# Austria — Residency & Citizenship Conditions

> Source: https://residencyradar.org/conditions/austria.html | Last checked: 2026-10-12 | Last updated: 2026-09-13

## Quick answer

- Passive income / no work: Settlement Permit — Gainful Employment Excepted: Very limited annual quotas; financial self-sufficiency; NO work (1 yr) [source: https://www.migration.gv.at/]
- Skilled workers: EU Blue Card: Degree (or 3yr IT exp); job offer; salary ≥ €55,678/yr (2026) (2 yr) [source: https://www.migration.gv.at/]
- Founders: Red-White-Red Card — Start-up Founders: Innovative business; min €50,000 share capital; 50+ points (2 yr) [source: https://www.migration.gv.at/]
- Citizenship by naturalisation: 10 years of legal residence

## Overview
Austria is a wealthy EU/Schengen country with a strong passport and a points-based immigration system. The main residence permits are the EU Blue Card and the Red-White-Red Card (Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte, RWR). Citizenship is among the most demanding in Europe: 10 years of continuous legal residence, B2 German, and renunciation of previous citizenship (generally required). Austria has no digital nomad visa and no dedicated investor residence route; it is an employment-qualification-focused system. ^[https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/permanent-immigration/eubluecard]

## Residency Programs

| Type | Official Program | Key Conditions | Duration | Detail |
|------|-----------------|----------------|----------|--------|
| investment_residency | Not available | No dedicated investor visa; business self-employment may qualify | — | [[#investment-residency]] |
| passive_income_residency | Settlement Permit — Gainful Employment Excepted | Very limited annual quotas; financial self-sufficiency; NO work | 1 yr | [[#passive-income-residency]] |
| digital_nomad_visa | Not available | No dedicated DN visa | — | [[#digital-nomad-visa]] |
| highly_skilled_employment | EU Blue Card | Degree (or 3yr IT exp); job offer; salary ≥ €55,678/yr (2026) | 2 yr | [[#highly-skilled-employment]] |
| startup_entrepreneur | Red-White-Red Card — Start-up Founders | Innovative business; min €50,000 share capital; 50+ points | 2 yr | [[#startup-entrepreneur]] |
| employment_residency | Red-White-Red Card (points-based) | 70/100 points; job offer in shortage occupation or qualified worker | 2 yr | [[#employment-residency]] |
| student_residency | Residence Permit — Student | University enrollment; financial means | Course duration | [[#student-residency]] |
| family_reunification | Red-White-Red Card Plus / Family Reunification | Sponsor with valid permit; income + accommodation; A1 German | 1 yr → RWR+ | [[#family-reunification]] |
| retired_residency | Not available | Settlement Permit theoretically possible but quotas are minuscule | — | [[#retired-residency]] |
| citizenship_by_investment | Not available (Art. 10(6) StbG exceptional grant exists) | Discretionary; extremely rare; requires "extraordinary merit" | N/A | [[#citizenship-by-investment]] |

## Per-Program Detail

### investment_residency
- **Official name**: Not available.
- **Conditions**: Austria has no dedicated investor visa. Business self-employment (Red-White-Red Card for self-employed key workers) may qualify if the business creates jobs, brings capital investment, and passes AMS regional review. No statutory minimum investment; assessed case-by-case by the provincial governor.
- **Duration / renewal**: 2 years (RWR Card for self-employed).
- **Path to citizenship**: 10 years; B2 German; renunciation generally required.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (no clear pathway; limited to genuine high-impact business cases).

### passive_income_residency
- **Official name**: Niederlassungsbewilligung — ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit (Settlement Permit — Gainful Employment Excepted)
- **Conditions**: Proof of fixed and regular income sufficient to cover living costs without work; private health insurance; accommodation. Subject to very limited annual provincial quotas — often exhausted early. NO work permitted (including remote). ^[https://www.migration.gv.at/]
- **Duration / renewal**: 1 year, renewable. Permanent residence (Daueraufenthalt-EU) after 5 years.
- **Path to citizenship**: 10 years; B2 German; renunciation generally required.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (quota system makes this effectively inaccessible; not a reliable route).

