Working in Austria
Work Permits
Nationals of the EU, Liechtenstein and Switzerland are treated
like Austrians and therefore do not require work or residence
permits, however you must register your stay (Meldezettel)
with the local authorities within three days of your arrival.
If you are from a country outside the European Union, obtaining
a work permit for Austria can be problematic and slow. Work
permits are issued on an individual basis only and do not
cover any other dependant family members. All other family
members must apply individually if they wish to work.
Applications
Make sure to apply as soon as you know you are heading for
Austria. The application process can be time consuming and
you may wait some time before receiving a reply to your applications.
There are many job search engines and many newspapers have
their "Career" sections online. An application pack
for an Austrian company is very different from the usual CV
and Cover Letter format found in English speaking countries.
The following link provides a helpful guide to job
hunting in Austria!
German
A big plus in your search for a job will be your knowledge
of German. Do not assume that everyone here in Vienna speaks
English, it just isn't true. You will need to learn the language
in order to facilitate your day to day life and to find a
job with the majority of companies. There are excellent online
resources for before you arrive and excellent language
schools offering intensive courses once you are here.
Finding a student job
Finding part time work is generally not difficult as the
Austrian university system is based on a flexible schedule.
As a student you do not need a work permit. However, the amount
of money you are allowed to earn is strictly limited. If you
earn more you will be treated as working full time and are
subject to taxes and more expensive social security deductions.
Ask your employer: they will know.
Universities often help with organising appropriate internships
(i.e. magazine internships for media studies), esp. during
the summer vacation.
Vacancies are promoted on newspaper websites, via student
unions or directly via the university.
Some language schools
offer a combination of language course and internship!
Taxes and Social Insurance
Austria has a progressive tax system with 4 bands varying
from 0%-50%. Everyone in gainful employment in Austria will
make compulsory contributions to a social insurance fund which
will cover medical treatment, pension contributions etc. Top
up insurance is available if you wish to receive more preferential
treatment (choosing a specific doctor, etc.). It may be advisable
for Expatriates to consider additional medical insurance in
case of the need for repatriation, etc
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