Austria residence permit to search for work after graduating 2026

A third-country national who has successfully completed studies, or compulsory training after studies, at an Austrian university or university of applied sciences can renew the residence permit for students for twelve months in order to search for employment or to start a business, as long as the general requirements of Austrian settlement and residence law are met, such as sufficient means of subsistence and health insurance covering all risks.

If, within those twelve months, the graduate receives an employment offer from a specified employer that matches the level of qualification, they can apply for a Red-White-Red Card without a labour market test, provided the salary is at least the locally customary gross minimum that comparable Austrian graduates would receive and the general requirements are met. The residence authority forwards the application and documents to the Public Employment Service, which checks that the applicant holds the required academic degree and that the offer pays adequately, and then confirms this to the residence authority, which issues the card. The card entitles the holder to temporary residence and employment with the company named in the application, and to self-employment as long as it stays subordinate to the job. A change of employer requires a new application, and the holder may provisionally begin the new job after a waiting period once complete documents have been submitted.

Graduates who have been employed in line with the eligibility criteria for a required part of the preceding period can later apply for a Red-White-Red Card plus, which gives unlimited access to the labour market. The documents needed for the card are a valid travel document, a recent photograph, proof of health insurance covering all risks and proof of completed studies or corresponding training.

There is no application window; applications can be submitted whenever the conditions are met.