70

Red White Red Card for Skilled Workers in Shortage Occupations list

Points score

To qualify for this category, you need at least 55 points. You can achieve a maximum of 90 points in total.

Eligibility criteria for skilled workers	Points
Qualification	Maximum allowable points: 30
Completed vocational education/training in the shortage occupation	30
Work experience matching one’s qualification	Maximum allowable points: 20
Work experience (per half-year)	1
Work experience in Austria (per half-year)	2
Language skills	Maximum allowable points: 25
German language A1 level	5
German language A2 level	10
German language B1 level	15
English language skills A2 level	5
English language skills B1 level	10
French language skills B1 level	5
Spanish language skills B1 level	5
Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian language skills B1 level	5
Age	Maximum allowable points: 15
Up to 30 years of age	15
Up to 40 years of age	10
Up to 50 years of age	5
Sum total of maximum allowable points	90
Additional points for English language skills, when English is the predominant language of the respective company	5
Required minimum:	55

Requirements

You can receive a red-white-red card as a skilled worker if your occupation is in shortage occupations. Furthermore, you should have completed vocational training in a shortage occupation and have found a company in Austria that would like to employ you on your qualifications and is prepared to employ you according to the regulations applicable in Austria.

Red White Red Card for Key Workers

Points score

To be eligible for this category, you need at least 55 points. You can achieve a maximum of 90 points in total.

Eligibility criteria for key workers	Points
Qualification	Maximum allowable points: 30
Completed vocational education/training or special know-how or skills* in the prospective occupation	20
General eligibility for university admission	25
Completion of a programme of studies with a minimum duration of three years at an institution of tertiary education	30
Work experience	Maximum allowable points: 20
Work experience (per half-year)	1
Work experience in Austria (per half-year)	2
Language skills	Maximum allowable points: 25
Elementary use of the German A1 level	5
German language A2 level	10
German language B1 level	15
English language A2 level	5
English language B1 level	10
French language (B1 level	5
Spanish language B1 level	5
Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian language B1 level	5
Age	Maximum allowable points: 15
Up to 30 years of age	15
Up to 40 years of age	10
Sum total of maximum allowable points	90
Additional points for English language skills, if English is the predominant language of the respective company	5
Bonus points for professional athletes and professional sports coaches	20
Required minimum	55

Requirements

You can receive a red-white-red card for key workers if you have a specific job offer in Austria that matches your qualifications and for which you are offered a gross monthly salary of at least €3,030 plus special payments.

Red White Red Card for Startup Founders

Requirements

The Startup Founders develop innovative products, services, processes, or technologies as part of a new company and introduce them to the market. Furthermore, they have a coherent and comprehensive business plan for the start-up and demonstrate the operation of the company, which will have a significant influence on the management of the planned company. They should also prove capital for the company to be founded for at least €30,000.

Required Points

Startup Founders can also apply for the Red White Red card if they score 50 points through the available points grid. You can achieve a maximum of 85 points in total.

Eligibility criteria for start-up founders	Points
Qualification	Maximum allowable points: 30
Completed vocational education/training or special know-how or skills in the prospective occupation	20
Completed programme of a minimum duration of three years at an institution of tertiary education	20
Completed diploma programme or Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctor’s degree programme or vocational education/training in Austria	30
Work experience according to qualification	Maximum allowable points: 10
Work experience (per half-year)	1
Language skills	Maximum allowable points: 15
German A2 level	5
German B1-B2 level	10
English B2 level	10
German C1-C2 level	15
French B1 level	5
Spanish B1 level	5
Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian B1 level	5
Bonus points	Maximum allowable points: 30
Evidence of additional investment capital of € 50.000 minimum	10
Admission to a business incubator or funding by a start-up funding agency in Austria	10
Age up to 35 years	10
Sum total of maximum allowable points	85
Required minimum	50

Red White Red Card for Self-Employed Key Workers

Please note this category works on a non-point-based system. The intended self-employment occupation must bring macroeconomic benefits beyond its operational costs. Your intended business:

• involves the transfer of know-how respectively the introduction of new technologies or
• is subject to the transfer of sustained investment capital to Austria amounting to € 100.000 minimum or
• creates new jobs or secures existing jobs in Austria or
• is of considerable significance for the entire region.

The bigegst benefit of this visa is that it helps you first get 2 years visa and then a settlement permit for up to three years.

Your visa application is forwarded to the AMS Public Employment Service) by the residence authorities (embassy in your country of origin initiates the visa application to them). In the time of three weeks, AMS decides on the benefits of microeconomics in the Austrian labor market through your intended buisness model. After they are satisfied, inform the residence authorities which issue the Red White Red card visa and inform embassy about it. You then can receive your visa from the embassy you submitted the visa applicantion in.

Red White Red Card for Seasonal Workers

This is another non points based categroy introdeuced back in October 2022. The related occupational sector in this stream are Forestery, Agriculture and Tourism. This category does not fall under labor market test. The main requirements are as follows:

• you have been employed for at least 7 months in the last two years as a registered “Regular Seasonal Worker” in the same industry,
• German proficiency through a language test at A1;
• a permanent job offer from an Austrian employer, and
• other general requirements for receiving a residence permit.

Red White Red Card for Graduates

If you have successfully studied from an Austrian university or university of applied sciences, you can apply for a 12 months of extension of your visa to search for a job or start a business. If you acquire a qualified job offer from employer and it mactehs your qualification, you can apply for a red white red card without a labor market test. This is also a non points based stream. The acceptable study programs are:

• a diploma program at least from the second stage of studies,
• a bachelor’s program,
• a master’s programme or a
• doctoral program.

Visa Application Fee

The visa application fee for all Red White Red categories is as follows:

• Visa application fee: 120 Euros
• Granting visa: 20 Euros
• Other costs such as photo and Biometrics: 20 Euros

Where to apply?

The visa application for the Red White Red is submitted to the competent Austrian authority in your country of origin. The official websites of the Austrian embassies and consulates offer appointments to submit the required documents on a given day. You can find here an Austrian embassies or consulates in your country.

Visa Forms

You need to fill in an application form dedicated to residence permits in Austria. You can view it here. It is used for both main and family members. If you find it difficult to fill in the form, check here the guidance notes issued by the Austrian immigration authorities.

Family Sponsorship

Your family members can choose to apply with you together or can join you later when you get the visa. If they decide to apply with you, your employer can apply for you and your family members together. The family members are issued the same duration of the visa as the main applicant.

At the time of visa application, the family members also need to show if they are 14 plus a German language proficiency test certificate at CEFR level A1. If the family members have a recognized university degree, university entrance qualification, or vocational qualification, they are exempt from fulfilling the German language requirements.

On the other hand, if the main applicant holds the following visa titles, the family members also do not need to show the German language requirements:

• Red White Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers;
• EU Blue card holders;
• Permanent Resident – Researcher
• Red White Red Card Plus, if the skilled worker previously held a Red White Red Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers, an EU Blue Card, or a Settlement Permit – Researcher;
• Long-Term Resident EU permit, if the skilled worker held a Red White Red  Card for Very Highly Qualified Workers, an EU Blue Card, or a Settlement Permit – Researcher in the past