### digital_nomad_visa
- **Official name**: Not available.
- **Conditions**: No digital nomad visa. Remote workers cannot use the Settlement Permit (work prohibited). The RWR Card requires an Austrian employer. Freelancers may theoretically qualify for self-employment permit but face heavy administrative hurdles and quota limitations.
- **Duration / renewal**: N/A.
- **Path to citizenship**: N/A.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (no DN route; Austria is not nomad-friendly).

### highly_skilled_employment
- **Official name**: Blaue Karte EU (EU Blue Card)
- **Conditions**: University degree (min 3 years) OR for IT professionals: 3+ years comparable experience in last 7 years. Binding job offer ≥ 6 months. Salary ≥ €55,678/yr gross (2026, average gross annual income of full-time employees). Labor market test applies (AMS checks for equally qualified registered jobseekers). ^[https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/permanent-immigration/eubluecard]
- **Duration / renewal**: 24 months. After 2 years on Blue Card + 21 months employment: eligible for RWR Card Plus (free labor market access).
- **Path to citizenship**: 10 years; B2 German; renunciation generally required.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (high salary threshold €55,678 vs Germany €50,700; labor market test is additional hurdle; small quota vs Germany).

### startup_entrepreneur
- **Official name**: Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte für Start-up Gründer (RWR Card — Start-up Founders)
- **Conditions**: Innovative product/service/process; minimum €50,000 share capital (with at least 50% held by founder); business plan; must score 50+ points in start-up criteria (product, IP, management experience, capital). ^[https://www.migration.gv.at/]
- **Duration / renewal**: 2 years, renewable.
- **Path to citizenship**: 10 years; B2 German; renunciation generally required.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (structured program but high entry bar: €50,000 capital + innovation test).

### employment_residency
- **Official name**: Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte (Red-White-Red Card — points-based)
- **Conditions**: Points-based system: minimum 70 out of 100 points for "particularly highly qualified" (education, experience, language, age, research). Alternative: "skilled workers in shortage occupations" (60+ listed professions) with job offer + salary ≥ legally stipulated minimum. "Other key workers": job offer + labor market test + salary ≥ 1.5× ASVG maximum (≈€3,930/mo for under 30, €4,720/mo for 30+). ^[https://www.migrant.at/wp-content/uploads/RWR-EN-2026.pdf]
- **Duration / renewal**: 24 months. RWR Card Plus after 2 years (free labor market access).
- **Path to citizenship**: 10 years; B2 German; renunciation generally required.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (complex multi-category system; points threshold demanding; but structured and predictable for qualified applicants).

### student_residency
- **Official name**: Aufenthaltsbewilligung — Student
- **Conditions**: Enrollment in Austrian university or other educational institution; financial means; health insurance; accommodation.
- **Duration / renewal**: Course duration, renewable.
- **Path to citizenship**: Student years count 50% toward 10-year clock. Job-seeker permit (RWR Card for graduates) after graduation.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Works well.

### family_reunification
- **Official name**: Rot-Weiß-Rot Karte Plus / Familienzusammenführung
- **Conditions**: Sponsor with valid permit; sufficient income and accommodation; A1 German for spouse (must be completed before entry in most cases). Spouses of RWR Card / Blue Card holders get RWR Card Plus with free labor market access from day 1 (after 2 years of sponsor's residence, in some interpretations).
- **Duration / renewal**: 1 year, renewable.
- **Path to citizenship**: 10 years; B2 German.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (A1 German pre-entry requirement is higher bar than most EU countries; processing delays).

### retired_residency
- **Official name**: Not available.
- **Conditions**: The Settlement Permit — Gainful Employment Excepted theoretically covers retirees, but annual quotas are minuscule and province-specific. Austria is not a realistic retirement destination for non-EU nationals.
- **Duration / renewal**: N/A.
- **Path to citizenship**: N/A.
- **Official source**: https://www.migration.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Problematic (effectively unavailable).

### citizenship_by_investment
- **Official name**: Exceptional grant under Art. 10(6) StbG
- **Conditions**: Discretionary grant by the federal government for "extraordinary merit" (scientific, economic, cultural, or sporting). Extremely rare; not a marketed program. No fixed investment amount.
- **Duration / renewal**: N/A (direct citizenship).
- **Path to citizenship**: Immediate.
- **Official source**: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/
- **Community verdict**: Not applicable (not a real route).

