A new country. A clearer starting point.
Moving to Austria?
Start here.
Your practical guide to living in Austria, from the first piece of paperwork to your first payslip. For expats, international students and anyone making a new start.
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One place for the steps aheadMake your move manageable
Your Austria arrival checklist
Choose the closest options to focus your list. These filters are a planning aid; your exact requirements depend on your circumstances.
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Plan with your own numbers
Cost of living in Austria: build your budget
Costs vary by city, home and household. Enter actual quotes or your estimates to see monthly spending and cash needed upfront. Blank fields count as zero; these are not market price estimates. Numbers stay in this page and are cleared when you leave.
Use household take-home income after payroll deductions. Add only insurance you pay separately above. Keep special salary payments separate from regular monthly income.
Monthly spending
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Upfront cash needed
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Monthly amount left
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This worksheet does not assess immigration financial requirements or calculate tax. Include all relevant costs before relying on the balance.
Use this as your starting point.
This is an independent guide by TheTax.at, not a government service or individual legal, immigration or tax advice. Requirements vary with your situation and can change. Check the linked authority before applying, signing or relying on a deadline.
01 / The essentials
Visas, residence permits & your right to work
Start here before booking a one-way move. Your passport, reason for moving and planned length of stay determine the route. Address registration, immigration permission and tax residency are separate questions.
EU/EEA & Swiss citizens
You generally do not need a work permit. For a stay beyond three months, you must meet the relevant residence conditions, for example through employment, self-employment, or sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance. Apply for an Anmeldebescheinigung within four months of entry when required. This is separate from the Meldezettel.
Non-EU citizens
Check the appropriate residence and employment route before moving or starting work. Options include the Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card, study and family routes; each has its own conditions. Visa-free travel does not itself give you permission to work. Check where you must submit your first application and what you may do while it is pending.
Moving with a partner or family
Family members may need their own documentation, and different rules can apply to family members of EU citizens. Check work rights for each adult separately and put permit renewal dates in your calendar.
02 / The essentials
Documents to prepare before moving to Austria
Create a folder with originals, secure digital copies and appointment confirmations. The authority handling your application decides exactly what is required.
Identity & civil status
Prepare a valid passport or accepted identity document, plus birth, marriage or partnership certificates where relevant. Check whether foreign documents need an apostille, legalisation or a certified German translation before paying for one.
Work, study & accommodation
Keep your employment contract or admission letter, qualifications, rental agreement and evidence of funds ready. Residence applications may require proof of suitable accommodation and health insurance covering all risks in Austria.
Bring your financial history
Keep your moving date, foreign payslips, tax returns and insurance records. These help with payroll, insurance coordination and your first Austrian tax assessment. A Meldezettel does not automatically settle your tax position.
03 / The essentials
Finding a home & understanding Austrian rent
Compare the total monthly bill, not just the headline rent. A lower advertised rent can become more expensive once heating and other running costs are added.
Decode the listing
Miete is rent; Betriebskosten are building operating costs; Kaution is the refundable security deposit, subject to valid deductions. Ask in writing whether heating, hot water, electricity, internet and parking are included. Do not assume Bruttomiete includes every household bill.
Before you sign or transfer money
Verify the property and the person entitled to rent it out. Read the fixed term, notice provisions, rent adjustment clause and deposit terms. Confirm who will sign your Meldezettel. Have unclear terms checked by a tenant advice service before committing.
At handover
Record defects, take dated photographs, note meter readings and sign a handover record. Keep proof of your deposit and rent payments. Plan for the deposit, first rent, moving costs and any temporary accommodation as separate upfront expenses.
04 / The essentials
Meldezettel: register your address within three days
When you move into a home in Austria, you generally need to register the address within three days of moving in. The clock runs from taking up accommodation, not from your first day at work.
What to bring
Prepare the completed Meldezettel signed by you and the accommodation provider, together with the identity and supporting documents requested by the registration office. Each person needs their own registration. Check the local office’s appointment and submission arrangements.
Where to go
Use the registration authority responsible for your address: usually the Gemeindeamt or Magistrat; in Vienna, a municipal district office. Online registration has eligibility requirements, so do not rely on having digital access on arrival.
Keep the confirmation
Save your registration confirmation for later administrative steps. Register again when you move. The Meldezettel records your address; it does not replace a residence permit or the EU/EEA/Swiss Anmeldebescheinigung.
