Long-stay visas (Type D)
Austrian EU Blue Card
The EU-wide residence title for highly qualified non-EU professionals holding a degree and a well-paid job offer in Austria.
Important information
- Issuing authority
- Austrian residence authority / embassy or consulate
- Labour-market test by AMS
- Validity
- 24 months
- Fixed-term settlement with a specific employer
- Salary threshold (2026)
- At least €55,678 gross per year
- Average gross annual income of full-time employees; annual salary plus special payments
- Qualification
- Degree of ≥3 years (or comparable experience for ICT/managers)
- Employment must correspond to the education
- Application fee
- €218
- Confirmed on the official page
Who it's for
Highly qualified third-country nationals (and persons entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection in Austria) who hold a relevant university-level qualification and a binding, well-paid job offer in a role matching that education.
Requirements
- Completed study at university/tertiary level lasting at least three years (or, for ICT professionals and service managers, three years of comparable experience gained in the last seven years)
- A binding job offer for at least six months in Austria in a role corresponding to your education
- Gross salary meeting the annual threshold (2026: at least €55,678, salary plus special payments)
- A labour-market test showing no equally qualified jobseeker is registered with the AMS
- Valid travel document and health insurance
What you can do
- Live in Austria and work for the employer named on the card
- Pursue secondary self-employment where it stays subsidiary to the main job
- Apply for a Red-White-Red Card Plus with unrestricted labour-market access after 21 months of qualifying employment within a 24-month period
- Benefit from EU Blue Card intra-EU mobility provisions
How to apply
Apply at an Austrian embassy or consulate abroad, or with the competent residence authority if already legally in Austria or visa-exempt.
The AMS carries out the labour-market test and confirms the salary and qualification conditions before the card is issued.
Documents
- Valid passport and recent photo
- Degree certificate (or evidence of comparable professional experience for eligible roles)
- Binding employment contract / job offer of at least six months
- Evidence that the salary meets the threshold
- Proof of health insurance and accommodation
Frequently asked questions
The Blue Card is not points-based; it depends on a qualifying degree and a job paying at least the salary threshold. It is also an EU-wide title with intra-EU mobility, whereas the Red-White-Red Card is a national scheme.
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official gov.uk sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.
Related Austrian visas
- WORKPOINTS-BASEDJOB SEEKER OPTIONRed-White-Red Card – Very Highly Qualified WorkersA points-based residence-and-work title for top-tier skilled non-EU professionals, with an optional six-month job-seeker visa to find a role first.View visa details
- WORKJOB OFFERPOINTS-BASEDRed-White-Red Card – Skilled Workers in Shortage OccupationsA points-based residence-and-work card for trained non-EU workers with a job offer in an officially designated Austrian shortage occupation.View visa details
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