Blue Card EU

Nationals of third countries have the chance to get a “Blue Card EU” if they fulfil the general criteria for this card and can provide a written confirmation of the Public Employment Service (AMS) that they fulfil the criteria of a key worker. Researchers may also fulfil the requirements for the “Blue Card EU” due to their qualifications and their salary, especially if they already possess a “Blue Card EU” of another Schengen country.

You have to apply for the “Blue Card EU” in person at the competent Austrian representative authority (embassy, consulate with power to issue visa) in your country of residence. In case you are allowed to enter Austria without a visa or you entered Austria with a valid residence title of another Schengen country you may also submit your application at the competent residence authority in Austria instead.
The application can also be submitted by the researcher’s employer at the competent residence authority in Austria. The Public Employment Service (AMS) will submit a written confirmation to the competent residence authority stating that the researcher fulfils the eligibility criteria of a key worker. If all necessary documents have been submitted, the residence authority will decide about the application within eight weeks.

You will find all the requirements for granting a "Blue Card EU" in the checklist.

In principle travel health insurance must be taken out to enter Austria. Please note that this insurance must be valid in Austria and provide sufficient cover for various health issues (insurance cover well over EUR 30,000 including guarantee to cover possible recovery and repatriation costs and costs for treatment of the COVID-19 disease).

Third-country nationals will only receive a residence title if they can additionally provide proof of having a health insurance "covering all risks". The travel health insurance is only sufficient for the period until a “health insurance covering all risks” can be taken out after entry.

Researchers, who are employed by an Austrian research institution, fulfil the requirement of a “health insurance covering all risks” due to the statutory insurance associated with this employment. Provided that the salary exceeds the limit ("Geringfügigkeitsgrenze") of EUR 518.44/month [as of 2024] employees will automatically be covered by health insurance (and also accident and pension insurance).

Researchers will receive a “Blue Card EU” with a validity period of up to two years. If your employment contract is for a shorter period, your “Blue Card EU” will be issued for the duration of your employment contract plus an additional period of three months.

Researchers with a “Blue Card EU” are allowed to take up their planned research activities without any further labour market documents being required.

You have to apply for a renewal of your card at the locally competent residence authority in Austria before your card expires; however, at the earliest three months before expiry of the card.
Until a decision about your application for a renewal is taken you are considered to be lawfully resident, even if your current residence permit expires in the meantime.

Further information about the topic "renewal of residence title" can be found here.

After two years researchers can apply for a “Red-White-Red Card plus” if they were employed according to the requirements for a “Blue Card EU” at least 21 months within the last 24 months.

After a total settlement period in Austria of five years researchers may obtain the residence title “Permanent Residence - EU” if they fulfil the requirements for this title.

Family members* of researchers holding a “Blue Card EU” can apply for a “Red-White-Red Card plus”.

As a general rule, family members of researchers have to apply at the competent Austrian representative authority (embassy, consulate with power to issue visa) in their country of residence.
In case they are permitted to enter Austria without a visa they can alternatively apply at the competent residence authority in Austria.

Family members holding a “Red-White-Red Card plus” enjoy free access to the labour market and may carry out any job without a work permit as long as the family relationship remains upright.

* Spouses, partners in a civil union and unmarried minors. Spouses and partners in a civil union must be at least 21 years old at the time of application.

The “Blue Card EU” will be issued in credit card format with a photograph and also serves as an ID document. You should carry your “Blue Card EU” at all times to prove your entitlement to residence in Austria.

During its validity period your “Blue Card EU” entitles you to travel through and to stay in other Schengen countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Croatia) for a maximum duration of 90 days within 180 days.

You have to register within three working days of arrival in Austria with the registration office at your place of residence.
A registration with the registration office is not needed if you reside in a tourist accommodation (e.g., hotel, guest house, campsite, private room, AirBnB) for a maximum of 2 months.

You have to enclose to the application photocopies of the following documents with your personally signed application form /and the explanation form) and additionally show only the originals:

• Valid travel document
• Passport-sized photograph according to the ICAO criteria (colour photograph, size 3.5 x 4.5 cm) not older than 6 months
• Accommodation in Austria for a minimum of 3 months (e.g. rental or subtenancy contract, legally valid preliminary contract, accommodation agreement ["Wohnrechtsvereinbarung"]) in connexion with proof of the required funds to cover the living costs (the calculation is based on the presented costs for accomodation)
• Statement of the employer ("Arbeitgebererklärung"; to prove that you have a guaranteed offer for a highly qualified job for at least one year that corresponds to your education and with a minimum gross annual salary of EUR 47,855 [as of 2024)
• Proof of completion of a degree programme with a minimum duration of three years by means of a degree certificate and documentation of the status of the higher education institution
• Confirmation of the Public Employment Service (AMS) that you are accepted as a key worker after a labour market check
• Proof of health insurance covering all risks (unless you have or are going to have statutory health insurance)

In case of first-time application additionally:

• copy of the passport (all pages)
• Police clearance certificate from your country of residence (in individual cases also from your country of origin) not older than 3 months at the time of application (legalised and afterwards translated)

In case of renewal application additionally:

• current extract from the files of an officially recognised credit reference agency (e.g. KSV 1870 Information GmbH)

It is recommended to submit all foreign documents in German language.

Foreign documents and proofs (e.g. birth certificate, police clearance certificate) need to be legalised according to the applicable regulations and have those translated afterwards into German language by a sworn and court-certified interpretor as the residence authority can ask for a German translation.

The residence authorities may require the submission of further documents and confirmations (e.g. birth certificate) in individual cases. In order to avoid delays, we recommend that you submit all the above-mentioned documents together with your application.

Further information can be found here.

Documents issued by authorities of a member state of the EU only need to be translated if the authority has not attached a multilingual form (will be issued by the authority of the EU member state) to the document as well.

Costs: EUR 160 (EUR 120 when submitting the application, EUR 20 when the permit is granted and EUR 20 fee for the collection of police identification data)
Additionally for foreign civil status documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, civil union certificate) depending on the type of document: EUR 3,90, EUR 7,20 or EUR 14,30

The residence permit will be issued in credit card format with photograph and also serves as an ID document. It is recommended to carry it at all times.