Check the source
05 / The essentials
Health insurance, ÖGK, SVS & your e-card
Arrange cover for the period between arrival and the start of your Austrian insurance. The right route depends on employment, study, family cover and any cross-border arrangement.
Employees & self-employed people
Most employees are compulsorily insured through their employment, commonly with ÖGK. Ask your employer to confirm your registration and cover start date. Self-employed people commonly deal with SVS. Marginal employment and cross-border work need a separate check; do not assume every job provides full health cover.
Students, family members & gaps in cover
Ask the relevant insurer about student insurance, voluntary insurance or co-insurance through a family member. Eligibility, contributions and waiting periods vary. An EHIC is for medically necessary care during temporary stays; confirm what is appropriate for your move and any residence application.
Using the system
The e-card is used to access insured healthcare; ask your insurer whether you need to provide a photograph. Look for a doctor with a contract with your insurer (Kassenarzt). With a private doctor or Wahlarzt, you may pay first and receive only partial reimbursement. Check costs before treatment.
Check the source
06 / The essentials
Jobs, gross-to-net salary & the 13th and 14th salary
Austrian job offers often quote gross pay (brutto). The amount reaching your bank account is net pay (netto), after employee social insurance and wage tax.
Compare annual pay
Ask whether a salary is monthly or annual and whether special payments are included. For illustration, €3,000 gross paid 14 times is €42,000 annual gross; paid 12 times it is €36,000. Your regular monthly net pay differs from an annual net amount divided by twelve.
Check the Kollektivvertrag
A collective agreement can set minimum pay, classification, working hours and special payments. Holiday and Christmas pay (often called the 13th and 14th salary) depend on the applicable collective agreement or contract; they are not a universal statutory entitlement in private employment.
Before the first working day
Confirm your work authorisation, contract, probation period, hours, overtime treatment and insurance registration. Ask how previous experience affects your pay classification. Arbeiterkammer can help employees with employment-law questions.
07 / The essentials
Opening a bank account in Austria
Choose an account around how you will receive salary, pay rent and manage daily expenses. Compare monthly fees, cards, cash withdrawals and access to support.
Prepare for identity checks
Ask your chosen bank for its document list. It may request identification, address information, tax residence details and evidence of employment or study. Remote onboarding depends on the bank and your documents; keep an alternative way to access money during the move.
If a standard account is difficult
The FMA explains the right to a basic payment account for consumers legally resident in the EU, subject to the applicable conditions. Ask specifically about a Basiskonto and the bank’s complaints process if you are refused.
Check the source
08 / The essentials
Austrian taxes for expats & your first tax return
Immigration status and tax residency are different. Having a home available in Austria or your habitual abode here can create unlimited tax liability; a simple 183-days-in-a-calendar-year test is not enough.
Foreign income matters
After a stay exceeding six months, unlimited tax liability generally applies retroactively from the beginning of the stay. It can arise earlier through an Austrian residence. Worldwide income can be relevant, with tax treaties determining relief and taxing rights. Record foreign income and the dates and locations where you worked.
Understand payroll & assessment
Austrian employers normally deduct wage tax through payroll. An employee assessment is called Arbeitnehmerveranlagung and can lead to a refund or a payment. Keep work-expense receipts and check whether filing is voluntary or mandatory; foreign income, simultaneous jobs and self-employment can change the answer.
Set up FinanzOnline
Check the current access options for the Austrian tax portal, including ID Austria where applicable. Address registration does not automatically provide tax-portal access or resolve whether you need a tax number. Ask Finanzamt Österreich about your registration if you are unsure.
Remote work needs an early check
Working from Austria for a foreign employer can create Austrian payroll, social insurance and tax obligations. Get the employer involved before the move. For income in two countries, foreign investments or a business abroad, obtain advice on your particular treaty and filing obligations.
Check the source
09 / The essentials
Freelancing & starting a business in Austria
A client contract alone does not complete your setup. Check your right to be self-employed, the legal classification of the activity, tax registration and social insurance before you begin.
Gewerbe or another activity?
Many businesses require a trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung); regulated trades need proof of competence. Other activities may fall under different professional rules or the Neue Selbständige category. Confirm the classification with the Business Service Portal or WKO rather than copying another freelancer’s setup.
Plan cash flow
Budget for income tax, social insurance, possible chamber contributions and business expenses. Check VAT treatment and invoicing requirements, especially for clients outside Austria. Later assessments can produce additional bills, so reserve money rather than treating every client payment as take-home pay.
