Austria · Work
Austria Red-White-Red Plus
First stay: 1 yr
Red-White-Red Card plus (after qualifying employment)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Red-White-Red Plus is a work route for Austria. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €218 ≈ $240
- Processing
- Up to 180 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee €218 ≈ $240; decision: up to 180 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€218 ≈ $240
- EUR 218 (≈ $240)Application fee.
RenewalRenewable
After two years of settlement and Module 1 of the Integration Agreement, a 3-year Red-White-Red Card plus can be obtained.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Daueraufenthalt - EU after 5 years of uninterrupted settlement and Module 2 of the Integration Agreement (German and values). Red-White-Red Card, plus card and settlement permit time counts.
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.
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 earlier residence or an existing status in Austria
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant holds a Red-White-Red Card or EU Blue Card.
- Employment in line with the eligibility requirements of the card for at least 21 months during the preceding 24 months.
What you must show and pay1
- A fee of EUR 218 (≈ $240) · Application fee.
Steps1
- The Public Employment Service assesses the employment.
When you become tax resident
How Austria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year 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
Follow-on card for holders of a Red-White-Red Card or EU Blue Card who worked under the original conditions for at least 21 of the preceding 24 months; gives unlimited access to the labour market, employed or self-employed, not tied to one employer. 1
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 218 (≈ $240) · Application fee. 1
Requirements
- The applicant holds a Red-White-Red Card or EU Blue Card. 1
- Employment in line with the eligibility requirements of the card for at least 21 months during the preceding 24 months. 1
- The Public Employment Service assesses the employment. 1
Stay
- Valid for one year; after two years of settlement and Integration Agreement module 1, a Red-White-Red Card plus for three years can be obtained.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 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
Unlimited labour-market access, employed or self-employed, not tied to one employer.
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
- 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
Red-White-Red Plus and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red-White-Red Plus | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| 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 |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Red-White-Red Plus?
A fee of EUR 218 (≈ $240). Application fee.
How long can I stay on the Red-White-Red Plus?
Valid for one year; after two years of settlement and Integration Agreement module 1, a Red-White-Red Card plus for three years can be obtained.
How long does the Red-White-Red Plus take to process?
Authorities must decide without undue delay and no later than 6 months after receiving the application.
Can I work on the Red-White-Red Plus?
Limited. Unlimited labour-market access, employed or self-employed, not tied to one employer.
Can I bring my family on the Red-White-Red Plus?
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 Red-White-Red Plus?
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 Red-White-Red Plus lead to permanent residence in Austria?
Time on the Red-White-Red Plus counts toward permanent residence in Austria, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Red-White-Red Plus counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.
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.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 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.
- 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.