Red White Red Card for very highly qualified workers: Annex A points, job search with or without a visa and the right application route in the right order.
The Red White Red Card for very highly qualified workers is not a general skilled-worker card but a dedicated route for third-country nationals who reach the minimum points under Annex A to the AuslBG and whose intended employment matches this qualification. Section 12 AuslBG ties admission as a key worker to reaching those minimum points and to the requirement that the specific position corresponds to the qualification and to the other point-relevant criteria.
Unlike shortage occupation workers and other key workers, no individual labour-market test applies in this category. The AMS still assesses the admission requirements. The official practice page migration.gv.at states a minimum of 70 out of 100 points; the concrete criteria are drawn from Annex A in each case.
A person without a job offer may personally apply abroad for a Job Seeker Visa valid for up to six months. Nationals of countries admitted for visa-free short stays may search during lawful visa-free presence. Once a suitable offer exists, the Red White Red Card application is filed personally at the competent Austrian representation, by the prospective employer at the competent domestic residence authority, or personally in Austria during lawful entry and stay where the route is available.
This article organises Annex A, evidence quality, job fit and the application route. The employer documents package, the Annex B shortage occupation route and the change of employer are covered in their own articles so this one keeps its focus on points and application.
The check orders Annex A points, job situation and application route. Each result path is submitted with its own context.
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Group your qualifications, work experience, language skills and age along the evidence themes of Annex A. Diplomas, employer references, language certificates and a clear career record support the enquiry. A high point total only carries the case if the planned employment actually corresponds to the qualification and to the point-relevant criteria.
Personal application at the competent representation is the classic route for very highly qualified applicants with a job offer abroad. Passport, civil status records, qualification and language evidence, work references and the written employer declaration are submitted in person. The representation forwards the application to the competent domestic residence authority.
A personal in-country application is possible when lawful entry and lawful stay exist at the moment of filing and when the NAG opens the in-country route for the specific permit. Otherwise the route abroad must be used. Change of purpose from an existing residence title should be assessed separately.
The prospective domestic employer may file the application at the settlement authority competent for the business location. A power of attorney, the complete employer declaration, all personal records of the applicant and the points file are required. The timeline should be aligned with the intended start of work.
Without a job offer, the Job Seeker Visa valid for up to six months can be applied for personally at the competent representation abroad. Reaching the minimum points under Annex A and a credible search purpose are required. The visa is not the Red White Red Card itself; after signing a contract, the residence permit application must be filed.
Nationals of countries admitted for visa-free short stays may search for a suitable position during their lawful visa-free presence. The 90-day Schengen rule applies. After signing a contract, the decision on filing in Austria or from abroad has to be made in time to avoid overstaying.
Section 12 AuslBG treats very highly qualified third-country nationals as key workers when they reach the minimum points required by Annex A and when the intended employment corresponds to both the qualification and the other point-relevant criteria. Unlike many other RWR categories, no individual labour-market test applies. The assessment concentrates on points, qualification and job fit.
Section 41 NAG ties the residence permit to admission under the AuslBG. The residence authority and the AMS act in a coordinated procedure. Section 20d AuslBG governs the technical flow of admission. The application is forwarded by the residence authority to the AMS regional office competent for the business location.
In practice, the card applies to the employment named in the application at the employer named in the application. A later change of employer is covered by our article on changing employer with an RWR Card. The general function of the card is explained in the RWR Card glossary entry.
The official practice page migration.gv.at states a minimum of 70 out of 100 points for very highly qualified workers. Annex A allocates those points to typical evidence themes. These include special qualifications and abilities, qualification-related experience, language skills, age and relevant study in Austria.
Within each theme, evidence must match the concrete qualification. A doctoral degree in engineering carries weight differently from a habilitation in the same field. Work experience is regularly weighted by duration in the field matching the qualification. Language skills are assessed against recognised reference frameworks.
Because individual point values may change through later amendments, the exact figures should always be taken from the current Annex A and from migration.gv.at. This article deliberately avoids a fixed points table and describes the stable evidence themes that have proven reliable in practice.
Section 12 AuslBG additionally requires that the intended employment corresponds to the qualification and that the further point-relevant criteria are met in fact. A person who reaches 70 points on paper but accepts a position below the qualification or outside the point-relevant field risks a refusal.