## Citizenship
- **Residence requirement**: 10 years continuous legal residence (minimum). Reductions: 6 years for EEA citizens; 6 years for "sustainable personal integration" (B2 German, voluntary work); 4–6 years for spouses of Austrian citizens. ^[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_nationality_law]
- **Language**: B2 German (ÖSD, Goethe-Zertifikat).
- **Integration test**: Comprehensive test on Austrian history, constitution, and values.
- **Dual citizenship**: Generally NOT permitted (renunciation required). Exceptions: special approval by federal government; citizenship acquired by descent; cases where renunciation causes serious harm.
- **Processing**: 6–24 months; high discretion — meeting formal requirements does not guarantee approval.

## Tax
- **Standard rates**: Progressive 0%–55% (2026). 0% up to €13,308; 20% to €21,617; 30% to €36,300; 40% to €67,400; 48% to €1,000,000; 55% above €1,000,000.
- **Social security**: ~18% employee share.
- **No wealth tax**.
- **No special impatriate regime** comparable to Italy/Spain/Netherlands. Austria is a high-tax jurisdiction.

## IT / Digital Nomad
No digital nomad visa. IT professionals should use the EU Blue Card (IT specialists qualify via work experience without degree — 3+ years in last 7 years). The RWR Card covers "skilled workers in shortage occupations" which includes many IT roles. Vienna has a growing startup scene and ranks high for quality of life but is expensive. No freelancer visa comparable to Berlin.

## Yacht / Maritime
Not applicable. Austria is landlocked. Limited recreational boating on lakes with domestic licensing requirements.

## Notes for RU Citizens
Austrian consulates in Russia may have reduced operations. Residence permit applications are among the most challenging in the EU: high salary thresholds, labor market tests, strict quotas, and the demanding B2 German + renunciation citizenship package. Austria does not have a large Russian-speaking community. The non-immigration-friendly climate (no dual citizenship, no digital nomad visa, no passive-income route, quotas) makes Austria one of the least accessible EU destinations for Russian nationals.

## Community Pulse
Austria is consistently rated as one of the most difficult EU countries for non-EU immigration. The points-based RWR Card system is complex but predictable. The EU Blue Card salary threshold (€55,678) is the highest among EU Blue Card countries. Citizenship (10 years, B2 German, renunciation) is the most demanding package in Western Europe alongside Switzerland. The lack of passive-income, digital-nomad, and retiree routes limits options to employment-based immigration. Quality of life and public services are excellent once residency is obtained.

## Country Snapshot

| Field | Value | Source / Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Population | ~9,100,000 (2024) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/country/austria) — hard/official |
| Main religion | Christianity (Catholic majority) | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria#Religion) — hard/official |
| Main language | German | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria) — hard/official |
| Main city (capital or largest) | Vienna | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna) — hard/official |
| On the coast? | No (landlocked) | Geographical fact [soft/estimate] |
| Tourism impact in season | Medium-high — Vienna, Salzburg, winter sports; seasonal peaks in summer and winter | [soft/estimate] |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | ~$65,000 (2023) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Median net monthly salary | ~€2,680 (~$2,900) | [Numbeo](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_price_rankings?itemId=105) [soft/estimate] |
| Cost of living index | 60.7 (NYC=100, Numbeo 2025) | [Numbeo](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp?title=2025) [soft/estimate] |
| Monthly rent, 1-bedroom apartment | ~€850 (Vienna city centre) | [Numbeo](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Austria) [soft/estimate] |
| Effective personal tax rate for remote workers | Progressive 0%–55%; no special impatriate regime | See [[#tax]] [soft/estimate] |
| Remote-work / self-employment residence available? | No — no digital nomad visa; Settlement Permit quotas minuscule | See [[#digital-nomad-visa]] and [[#passive-income-residency]] |
| Years to citizenship | 10 years (6 for EEA; reductions for integration) | See [[#citizenship]] |
| Maximum permitted absence during residence | Must maintain continuous residence; significant absences may reset clock | See [[#citizenship]] |
| Passport strength after citizenship | 188 visa-free destinations (Henley Q3 2025, rank 4) | [Henley & Partners](https://www.henleyglobal.com/newsroom/press-releases/henley-global-mobility-report-july-2025) — hard/official |
| Rule of Law Index | 0.79 (WJP 2024) | [WJP](https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/global/2024) — hard/official |
| Freedom House score | 93/100 (Free) | [Freedom House](https://freedomhouse.org/country/austria/freedom-world/2025) — hard/official |
| Average annual sunshine hours | 1,930 h (Vienna) | [Current Results](https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Europe/Cities/sunshine-annual-average.php) — hard/official |
| Average annual temperature | ~9 °C (Vienna ~10 °C) | [Wikipedia / ZAMG](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria#Climate) — hard/official |

