Austria · Work
Austria Blue Card
Income needed: €56k+ a year ≈ $62k
EU Blue Card (Austria)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Blue Card is a work route for Austria. Applicants need income of €56k+ a year ≈ $62k. You can stay 2 yrs, renewable. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €56k+ a year ≈ $62k
- Government fees
- €218 ≈ $240
- Processing
- Up to 180 days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €218 ≈ $240; income to show €56k+/yr ≈ $62k; decision: up to 180 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€218 ≈ $240
- EUR 218 (≈ $240)Application fee.
Shown, not spent€56k+/yr ≈ $62k
- EUR 55,678 a year (≈ $62,200)2026 average gross annual income of full-time employees including special payments; Blue Card minimum.
RenewalRenewable
After 24 months, holders who worked under the card conditions for 21 of the last 24 months can move to a Red-White-Red Card plus, which is not tied to one employer.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Daueraufenthalt - EU after 5 years of uninterrupted settlement and Module 2 of the Integration Agreement; Blue Card holders can be away up to 18 months in total outside the EEA.
CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence
Citizenship needs 10 years of lawful, uninterrupted residence, at least 5 of them settled, and the general naturalisation conditions.
ProcessingUp to 180 days
Authorities must decide without undue delay and no later than 6 months after receiving the application.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
You can file at the Austrian embassy in your home country, or your employer can file with the residence authority in Austria.
Presence rulesAway max 10 months in total
The 5-year clock for long-term status restarts after more than 10 months in total or more than 6 months in a row outside Austria.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Austria
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- A university or tertiary programme of at least three years.
- For ICT professionals and service managers, three years of relevant experience gained in the last seven years can substitute.
- No points system applies.
What you must show2
- Minimum gross annual salary of EUR 55,678 (≈ $62,200) in 2026, including special payments (the average for full-time employees).
- Application fee: EUR 218 (≈ $240).
Documents2
- A binding job offer matching the qualification.
- An employer declaration.
Steps1
- A positive labour-market test: no equally qualified registered jobseeker.
After you arrive2
- After 12 months on a Blue Card, a new employer can start work immediately with no waiting period or labour-market test.
- Earlier, a 30-day waiting period applies after filing the change.
When you become tax resident
How Austria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
Applies to individuals with unlimited tax liability (residence or habitual abode in Austria).
- Foreign-source income
Persons with a residence (Wohnsitz) or habitual abode in Austria are subject to unlimited income tax liability, so their foreign-source income is taxed in Austria together with Austrian income; habitual abode arises after six months of stay, retroactively.
All tax rules for Austria Tax records checked
Full official text
For university graduates (at least a three-year programme; for ICT professionals three years of experience in the last seven years may substitute) with a binding job offer matching their education at an annual gross salary of at least the average for full-time employees (EUR55,678 (≈ $62,200) in 2026), and a labour-market test. No points system. 1
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 55,678 a year (≈ $62,200) · 2026 average gross annual income of full-time employees including special payments; Blue Card minimum. 1
- A fee of EUR 218 (≈ $240) · Application fee. 1
Requirements
- A university or tertiary programme of at least three years. 1
- For ICT professionals and service managers, three years of relevant experience gained in the last seven years can substitute. 1
- No points system applies. 1
- Minimum gross annual salary of EUR 55,678 (≈ $62,200) in 2026, including special payments (the average for full-time employees). 1
- Application fee: EUR 218 (≈ $240). 1
- A binding job offer matching the qualification. 1
- An employer declaration. 1
- A positive labour-market test: no equally qualified registered jobseeker. 1
- After 12 months on a Blue Card, a new employer can start work immediately with no waiting period or labour-market test. 1
- Earlier, a 30-day waiting period applies after filing the change. 1
Stay
- Issued for 24 months, tied to the employer.
- Initial permitted stay: 24 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Employment with the named employer; subsidiary self-employment allowed.
Family
Spouses and registered partners (aged 21 or over at application) and unmarried minor children under 18, including adoptive and stepchildren, can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus.
Official sources
- EU Blue Card · Federal Ministry of the Interior (migration.gv.at) · checked 2026-10-10
- Red-White-Red Card Plus · Migration Platform Austria / Federal Government · checked 2026-10-10
- Aufenthaltstitel "Daueraufenthalt - EU" (requirements and counting rules) · oesterreich.gv.at (Austrian federal government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
- Verleihung der Staatsbuergerschaft nach zehn Jahren · oesterreich.gv.at (Austrian federal government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
- Other forms of settlement (settlement permit – gainful employment excluded) · Federal Ministry of the Interior (migration.gv.at) · checked 2026-10-10
Blue Card and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Card | Needs income of €56k+ a year ≈ $62k | 2 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Red-White-Red · Key worker | Needs income of €3,465+ a month ≈ $3,870 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Red-White-Red · Shortage job | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Red-White-Red · Top talent | – | 2 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Special employment permit | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Blue Card?
Income of at least EUR 55,678 a year (≈ $62,200). 2026 average gross annual income of full-time employees including special payments; Blue Card minimum. A fee of EUR 218 (≈ $240). Application fee.
How long can I stay on the Blue Card?
Issued for 24 months, tied to the employer.
How long does the Blue Card take to process?
Authorities must decide without undue delay and no later than 6 months after receiving the application.
Can I work on the Blue Card?
Yes. Employment with the named employer; subsidiary self-employment allowed.
Can I bring my family on the Blue Card?
Spouses and registered partners (aged 21 or over at application) and unmarried minor children under 18, including adoptive and stepchildren, can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus.
Who can apply for the Blue Card?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Blue Card lead to permanent residence in Austria?
Time on the Blue Card counts toward permanent residence in Austria, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Blue Card counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.
How are Blue Card holders taxed in Austria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Blue Card. The standard rules apply: Progressive rates: 0% to EUR 13,539 (≈ $15,100); 20% to 21,992; 30% to 36,458; 40% to 70,365; 48% to 104,859; 50% to 1,000,000; 55% above (55% limited to 2016-2029).
More in Austria
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- EU Blue Card · Federal Ministry of the Interior (migration.gv.at) · checked 2026-10-10
- Red-White-Red Card Plus · Migration Platform Austria / Federal Government · checked 2026-10-10
- Aufenthaltstitel "Daueraufenthalt - EU" (requirements and counting rules) · oesterreich.gv.at (Austrian federal government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
- Verleihung der Staatsbuergerschaft nach zehn Jahren · oesterreich.gv.at (Austrian federal government portal) · checked 2026-10-11
- Other forms of settlement (settlement permit – gainful employment excluded) · Federal Ministry of the Interior (migration.gv.at) · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.