Austria Red-White-Red Card for skilled workers in shortage occupations 2026

As a citizen of a country outside the European Economic Area, you can apply for a Red-White-Red Card as a Skilled Worker in a Shortage Occupation, valid for 24 months. It is one of several Red-White-Red Card categories of the Austrian federal migration system alongside routes for very highly qualified workers and self-employed key workers.

To qualify you need completed training in an occupation that appears on the current shortage-occupation list, which is set every year based on the state of the Austrian labour market and can vary by region, and a binding job offer paying at least the legally or collectively agreed minimum wage for that role. On top of that, applicants must reach a minimum of 55 points on a scale that scores vocational qualification, matching work experience, German, English or another listed language, and age, with extra points available where English is the main working language of the employer.

Formal recognition of the foreign qualification is required only for regulated professions such as healthcare and teaching; for most shortage occupations, the qualification is assessed directly from the documents submitted with the application. The application can be filed at an Austrian embassy or consulate in the applicant's home country or country of residence, or, once in Austria, with the competent regional authority, together with a declaration from the employer about the job.

Applications are accepted throughout the year, and the shortage-occupation list is republished annually, so it is worth checking that an occupation is still listed before applying.