## Extended Snapshot

_Coverage: 52/55 fields. Only facts verifiable against official sources or published indices; practice-dependent topics (bank attitudes, real-world acceptance of Russian applicants, flights, policy mood) are deliberately excluded until community-sourced data is collected._

| Block | Field | Value | Source / Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geography & size | Area | 83 879 km² (2024) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.SRF.TOTL.K2?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Geography & size | Population density | 111 /km² (2024) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Geography & size | Urban population | 70% (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Geography & size | Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_length_of_coastline) — soft/estimate |
| Geography & size | Highest point | Grossglockner, 3,798 m | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglockner) — soft/estimate |
| Geography & size | Type | landlocked | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria) — soft/estimate |
| Geography & size | Time zone | UTC+1 (CET), UTC+2 summer; Moscow −2h/−1h | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_in_Austria) — soft/estimate |
| Climate | Avg precipitation | 1110 mm/yr (2022) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.PRCP.MM?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Climate | PM2.5 exposure | 10.0 µg/m³ (2023) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Climate | Climate zone | Cfb (oceanic), Dfb (warm-summer humid continental) in Alps | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Austria) — soft/estimate |
| Climate | Temp winter / summer | Vienna: Jan avg 0°C, Jul avg 22°C | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna#Climate) — soft/estimate |
| Climate | Rainy days | Vienna: ~115 rainy days/year | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna#Climate) — soft/estimate |
| Climate | Humidity | Vienna: ~74% avg annual relative humidity | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna#Climate) — soft/estimate |
| Climate | Natural hazards | Avalanches, floods, landslides. World Risk Index rank ~130 (low) | [source](https://weltrisikobericht.de/) — soft/estimate |
| Climate | Air quality | Annual mean PM2.5: ~9.8 µg/m³ (2023, IQAir) | [source](https://www.iqair.com/world-air-quality-report) — soft/estimate |
| Economy | GDP (nominal) | $579.5B (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | GDP growth | 0.6% (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | Inflation (CPI) | 3.5% (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | Unemployment | 5.6% (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | Central govt debt | No reliable data | — |
| Economy | Gini index | 31.2 (2023) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | Tourism receipts | 7% of exports (2020) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.RCPT.XP.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | Remittances | 0.7% of GDP (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Economy | Credit rating | S&P: AA+ (negative), Moody's: Aa1 (stable), Fitch: AA+ (stable) | [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_credit_rating) — soft/estimate |
| Economy | Currency | EUR (euro), floating; ~−3% vs USD 2020–2025 | [source](https://www.ecb.europa.eu) — soft/estimate |
| Economy | Top industries | Services (~70% GDP), Industry (~28%), Agriculture (~1.3%) | [source](https://www.statistik.at) — soft/estimate |
| Economy | Economic Complexity | ECI rank #6, score 1.81 (2023, Harvard Atlas) | [source](https://atlas.cid.harvard.edu/rankings) — hard/official |
| Technology | Internet users | 92% of population (2025) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Technology | Fixed broadband subs | 30.1 per 100 people (2024) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.BBND.P2?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Technology | High-tech exports | 18.5% of manufactured exports (2024) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/TX.VAL.TECH.MF.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Technology | R&D spend | 3.26% of GDP (2023) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Technology | Global Innovation Index | #18 (GII 2024, WIPO) | [source](https://www.wipo.int/gii-ranking/en/austria) — hard/official |
| Technology | E-Government (UN EGDI) | EGDI: 0.9435, rank #4 (UN 2024) | [source](https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data-Center) — hard/official |
| Technology | Median broadband speed | Fixed broadband median: 141.26 Mbps (#56, Ookla Aug 2026) | [source](https://www.speedtest.net/global-index) — hard/official |
| Technology | 5G | 5G widely available (2024) | [source](https://www.rtr.at) — soft/estimate |
| Technology | Online payments | Stripe: available; PayPal and Apple Pay widely supported | [source](https://stripe.com/global) — soft/estimate |
| Technology | Startup ecosystem | StartupBlink rank #17 (2024) | [source](https://www.startupblink.com/startups) — hard/official |
| Human development & health | Life expectancy | 82.0 years (2024) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Human development & health | Hospital beds | 6.7 per 1000 (2022) | [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.MED.BEDS.ZS?locations=AT) — hard/official |
| Human development & health | HDI | HDI: 0.926, rank #22 (UNDP 2023/2024) | [source](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/AUT) — hard/official |
| Safety | Global Peace Index | GPI rank #6, score 1.421 (2026) | [source](https://www.visionofhumanity.org/global-peace-index/) — hard/official |
| Safety | US travel advisory | Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (US State Dept, 2024) | [source](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Austria.html) — hard/official |
| Money & tax | FATF status | Not on FATF black or grey list (as of 2026-06-19) | [source](https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/countries/black-and-grey-lists.html) — hard/official |
| Money & tax | CRS exchange | No reliable data | — |
| Money & tax | Tax treaty with Russia | No reliable data | — |
| Money & tax | Wealth / inheritance / CGT | No wealth tax; no inheritance tax (abolished 2008); capital gains: 27.5% (2024, PwC) | [source](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/austria) — soft/estimate |
| Money & tax | CFC rules | Yes, CFC rules in place (2024, PwC) | [source](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/austria) — soft/estimate |
| Business | Company setup | ~18 days, ~€500+ minimum capital €35,000 for GmbH | [source](https://www.doingbusiness.org/en/data/exploreeconomies/austria) — soft/estimate |
| Business | Corporate tax | 23% headline CIT (2024, reduced from 24% in 2023) | [source](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/austria) — soft/estimate |
| Family & education | Top university | University of Vienna; QS rank #152 (2025) | [source](https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2025) — hard/official |
| Connectivity | Visa-free for Russians | Visa required (EU/Schengen area; 2024) | [source](https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/visa-policy_en) — hard/official |
| For Russian citizens | Sanctions position | Imposes EU sanctions on Russia (2022–present) | unsourced/unverified |
| Quality of life | World Happiness rank | World Happiness rank #14 (2025) | [source](https://worldhappiness.report/) — hard/official |
| Quality of life | Expat friendliness | InterNations Expat Insider rank #31 (2024) | [source](https://www.internations.org/expat-insider/) — hard/official |
| Quality of life | Local language need | EF EPI rank #3, score 616; English widely spoken in cities | [source](https://www.ef.com/epi/) — hard/official |