Check the source
10 / The essentials
Moving with children or coming to study
School, childcare and student paperwork have their own timelines. Start these enquiries before the move, especially when arriving during a school year.
Children & childcare
Compulsory schooling generally begins at age six and lasts nine school years for children living permanently in Austria, regardless of nationality. Contact the local education authority about placement and language support. Kindergarten and childcare admissions, availability and costs vary locally.
Family finances
Check family allowance, childcare support and tax relief separately. Entitlement depends on your family’s residence, work and cross-border circumstances. Bring children’s identity documents and school records, and ask your insurer about family cover.
Students who want to work
Confirm your residence route, enrolment deadlines and health insurance. Third-country students may need an employment permit obtained by the employer before starting a job; the student residence permit alone is not blanket permission to work.
11 / The essentials
Transport, driving & settling into daily life
Once the urgent paperwork is underway, set up the routines that make your first month easier: transport, communications, utilities and local support.
Public transport & driving
Compare your local transport pass with regional and national options using your actual commute. If you bring a foreign driving licence, check recognition and conversion. Non-EEA licences are generally usable for six months after establishing residence; exceptions and conversion conditions depend on the licence. Vehicle import and registration are separate tasks.
Utilities, phone & household bills
Check which utilities you must register yourself, compare contract terms and keep the handover meter readings. Confirm internet availability at the address before signing a long contract. Check whether the household must register for the ORF contribution and whether an exemption applies.
Build your local network
Ask your municipality about newcomer services, German courses, libraries and local clubs. Keep a small emergency fund and check shop opening times near your home. In an emergency, call the European emergency number 112.
The German words you’ll keep seeing
A small vocabulary that makes letters, listings and appointments easier to navigate.
- Meldezettel
- Address registration form
- Anmeldebescheinigung
- EU/EEA/Swiss residence registration certificate
- Aufenthaltstitel
- Residence title / permit
- Brutto / Netto
- Gross pay / take-home pay
- Kollektivvertrag
- Collective agreement for your industry
- Kaution / Betriebskosten
- Rental deposit / building operating costs
- ÖGK / SVS
- Common employee / self-employed social insurers
- Finanzamt / FinanzOnline
- Tax office / online tax portal
- Arbeitnehmerveranlagung
- Employee tax assessment
- Gewerbeanmeldung
- Trade registration
Questions about moving to Austria
What should I do first when moving to Austria?
Before moving, confirm your residence and work rights, arrange accommodation and health insurance, and prepare your documents. After moving into a home, generally register the address within three days. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens staying longer than three months should also check the separate Anmeldebescheinigung requirement and four-month application deadline.
Is the Meldezettel the same as the Anmeldebescheinigung?
No. The Meldezettel is the form used for address registration, generally required within three days of moving into a home. The Anmeldebescheinigung documents the right of residence of qualifying EU/EEA and Swiss citizens staying beyond three months; the application is due within four months of entry. One does not replace the other.
Can I move to Austria without a job?
It depends on your nationality and residence route. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens may qualify through routes other than employment, subject to the relevant conditions. Non-EU citizens need to check an appropriate route such as study or family residence. Savings or visa-free entry alone do not automatically grant long-term residence or work rights.
How much money do I need to move to Austria?
There is no single reliable amount for every newcomer. Add the deposit, first rent, moving and document costs, temporary accommodation and a reserve to your monthly household budget. Immigration routes can also have separate financial-evidence requirements. Use actual housing offers and expected net income rather than gross salary to plan.
Is health insurance automatic when I arrive in Austria?
Arrival and address registration alone do not provide health insurance. Most employees are insured through their employment, while self-employed people, students and family members may use different routes. Confirm when your cover begins and arrange appropriate cover for any gap.
Do all Austrian jobs pay 14 salaries?
No. Holiday and Christmas payments are common, but entitlement depends on your collective agreement or contract. Check whether the quoted salary is monthly or annual and whether special payments are included before comparing offers.
Do I only become tax resident after 183 days?
No. An Austrian residence or habitual abode can create unlimited tax liability, and it may arise before six months. A stay exceeding six months generally creates unlimited tax liability retroactively from the start of the stay. Tax treaties can affect the result where two countries are involved.
Can I live in Austria and work remotely for a foreign company?
Your residence and work permission must allow the activity. Working physically in Austria can create Austrian tax, payroll and social insurance obligations even if your employer is abroad. Review the arrangement with your employer and an adviser before moving.
Make your next step a little clearer.
Understand the money side of your move, then get personal advice when your situation needs it.