Austria · Work
Austria Researcher permit
First stay: 2 yrs
Settlement permit – researcher
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Researcher permit is a work route for Austria. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- Up to 180 days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
Can be renewed once for one year to look for work or found a company; after 2 years a Red-White-Red Card plus can follow.
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.
Where to applyFrom abroad
First applications are filed at the Austrian embassy or consulate; filing in Austria is possible only in listed cases.
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.
- Applications are made from outside Austria, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Austria
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is a researcher.
- The general residence requirements are met: subsistence, health insurance and accommodation.
Documents1
- An admission (hosting) agreement with a certified research facility, such as a university, or one that needs no certification.
After you arrive1
- The permit can be renewed once for one year to look for work or found a company.
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
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
The general residence requirements are met: subsistence, health insurance and accommodation
- Accommodation
The general residence requirements are met: subsistence, health insurance and accommodation
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Permit for researchers with an admission agreement from a certified research facility, such as a university. It can be renewed once for one year to look for work or found a company. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is a researcher. 1
- The general residence requirements are met: subsistence, health insurance and accommodation. 1
- An admission (hosting) agreement with a certified research facility, such as a university, or one that needs no certification. 1
- The permit can be renewed once for one year to look for work or found a company. 1
Stay
- Issued for two years; after two years of settlement the holder can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus (three years). One renewal of one year is possible for job search or company foundation.
- 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
Work as a researcher.
Family
Family members of researchers can apply for a residence title and are exempt from the German A1 requirement.
Official sources
- Other forms of settlement (settlement permit – gainful employment excluded) · Federal Ministry of the Interior (migration.gv.at) · 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
Researcher permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Researcher permit | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| 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 long can I stay on the Researcher permit?
Issued for two years; after two years of settlement the holder can apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus (three years).
How long does the Researcher permit take to process?
Authorities must decide without undue delay and no later than 6 months after receiving the application.
Can I work on the Researcher permit?
Work as a researcher.
Can I bring my family on the Researcher permit?
Family members of researchers can apply for a residence title and are exempt from the German A1 requirement.
Who can apply for the Researcher permit?
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 Researcher permit lead to permanent residence in Austria?
Time on the Researcher permit counts toward permanent residence in Austria, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Researcher permit counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.
How are Researcher permit holders taxed in Austria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Researcher permit. 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 3 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.
- Other forms of settlement (settlement permit – gainful employment excluded) · Federal Ministry of the Interior (migration.gv.at) · 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
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.