## Country Card

### General description
Austria is a wealthy, landlocked Central European country with a highly developed social-market economy and one of the world's highest standards of living. Its immigration system is points-based (Red-White-Red Card) and among the most demanding in the EU: high salary thresholds, strict quotas for non-employment routes, and a citizenship package requiring 10 years of residence, B2 German, and generally renunciation of previous citizenship. Austria has no digital nomad visa and only a theoretically available passive-income route (quotas are minuscule), making it effectively an employment-only immigration destination.

### Well-known strong points
- Very high quality of life: Vienna consistently ranked world's most livable city
- Strong passport (188 visa-free destinations)
- High Rule of Law (WJP 0.79) and political stability (FH 93/100)
- Excellent public services, healthcare, infrastructure, and public safety
- Strong social security and worker protections
- Central European location with excellent Alpine recreation

### Well-known problems
- One of the most difficult EU countries for non-EU immigration
- 10-year citizenship + B2 German + renunciation of previous citizenship
- No digital nomad visa, no realistic passive-income or retirement route
- Highest EU Blue Card salary threshold (€55,678 in 2026)
- Very limited quotas for non-employment residence permits
- High tax burden: top rate 55% above €1,000,000; no special impatriate regime

## Status
- **Last monitored**: 2026-10-12
- **Recent changes**: EU Blue Card salary threshold updated to €55,678 (2026). RWR Card salary and points thresholds adjusted annually. No major structural immigration reforms in 2026.
- **Watch items**: Monitor Blue Card threshold updates. Track any liberalization of dual citizenship policy. Watch for introduction of digital nomad or passive-income routes.

## Official and primary sources
- https://www.migration.gv.at/en/types-of-immigration/permanent-immigration/eubluecard
- https://www.migrant.at/wp-content/uploads/RWR-EN-2026.pdf
- https://lottalingo.com/research/visas/austria-eu-blue-card
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_nationality_law