Job fit is therefore an evidence theme in its own right. Position, task profile, scope of responsibility, required education, technical language and pay should be described so that the link to the qualification is clear. A generic job title without task allocation is particularly weak in this category.
Pay must also be aligned with the qualification level. Very highly qualified applicants are typically expected to take positions that reflect the strong points profile. Unusually low basic pay relative to the qualification is a frequent reason for questions and should be explained in the application.
Academic degrees are usually proven by the original diploma, the transcript and, where necessary, a nostrification or recognition decision. For foreign diplomas, apostille or legalisation and certified translations must be planned.
Work experience is documented with references, employment contracts and, where available, social insurance records. References should clearly state tasks, period and responsibility. A pure list of company names without task descriptions is rarely enough to prove qualification-related experience.
Language skills are documented through certified examinations against recognised reference frameworks. The stated framework and the examination institution should be visible. For documentation preparation, the Red White Red Card checklist is useful.
Without a job offer but with the Annex A minimum points already reached, the Job Seeker Visa can be applied for personally at the competent representation. This visa allows a stay of up to six months for the purpose of finding a suitable position. It is not the Red White Red Card itself; it is the precursor to the later residence permit application.
Nationals of countries admitted for visa-free short stays may attend interviews and prepare contracts during their lawful visa-free presence. The 90-day rule in the Schengen area applies. Such a search replaces neither the Job Seeker Visa nor the Red White Red Card.
In both routes, the actual RWR application is filed after a contract is signed. The moment of filing decides the route and the documentation of lawful stay or return. The interaction with the EU Blue Card is discussed in the article on the EU Blue Card in Austria.
Personal filing at the competent Austrian representation abroad is the classic route. Complete personal records, qualification evidence and the written employer declaration are submitted in person. The representation forwards the application to the competent residence authority.
The prospective employer may file the application at the domestic residence authority when duly authorised by the applicant. This route relieves the applicant of travel and is useful when the intended start of work should follow shortly after the grant. The residence title is nevertheless granted to the applicant personally.
A personal in-country application is possible when lawful entry and lawful stay exist at the moment of filing and when the NAG opens the in-country route for the specific permit. For an existing residence title, the article on change of purpose may also help.
The written employer declaration records company, business location, workplace, position, actual duties, weekly hours, duration and gross remuneration. For very highly qualified applicants it is important that the task description supports the qualification and does not remain a general formula.
The points file should be maintained in parallel to the employer declaration. Each evidence theme from Annex A gets a separate section: qualification, experience, language, age, study in Austria. Every section lists the supporting documents. This structure eases later assessment and any response to improvement requests.
Any contradiction between employer declaration and points file should be resolved before filing. If the declaration describes a position that does not fit the claimed qualification, the category becomes difficult to sustain. A pre-filing alignment is the most effective error prevention.
Not every highly qualified application belongs in this category. Applicants who completed a degree in Austria and stay for a matching job also consider the graduate route. Applicants who meet the specific EU Blue Card criteria may choose that title.
Shortage occupations under Annex B follow a separate catalogue with a distinct points system and a pay threshold. The article on shortage occupation workers describes that route. The overview page on the Red White Red Card orders all categories.
Anyone unsure which permit even applies can gain a first orientation with the Residence permit check. The tool does not replace individual review but helps to describe the case in a structured way.
The official practice page migration.gv.at states a minimum of 70 out of 100. The concrete point values for individual records are drawn from the current text of Annex A and may change over time.
No. Section 12 AuslBG additionally requires that the intended employment corresponds to the qualification and that the further point-relevant criteria are met in fact. Points, position and pay must fit together.
It allows a personal stay abroad-based application for up to six months in Austria to search for a suitable job. It is not the Red White Red Card. After signing a contract, the residence permit application must be filed.
Nationals of countries admitted for visa-free short stays may attend interviews and prepare contracts during their lawful visa-free presence. The 90-day Schengen rule applies, and the filing route depends on the timing.
Personally at the competent representation, by the prospective employer at the domestic authority, or personally in Austria during lawful stay. The best route depends on residence status, timeline and available evidence.